Learning finger picks - 3 weeks in

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by AndreF

If I played only steel string guitars I could envision myself going the acrylic route rather than fingerpicks. Seems like a good choice for consistent tone production. But since nylon is my preferred medium I feel fortunate that I can get by fine with my own nails.

Its definitely mostly a steel string thing, tho I've recently noticed some nylon string players using acrylics as well. I struggle a bit with nylon, I feel the acrylics are too much for nylon. But since some are doing it, I could probably adjust if I played more nylon. But if I played mostly nylon, I'd probably just stick with natural nails.

[Bluenose]

I can adjust to f/p's over time but I much prefer playing bareback just as long as my nails hold up. I have no problem using a thumb pick and I should use it more often but I don't find it necessary. I have metal f/p's that work for me but they are uncomfortable and ever tried to work a mouse while wearing f/p's? I just find it onerous putting them on and taking them off and trying not to lose them. They do produce a nice clear tone though.

[TBman]

Now tonight I was using 3 different finger picks. Kalena plastic (much like ProPik Finger Tones in shape), ProPik brass and ProPik Fingertones. I was playing my classical first with the Kalenas, then I switched to steel and the two metal picks were good, but I decided to try the Kalenas again and they were the best. The feel, spatial awareness and tone was really good.

Maybe what I like is going to flip back and forth for a while, I don't know, but each night the picks feel more and more natural for me. I can't get over the clarity that picks bring to the table. Bare flesh has that great intimate tone, but I struggled with volume at times. The picks add another dimension.

[cyclistbrian]

Originally Posted by SGFletch

I've tried the following:

1. Acrylic nails - I have done these a few times at home. They are cool to play with, but my nails grow pretty fast and they start lifting at the back after maybe 10 days. Then, they become a real problem. You have to get them backfilled if you are committed to them long-term. They are a nightmare to try to remove and have left my natural nails in terrible condition for months afterward. Too much work and hassle for me. I also play electric in a rock band and have had one pop off my index finger when the lifting back edge caught a string on the downstrum.

2. Alaska Picks - I love these. The best part is that you can go both up and down like a finger (to me), so these feel very natural but with more volume. It is a bit of a pain to have to have enough nail to hold them in the right place on your fingers though. Right now, My nails have been recently destroyed by a set of acrylics a few months ago followed by doing a bunch of work with some pretty toxic finishing materials and not always wearing gloves. So, my own stupidity is the culprit. Anyway, while my nails are regrowing from all that, I can't even get enough nail to use Alaskas. So....

3. Metal fingerpicks - I had NEVER tried these until about a week ago. The fact that they seem to make it impossible to downstrum seemed like a no-go for me. But, I have gigs and about 50% of my solo repertoire sounds better with some sort of fingers involved vs. just the flatpick. So, I got a set of dunlop standard metal fingerpicks and wow. It was a "where have you been all my life?" moment. The increase in volume makes it much easier to play with my right hand more relaxed, rather than having to muster all that volume out of fingers or even nails. They are a little clumsy. They do make noise, but I find that after I settle into playing with them after 20 minutes or so, that gets less pronounced. They also are a little clumsy, but same as the noise, I find that I get into a groove with them. I played my first gig with these Friday night and they really were fun. I have always found it hard to get the right volume for some fingerstyle songs, even amplified. These are a game changer. I kind of understand why they were popular back in the folkie hootenanny days. I also understand their limitations and why they seem to have fallen out of favor in modern circles.

So, that is a ramble, sorry. Anyway. Long story...long. I'm happily experimenting with metal fingerpicks and got used to them quickly. I will probably go back to Alaskas when I have enough nail to grip them, but maybe not.

I hope you find a winning solution for you. It is fun to see how new experiments can be a revelation.

If you like those cheap Dunlops you owe it to yourself to try some "pro piks". A bit more heft and tone. I've used them for years on banjo and I wouldn't be without them.

[SGFletch]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

I've had the lifting issues you describe when I had to do my nails myself during the pandemic. Getting them done at a Salon is a totally different experience. My salon-applied nails never lift, I can grow them out until there's little left but the tip, and they stay smooth and connected. They're also quite easy to remove if you know how, my salon tech removes them every 2-3 visits. My nails are not in terrible condition when they're removed (which is only to get a new set) - again, I think this may be a Salon vs self-applied thing. I generally get them "filled" once a month, a 10-15 minute process, but I just went 2 months between visits. I agree with the electric guitar being an issue - for me it was nothing about catching on the strings, I just found the sound of nails hitting an overdriven electric to be pretty nasty. I decided I cared more about acoustic.

Everyone's different of course.

This is good information. I will consider this if I decide to try that route again.

[SGFletch]

Originally Posted by cyclistbrian

If you like those cheap Dunlops you owe it to yourself to try some "pro piks". A bit more heft and tone. I've used them for years on banjo and I wouldn't be without them.

Thank you for the tip. I ordered a few different types from Deering. Waiting on them to arrive. Hopefully, I don't end up going down the fingerpick rabbit hole too badly.

[TBman]

The Kalena fingerpicks have an edge with my steel string, they are decent on the nylon. The ProPik finger tones are good on nylon also, but a little "raspy" sounding on the steel strings.

I've been using the Fred Kelly Speed thumbpick, the Bluechip is nice too, but the Speed pick feels more natural.

I just got a few of the Fred Kelly Freedom Poly (clear) finger picks. I'll report back on them.

[TBman]

Today's update -

Steel string:

Fingerpicks:

It seems the Fred Kelly Freedom Poly picks (the clear ones) have the edge now. After I sized them by running them under hot water and the stretching them a few times they fit well. I was just relaxing and playing pretty well all things considered.

Thumb picks:

I had started the night with the Fred Kelly Speed Pick, which really felt great, but after a while playing with the Fred Kelly Freedom finger picks I found that I was missing a lot with the thumb. I was whizzing over the top of them, so I switched over to the Bluechip JDL and that was much better.

I ordered another Bluechip JDL and 2 sets of the Freedom picks to have as backups. Now I have to find a decent case to keep my picks.

[SGFletch]

Having been on a bit of a similar journey, I thought I'd share the latest.

My needs are all for steel-string guitar and primarily my playing is vocal accompaniment. So, maybe my instrumental needs (and chops) are not as much of an issue.

Anyway: I did buy and try some of the ProPiks. I liked the #2 the best (they are a little shorter and wider on the paddle side). The double-band is comfortable and secure, but fiddly to get adjusted. Nonetheless, I can see why people swear by the Propiks. They are very well made and heavy, which gives them a better tone than the cheap Dunlops, to my ear.

The clicky scratchy thing is still there with metal on metal, though. I'm sure that will lessen with practice. However, in light of that, I did have a pack of Dunlop plastic fingerpicks. I had tried them in the past and thought, "no way." The shape seemed weird and I couldn't make them work.

After a couple of weeks using metal fingerpicks, I think I'm more accustomed to the traditional fingerpick (paddle on front of finger) shape/concept, so I tried the plastic Dunlops again with better results. They still feel clumsier than the metals, but the tone had some merit - especially the reduced clickiness compared to metal. The consistent tone between the plastic thumbpick and plastic fingerpicks can be desirable to me. They also have a little flex or give, so if I catch the backside of one on a string, it's less likely to go flying off. AND the noise if I inadvertently hit the top of the guitar with my fingertips is less noticeable.

I put a set in hot water this morning and tried to shape them a little more to my fingers. They tend to be on the long and straight side. This may be an improvement, although I only had a little time to try it out.

I do like the tone, though. They also seem to have some forgiveness for the type of half-fingerpicking/half-somewhat-strumming that I find myself needing to do as a singer.

They are also louder than Alaska Picks. My fingernails are still damaged and too short for Alaskas. I'm also attracted to the utilitarian nature of the traditional fingerpick. You don't need ANY nails, so that's one less thing to fuss with as a guitar player. The amount of nails you need to make Alaskas work (while I do like them a lot) is almost as much as you'd need to play with your nails.

I was trying to find examples of plastic fingerpickers. Jaques Stotzem seems to be the main one I can find. What he does with a thumbpick and only 2 plastic fingerpicks....wow. Amazing.

[Coler]

Well, my update is as follows (again thanks to Barry for motivating me to really give fingerpicks a proper try).

I had been doing pretty well, I thought, on propiks, for a couple of weeks. I am in Co Donegal with my family for a holiday for almost all of August and I managed to fit a guitar in the car, which was great.

Also playing a weekly session in one of the local pubs here, which is even more so. Outside of that, I resolved to commit even further to the fingerpicks, and also to my harmonicas which is another story (having a lot of fun with them too).

Anyway, on the FP front, I have begun to really like Fred Kelly clear polys. The feel more nimble than the propiks especially if I try to do a roll. They seem to suit my attack better, in that I don’t get unwanted noises from them. Although, I did have my propiks pretty nicely dialled in a this stage.

I can get through some of the slower and easier parts of my repertoire on the Fred Kellys and be pretty pleased with the results. Something I thought I would never say.

These appear to be real game changers for me in terms of the greater volume and projection I can achieve, given my live playing is 90% in unamplified pub settings.

I would stress, I tried fingerpicks so many times over the years and always gave up on them. Then I had a moment of clarity where I realised that this was the exact same as when I tried thumbpicks unsuccessfully before it finally came together for me. There’s no real mystery to it - you just have to do it, and do it, and do it, and not let yourself not do it, and do it some more…

[SGFletch]

Originally Posted by Coler

Well, my update is as follows (again thanks to Barry for motivating me to really give fingerpicks a proper try).

I had been doing pretty well, I thought, on propiks, for a couple of weeks. I am in Co Donegal with my family for a holiday for almost all of August and I managed to fit a guitar in the car, which was great.

Also playing a weekly session in one of the local pubs here, which is even more so. Outside of that, I resolved to commit even further to the fingerpicks, and also to my harmonicas which is another story (having a lot of fun with them too).

Anyway, on the FP front, I have begun to really like Fred Kelly clear polys. The feel more nimble than the propiks especially if I try to do a roll. They seem to suit my attack better, in that I don’t get unwanted noises from them. Although, I did have my propiks pretty nicely dialled in a this stage.

I can get through some of the slower and easier parts of my repertoire on the Fred Kellys and be pretty pleased with the results. Something I thought I would never say.

These appear to be real game changers for me in terms of the greater volume and projection I can achieve, given my live playing is 90% in unamplified pub settings.

I would stress, I tried fingerpicks so many times over the years and always gave up on them. Then I had a moment of clarity where I realised that this was the exact same as when I tried thumbpicks unsuccessfully before it finally came together for me. There’s no real mystery to it - you just have to do it, and do it, and do it, and not let yourself not do it, and do it some more…

Thank you for sharing that. I'm curious what type(s) of music you are playing and that 90% of your live playing is unamplified in a pub. Having never been to Ireland (got geographically close - lived in England for a while in the 80s), is it common to play in a pub with no PA? Are you playing with an ensemble? Solo? etc. If you ever have a moment to share I'd love to know more about what that looks like. I have a buddy here who has visited Ireland a couple of times and can't say enough about how great a time he had.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by Coler

Well, my update is as follows (again thanks to Barry for motivating me to really give fingerpicks a proper try).

I had been doing pretty well, I thought, on propiks, for a couple of weeks. I am in Co Donegal with my family for a holiday for almost all of August and I managed to fit a guitar in the car, which was great.

Also playing a weekly session in one of the local pubs here, which is even more so. Outside of that, I resolved to commit even further to the fingerpicks, and also to my harmonicas which is another story (having a lot of fun with them too).

Anyway, on the FP front, I have begun to really like Fred Kelly clear polys. The feel more nimble than the propiks especially if I try to do a roll. They seem to suit my attack better, in that I don’t get unwanted noises from them. Although, I did have my propiks pretty nicely dialled in a this stage.

I can get through some of the slower and easier parts of my repertoire on the Fred Kellys and be pretty pleased with the results. Something I thought I would never say.

These appear to be real game changers for me in terms of the greater volume and projection I can achieve, given my live playing is 90% in unamplified pub settings.

I would stress, I tried fingerpicks so many times over the years and always gave up on them. Then I had a moment of clarity where I realised that this was the exact same as when I tried thumbpicks unsuccessfully before it finally came together for me. There’s no real mystery to it - you just have to do it, and do it, and do it, and not let yourself not do it, and do it some more…

The Kelly clear polys are doing the trick for me with nylon too so that's a bonus.

The best advice I got about switching to finger picks was "don't 'not use them'."

[jontewright]

I've been trying, relatively unsuccessfully, with finger picks for a year or so.
Ordered some of the Fred Kelly Freedom Poly picks last week and they are a game changer for me.
I felt I got used to them after a couple of hours and also in that time I finally eradicated that 'scratchy' G string harshness.
Something I've never managed to do with any of the others I've tried.

I've tried...

Dunlop metals - I wanted to make these work but could not lose the scratch scratch scratchy g string so basically that's all I heard.

ProPik finger tones - had really high hopes for these after all I'd read but found them even worse than the dunlops....scratch, scratch!

Alaska's - again high hopes but just could not get them to work and the whole having to keep your nails in shape to wear them thing was a real pain. Actually preferred playing with my nails once I'd got them to the desired length to fit those pesky Alaska's.

I don't know what it is about these freedom picks, maybe that you wear them over the top of the nail rather than on the pad of the finger like the metal one's but they just seem a lot more natural to me.
I'm seriously delighted to have discovered them (thanks to this wonderful forum). I was about to give up completely with finger picks and these really were my last shot! So much more clarity and volume than with my bare fingers. Hooray!
I've just ordered some of the softer Delrin one's for quieter practice when my daughter is in bed.

I think the key thing to take from this thread is that we are all different, what works for one might not work for the other.
Just keep going until you find what you need to find, whether that be acrylics, picks, bare fingers, teeth, etc.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by jontewright

I've been trying, relatively unsuccessfully, with finger picks for a year or so.
Ordered some of the Fred Kelly Freedom Poly picks last week and they are a game changer for me.
I felt I got used to them after a couple of hours and also in that time I finally eradicated that 'scratchy' G string harshness.
Something I've never managed to do with any of the others I've tried.

I've tried...

Dunlop metals - I wanted to make these work but could not lose the scratch scratch scratchy g string so basically that's all I heard.

ProPik finger tones - had really high hopes for these after all I'd read but found them even worse than the dunlops....scratch, scratch!

Alaska's - again high hopes but just could not get them to work and the whole having to keep your nails in shape to wear them thing was a real pain. Actually preferred playing with my nails once I'd got them to the desired length to fit those pesky Alaska's.

I don't know what it is about these freedom picks, maybe that you wear them over the top of the nail rather than on the pad of the finger like the metal one's but they just seem a lot more natural to me.
I'm seriously delighted to have discovered them (thanks to this wonderful forum). I was about to give up completely with finger picks and these really were my last shot! So much more clarity and volume than with my bare fingers. Hooray!
I've just ordered some of the softer Delrin one's for quieter practice when my daughter is in bed.

I think the key thing to take from this thread is that we are all different, what works for one might not work for the other.
Just keep going until you find what you need to find, whether that be acrylics, picks, bare fingers, teeth, etc.

I ordered 3 of the Delrin picks to try them out. I didn't realize that they were softer. Thanks!

[Andyrondack]

Originally Posted by jontewright

I've been trying, relatively unsuccessfully, with finger picks for a year or so.
Ordered some of the Fred Kelly Freedom Poly picks last week and they are a game changer for me.
I felt I got used to them after a couple of hours and also in that time I finally eradicated that 'scratchy' G string harshness.
Something I've never managed to do with any of the others I've tried.

I've tried...

Dunlop metals - I wanted to make these work but could not lose the scratch scratch scratchy g string so basically that's all I heard.

ProPik finger tones - had really high hopes for these after all I'd read but found them even worse than the dunlops....scratch, scratch!

.

Did you not consider using an unwound G string? They are available.. It used to be asked everytime I bought a set of strings 'do you want a plain or a wound 3rd' Somewhere down the line the sets with a plain 3rd got dropped but you can still find them or buy the 3rd string individually.
It's a shame people give up on metal picks. I think they sound great.