Pick or Thumb

TXBart · #1 10-20-2010, 04:46 PM

I am a new player, new Forum member and even newer nylon owner. I am such a new nylon owner I don't have my guitar yet. I ordered a Taylor NS-34-CE this afternoon and get it Monday.

My question is pick or fingers. I want to play finger style and pick a little now. I practice a lot part of which is playing the pentatonic and blues scales several times a day. I can't picture how to play the scales finger since I pick them up and down. Do you "pluck" up and down with your thumb and fingers?

Should I continue as I play my steel strings; pick where it seems right and finger when it is right or should I try to ween myself away from my pick all together?

I want to play folk and blues.

Forensicguy · #2 10-20-2010, 05:00 PM

Welcome to the Nylon sub-forum!

Glad you took my advice and came over here.

You'll find some people prefer thumbpicks and others just bare thumbs. For me, I use an "extra long" heavy (white) Fred Kelly speedpick. http://fredkellypicks.com
I had Fred Kelly make a batch for me. These extra long ones are usually only made for Doyle Dykes, but he was due for some soon anyway, so the company made a few more and gave me those without his name on them.

I like having a clear bass line when playing fingerstyle and so the thumbpick really helps out for that.

I started playing fingerstyle perhaps 7 years or so ago after seeing Doyle Dykes play guitar. But I started really on nylon after listening to smooth jazz guitarist Peter White. These two guys really influenced me in playing differently after having played guitar for so many years (41 years so far...)

As for picking up and down, yes, I do that with my thumbpick. To play fast, you really have to be able to do that... at least in my opinion.

Ween off of picks altogether... nah.... why? Learn to use picks, thumbpicks and bare fingers. Do it all. You'll get lots more different tones that way.

Enjoy!

john bange · #3 10-20-2010, 05:04 PM

you seem to have already figured it out...fingerpick when It sounds right and flatpick when that sounds the best.
When using just your fingers and thumb, you probably will want to strum down and also brush up with the thumb, just like you would do with the flatpick. I will pick up most of the time with my fingers but as a banjo frailer, I often hit down on the strings..
If thumb and finger picks are used, then up picking would be the motion for the fingers and down for the thumb.
I believe your new Taylor has a radiused fret board and bridge so, flat picking will be easy.
Having said all this, I would think a hand with thumb nail and fingernails would sound the best. Still, I have heard a lot of great guitar players using picks on nylon strings

TXBart · #4 10-20-2010, 07:44 PM

I started with a new instructor last week. I showed him a "finger roll" a friend showed me; he said "It's banjo style but not bad." I did play banjo for a while, it is a bad habit transfer? It sounds good and feels good so I doesn't seem bad.

BTW, my new instructor plays a nylon for instruction so he can't be all bad.

guto · #5 10-21-2010, 03:45 AM

About the pentatonic scale, you can play it pretty much alternating index and medium finger. Its the most used technique for fast scales in the "classical" way.
The thumb will add a diferent "weight" to the note. You can choose where to use it as you please, there is really no right and wrong in this.

LadyPicker · #6 10-21-2010, 08:43 AM

I had been a steel string flat picker for over 40 years and have just a year ago switched to nylon. Personally I just use a thumb-pick, (a long Golden Gate), that I had modified the tip to the right angle and thinned it out just a bit with an emery board, then and rolled the edges a bit as not to catch the strings.

I find the crispness of the pick in combination with my finger pads, make for an interesting and versatile sound. I have also found it great for playing blues as I get a nice clean bass line with the thumb-pick.

jmiked · #7 10-22-2010, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LadyPicker

Personally I just use a thumb-pick, (a long Golden Gate), that I had modified the tip to the right angle and thinned it out just a bit with an emery board, then and rolled the edges a bit as not to catch the strings.

Same thing I do. I use a Dremel to shorten and round off my Fred Kelly thumbpicks and then feather the edge a bit. I've been using a thumbpick since around 1965.