For Those Who Play Without a Pick?

CWMCALL · Unread post by **CWMCALL** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 5:44 pm

I have tried several times to play with out a pick but it just sounds terrible and I can't find the right strings....

what part of your fingers do you strum with? and how do you play songs with strumming and picking? (example: Lie In Our Graves)

Any advice on pickless playing would be great...

Thanks

CWMCALL

borocks · Unread post by **borocks** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 5:50 pm

I only play without pick when I fingerpick. I never strum the stings without a pick, sounds kind of crap to me.

jsgksu · Unread post by **jsgksu** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 6:12 pm

LIOG I play by taking my thumb and middle finger, putting them together at a point like theyre holding a pick, downstrum with middle finger and upstrum with my thumb and try to make sure my nails (not necessarily the ends of them, just some part of the nails) hit the strings. Then I pick the E and D string with my thumb, G with my index, Low E with my thumb and my index and middle finger for the last three D G stings. Hope you can understand that, for other strummign songs I just use my middle and thumb in that same fashion and just use mainly my thumb and index middle and ring for any picking.

matthews123 · Unread post by **matthews123** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 8:24 pm

i used to do it the way jsgsku does it, but it didnt work for me. everyone will have a way that they play better without fingers...

i strum with my index, middle, and ring.

2stepingJ · Unread post by **2stepingJ** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 8:58 pm

i bring my index and thumb together when im strumming,... like as if i was pinching something/someone.... but it's always been easier w/out a pick for me to pick out specific strings... i.e. LIOG.... dunno, just never liked the guitar pick... only use it when im tuning, as cheesy as that sounds... and sometimes i've grown out my finger nails... but that got really annoying and lasts for about a week... but whatever's clever.... do what works for you.... the guys i play w/ always use a pick and don't see how i can constantly use my fingers.... :wink:

... now electric's a different story.... depends on the song sometimes

chosta · Unread post by **chosta** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 9:48 pm

^ ditto, i started out not being comfortable with a pic, they were all either too soft or too hard, and i felt comfortable with my fingernail on most songs cept something like crash, where i need some accuracy, but i think jimi thing sounds schwing when i play without.

now i use dunlop .73's, all the time. they are the best pics, ever.

Ranting Thespian · Unread post by **Ranting Thespian** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 11:46 pm

I almost never use a pick. Yes, the sound won't be the same as with a pick. it will be less harsh and warmer. If I do want harsh, I have settings in my line 6 pod pro to give it that. I only strum with my index and thumb. When picking, like in Lie In our graves, I use my thumb, index, and middle finger. Actualy, my hand stays still when I start fingerpicking songs like Scarbrough Fair, my fingers are doing the moving, and I use my ring finger in that song as well.

For my thumb on strumming, it's the top left part of my thumb before it turns round, close to the nail to out in the front for about 3mm. For my index I use the top left again, but it covers more area going towards the front a little bit further. If you want more specifics, PM me and I coudl take some pictures.

Leibundgut17 · Unread post by **Leibundgut17** » Wed Nov 19, 2003 1:25 am

I kinda like the sound of hand strumming though you're limited of varations. i think with just the hand it sounds kinda chill

chosta · Unread post by **chosta** » Wed Nov 19, 2003 12:50 pm

"i'm too hippy to even use a pic" chill, i dig it

wo(e)rd

borocks · Unread post by **borocks** » Wed Nov 19, 2003 6:06 pm

Leibundgut17 wrote:I kinda like the sound of hand strumming though you're limited of varations. i think with just the hand it sounds kinda chill

everything sounds kinda chill for you autä, you know why...

AdamCU81 · Unread post by **AdamCU81** » Wed Nov 19, 2003 8:24 pm

The nail on my index finger is really flat on top from strumming with my fingers. Anyone else notice the same?

isaac · Unread post by **isaac** » Wed Nov 19, 2003 11:10 pm

i just use the side of my thumb. heh. it's how i started out...i get the same mobility out of it as with a pick. LIOG i play with my thumb alone too, same with most songs unless of course they're fingerpicked, but what usually happens is i switch between fingerpicking and thumb without ever thinking about it. sometimes in the middle of a strum i let it resonate and pick out individual notes. so i guess i'm a little different.

i can post a clip, if you like..

Ranting Thespian · Unread post by **Ranting Thespian** » Wed Nov 19, 2003 11:12 pm

I don[t use my nails when strumming, I think it sounds bad, very uncomfortable,and wears out your nails too much sometimes that it will start to hurt. I also play hard songs with my fingers too, and I am fine with it, just my fingers get black.

isaac · Unread post by **isaac** » Wed Nov 19, 2003 11:16 pm

yeah. i think it sounds pretty bad. my fingers never get black, though.

longleggedfrog · Unread post by **longleggedfrog** » Thu Nov 20, 2003 7:42 am

I had to be quiet the first 3 years I played guitar so I learned just using my thumb, no nail at all. LIOG, no problem....not as crisp, but still sounds the same, you get used to using your thumb and can find your way around really easy. Your thumb builds up a little callous to prortect itself as well. I would prefer to play with a pick, but it just seems quieter and simpler sometimes without one.

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For Those Who Play Without a Pick?

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