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Do you play with a pick?


Super 8

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I was watching Fleetwood Mac on VH-1 Classic the other day, and noticed that Lindsey doesn't use a pick when he plays that cool little guitar of his.

I've noticed that Chuck Berry doesn't use one either.

 

Every guitar player I know uses a pick. When I play guitar I don't use one. They feel weird in my hand. Someday I'll probably learn to use one. But I am curious how many of you use them or do not use them, and why...

Super 8

 

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Sometimes I do, sometimes not. I usually do, but I also like to play fingerstyle, and occasionally I like to play with just my thumb. I also use pick & fingers in combination. I guess it depends on the sound I'm after.

 

Paul

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Originally posted by Super 8:

I was watching Fleetwood Mac on VH-1 Classic the other day, and noticed that Lindsey doesn't use a pick when he plays that cool little guitar of his.

I've noticed that Chuck Berry doesn't use one either.

 

Every guitar player I know uses a pick. When I play guitar I don't use one. They feel weird in my hand. Someday I'll probably learn to use one. But I am curious how many of you use them or do not use them, and why...

Plenty of non pickers out there: Derick Trucks, Kevin Eubanks. I'd quit using a pick if my fingers could move like theirs.

bbach

 

Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.

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I'd agree that both techniques are good to have at your disposal (and the pick and fingers "hybrid" combo).

 

You just get a wider range of tone colors and expressive possibilities and that = good.

Just a pinch between the geek and chum

 

 

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yep, like everyone else i mostly use a pick although for certain licks, songs (especially hot tuna songs, man those are great) and whatever i'll use my fingers
Then you'll never hear surf music again...
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"When I play guitar I don't use one. They feel weird in my hand."
Man, that coulda been written by me!

 

I have grown to hate using picks; most anything that I would want to do with a pick, I can do without one, anyways, using my index-fingernail; sometimes palm-muting at the bridge, as well.

 

When I do grab a pick, I invariably wind up playing more and more hybrid pick-and-fingers style, till I ditch the pick altogether for getting in the way!

 

Thanks for reminding me about Lindsey Buckingham; I really aughtta check him out some more. And I didn't even know that Chuck Berry wasn't using a pick!

 

I guess Jeff Beck plays without a pick a lot, too.

Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do?

 

~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~

_ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _

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even though i use a pick, i can do without one. my index finger does fine as a pick for down strokes, and switching to finger style is easier when you don't need to ditch the pick. i am able (don't laugh) stick picks to my forehead for later use..really! and this comes in handy for bottle caps when there is no garbage can near.

just thought i would share.. :rolleyes:

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These days a pick.

Fingers if a pick is not where it should be. Combo if needed.

 

I had a set of fingerpicks, could never figure those suckers out.

 

I saw a clip once of Duane Allman playing slide, and he looked like he was slapping a bass.

 

How about Stanley Jordan? What do you call that? Advanced tapping?

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Started with classical guitar so played without a pick for about three years. Now I try to play with a pick because I think the sharper attack it sounds better for solo and strumming..

 

Pier.

* Godin Freeway Classic * Seagull M6 * Timothy S10J
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Oh, man, I hate finger picks! I might as well try to play with winter gloves on! Hate 'em!!

 

I play without a pick because of how it sounds, for me!

Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do?

 

~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~

_ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _

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Mostly use picks on electrified guitars. Years ago I would cut up the yellow tops off of my mother's coffee cans ( MOSTLY when they were empty) and use them as picks. Have even used dimes and pennies. On acoustic guitar its about 60-40 for picks, when I don't drop them into the soundhole. (I've shaken a lot of guitars believe me!) :D

 

BTW, anyone ever use drumsticks to play a guitar? Fun! :thu:

...touched down in the land of the Delta Blues.....in the middle of the pouring rain....
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Originally posted by tiger85:

"BTW, anyone ever use drumsticks to play a guitar? Fun!" :thu:

How about spinning the handle of a Sears/Craftsman screwdriver against the strings, or slappin'em with the Bigsby-like whammy-bar handle off of a cheap old '60s-vintage driftwood excuse for a guitar? Or a brass slide? Or a shot-glass? Or a beer-bottle? Or- of course- an actual violin bow? (The bow-rosin chokes and ruins the strings for good!)

Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do?

 

~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~

_ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _

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I almost always play with a pick of some sort, pick, bread bag thingy, coins and metal objects suck, screwdrivers with pronounced grips can be spun by the blade and bounced off of the strings creating a very interesting effect. I highly recommend this to anyone who owns a screwdriver.

Unfortunately those cordless screwdrivers aren't much good for anything other than making corded screwdrivers obsolete.

I haven't made much music with them either. :D

I still think guitars are like shoes, but louder.

 

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Originally posted by Guitars are like shoes. But louder.:

"...screwdrivers with pronounced grips can be spun by the blade and bounced off of the strings creating a very interesting effect. I highly recommend this to anyone who owns a screwdriver." :D

Yeah, that's exactly what I was talkin' 'bout back a few posts here!

 

What a cool, swirly, bouncey, unusual sound... kinda percolatin' like.

 

Sears/Craftsman scredrivers of the original clear-lexan handled variety work great for that; it just may sound better on a flat-top acoustic than on an electric, too!

Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do?

 

~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~

_ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _

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I play with a pick + fingers approach: most of the time I use the pick, sometimes add a (couple of) finger(s), sometimes I strum with my thumb to get a mellower sound - whatever gets the job done, actually...
- due to recent cutbacks, the light at the end of the tunnel has been SWITCHED OFF
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I almost always use one and have a bit of a rep for buying too many, I have a glass dish on top of my amp with all sorts of different brands and guages, tho I only really use Jim Dunlop medium-light gel picks for electric and light for acoustic now (and occasionally the new awe-in-one pics).

 

Think Robbie Kriegar(sp?) from The Doors was a non-pick plucker too...

 

Guitarzan, great avatar, I got that book for Xmas from my housemate, who also sings in my band (the cheeky b@st@rd :D )

Fa Fa FA Fa fa fa fa fa FA fa FA FA
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After years of being told that the "Right Way" to play was with a pick. I use a pick. If I'm finger picking of course I use my fingers, but for strumming, it's a pick all the way.

 

I have picks squirled away all over the place. In my pockets, stuck in my guitar, on the T.V., bedside table, picks littered everywhere.

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I have a very fine assortment of picks but there are maybe four or five I really need. I still actually like to rock at times (gasp!), I need my picks.

Love finger style, I`m going to get to know my classical guitar much better one of these days.

Finger picks-I`d be better at driving the mars rover

I`m working on the hybrid method, great idea but I`m not that good at it yet.

Same old surprises, brand new cliches-

 

Skipsounds on Soundclick:

www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandid=602491

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Do you think Mel Bay Publications and the pick makers will offer us a class action settlement? I'm in if anyone cares to join in. If people can sue McDonald's for making them fat, can't these people be sued for making us less versatile by insisting that we use picks? :D
...touched down in the land of the Delta Blues.....in the middle of the pouring rain....
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