Can you hear that I don't use a pick when I play?

acidrock said:
That's funny,I'm the exact opposite.If I'm just out of the shower or I just got done washing dishes I won't play guitar because I want my fingertips to harden up.:D:guitar:

It would probably work,but I put myself in the finger sounds are cool camp.I've heard of people micing the hands of electric guitarists just to add a little of that sound to the mix,I think it was Buddy Holly or something like that.
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I sometimes mic the body of an electric, to get some pick noise, which makes it sound more human and less techno, somewhere in between acoustic and electric. Finger squeak, on the other hand, I pretty much have no use for. That business with soaking your fingers works very well. It only softens the calluses temporarily, but that will make them sensitive in longer sessions.
 
Richard Monroe said:
I sometimes mic the body of an electric, to get some pick noise, which makes it sound more human and less techno, somewhere in between acoustic and electric. Finger squeak, on the other hand, I pretty much have no use for. That business with soaking your fingers works very well. It only softens the calluses temporarily, but that will make them sensitive in longer sessions.
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try coated strings......seems to help the most....electric or acoustic
 
Also, to anyone who plays without a pick, I'd say- learn to use a pick. To anyone who plays with a pick, I'd say- learn to play without a pick. Don't limit yourself, saying, "This is how I do it". Replace that with, "I play guitar". Then learn jazz style, with a pick and the other three fingers, and also fingerpicks. The guitar is an instrument that is every bit as versatile as you allow it to be. There's no reason to play it just one way. With all due respect to Jimi Hendrix, I'll think I'll pass on my teeth, though. I'm afraid I'll break my dentures!
 
Both takes sound good to me.

Elixer nanoweb strings can help with fretting noise. They hold their tune very well too.
 
fritsthegirl said:
I was surprised the nail noise didn't bother you as much as the slide noise, which I hadn't even noticed.
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The "nail" sound on the strings sounds no different to a pick. The left hand sound running up and down the strings can be heard on billions of songs from bluesmen in the 20s up to the present day.
 
fritsthegirl said:
I know a handful of guitarists that don't use a pick, but they're mostly finger picking kind of stuff. What do you reckon? Is it possible to get a good sound strumming without one ?
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Just as an aside, I'm watching a documentary on the making of the LP "LA Woman" that I taped a few months ago that I've only just got around to watching. In it, I notice that the Doors guitarist, Robbie Krieger, doesn't use a pick. In the clips from the 60s and 1970 he doesn't and in the up to date clips when he shows you some of his guitar parts he doesn't. He uses his fingers but you'd not know it if you didn't look.
 
grimtraveller said:
Just as an aside, I'm watching a documentary on the making of the LP "LA Woman" that I taped a few months ago that I've only just got around to watching. In it, I notice that the Doors guitarist, Robbie Krieger, doesn't use a pick. In the clips from the 60s and 1970 he doesn't and in the up to date clips when he shows you some of his guitar parts he doesn't. He uses his fingers but you'd not know it if you didn't look.
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That is an important distinction. It is important to decide this. Picks or no picks. There is a difference. LA Woman provided that. It is the quintessentially songish thing the doors ever did. Robbie Krieger or no Robbie Krieger, everyone has fingernails unless they are gone. You need to post a song soon.
 
chuckduffy said:
That is an important distinction. It is important to decide this. Picks or no picks. There is a difference. LA Woman provided that. It is the quintessentially songish thing the doors ever did. Robbie Krieger or no Robbie Krieger, everyone has fingernails unless they are gone. You need to post a song soon.
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hmmmm .... I very frequently use my fingers and no pick ..... I NEVER use my nails.
 
I pick with my fingertips. My nails aren't long enough to pluck a string with. I do use my fingernails to scrape down the strings though. Like a slowed down version/variation of a flamenco or something. (I don't know technical terms, I just play the guitar)
 
Yeah, I bite my nails all the time, so there isn't much there to pick with. I use my fingertips as well though which seems to work ok. Not so much attack there I guess.
 
Lt. Bob said:
hmmmm .... I very frequently use my fingers and no pick ..... I NEVER use my nails.
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Me too, I'll trim my nails down to nothing because I hate when they catch on the strings.

I use a pick, a pick and fingers and just fingers on guitar, a pick only on mandolin, fingers only on uke and bass.
 
acidrock said:
Me too, I'll trim my nails down to nothing because I hate when they catch on the strings.

I use a pick, a pick and fingers and just fingers on guitar, a pick only on mandolin, fingers only on uke and bass.
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fingers only on bass for me unless it's some superfast thing that also needs a pick sound.
On git I always have a pick in my hand but maybe 1/3rd of the time I'll go to just fingers for various things like plucking an entire chord at one time as opposed to essentially an arpeggio which is what you get with a pick.
Also some solos go better and quicker with fingers and faux pedal steel licks definitely do better with just fingers.

When I do go to fingers I'm still holding a pick but it disappears ...... I'm not totally sure what I do with it ..... I think it goes up between my index and middle fingers but I'm not sure ...... I guess I need to pay attention next time and see where my hand hides it.
 
Lt. Bob said:
fingers only on bass for me unless it's some superfast thing that also needs a pick sound.
On git I always have a pick in my hand but maybe 1/3rd of the time I'll go to just fingers for various things like plucking an entire chord at one time as opposed to essentially an arpeggio which is what you get with a pick.
Also some solos go better and quicker with fingers and faux pedal steel licks definitely do better with just fingers.

When I do go to fingers I'm still holding a pick but it disappears ...... I'm not totally sure what I do with it ..... I think it goes up between my index and middle fingers but I'm not sure ...... I guess I need to pay attention next time and see where my hand hides it.
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That kind of sounds like me, my hand just does what my mind hears.
 
Lt. Bob said:
fingers only on bass for me unless it's some superfast thing that also needs a pick sound.
On git I always have a pick in my hand but maybe 1/3rd of the time I'll go to just fingers for various things like plucking an entire chord at one time as opposed to essentially an arpeggio which is what you get with a pick.
Also some solos go better and quicker with fingers and faux pedal steel licks definitely do better with just fingers.

When I do go to fingers I'm still holding a pick but it disappears ...... I'm not totally sure what I do with it ..... I think it goes up between my index and middle fingers but I'm not sure ...... I guess I need to pay attention next time and see where my hand hides it.
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Yo Leftenant! I do everything as you do, except I really never have been able to do the pick and fingers thing, partially due to habit, and partially due to severed tendons with a really bad attempted repair to my third right finger from an old knife wound. I'd really like to see a video clip of the technique you are talking about, because there are so many songs on acoustic where I'd like to switch between flatpicking and fingerstyle. Make my day!
 
Richard Monroe said:
Yo Leftenant! I do everything as you do, except I really never have been able to do the pick and fingers thing, partially due to habit, and partially due to severed tendons with a really bad attempted repair to my third right finger from an old knife wound. I'd really like to see a video clip of the technique you are talking about, because there are so many songs on acoustic where I'd like to switch between flatpicking and fingerstyle. Make my day!
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I'll see what I can do ...... maybe this weekend I can get wifey to take a quick vid of it ..... TBH I'm kinda curious myself. I know it sounds ridiculous but I'm really not sure what I do .... the pick disappears when I don't need it and is suddenly there again when I do.
I'm pretty sure that it goes up between the index and middle fingers but I'm not sure. I've never dropped it while doing that so I know it can't be anything too convoluted.
 
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