Finger picking, anyone here do it?

[Lotus 50]

Gaspode said:

My mate can do that, I've never figured out how he does it. He can switch from playing with a pick to playing with his fingers and back again without missing a beat. He can't explain how he does it, either.

See here at 01:45. Whenever I try that the only thing that happens is that I drop the pick...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjbz2OpvluE

Edited by Gaspode on Sunday 21st December 16:05

That's pretty impressive, I've never tried to do that (must have a go) and normally use a plectrum and my middle/RH ring finger to finger pick. Have you ever checked out how Gordon Giltrap plays?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDBEkzlWerI

(using a plectrum and his little finger only).

[br d]

Can of worms here, Setzer is surely the master of the pick tuck. I've tried and tried to do this but I just gave up and went for flat pick hybrid.
Watch the right hand:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hjb-0B-VGc

[pad58]

Top three strings I use just the thumb so there's a more bassy sound ,nails bring a sharper tone to the bottom strings.

There that's the best way I can explain to the novice like myself.

[Gaspode]

br d said:

Can of worms here, Setzer is surely the master of the pick tuck. I've tried and tried to do this but I just gave up and went for flat pick hybrid.
Watch the right hand:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hjb-0B-VGc

Fascinating, he kind of curls his index finger around it and picks with the others. Not sure I'd find that comfortable, I think I'll carry on trying to master hybrid picking. The big problem I have is that many years ago I developed the very bad habit of holding my pick with thumb, index and second finger, and like all bad habits it's very hard to break.

[vournikas]

As an aside, singlecoil, have a look at some 'tube vids of Julian Bream and Simon Dinnigan (my favourite classical players), and judge the sound they produce. Simon uses his nails for his picking hand, whereas Julian doesn't.

[Lotus 50]

vournikas said:

As an aside, singlecoil, have a look at some 'tube vids of Julian Bream and Simon Dinnigan (my favourite classical players), and judge the sound they produce. Simon uses his nails for his picking hand, whereas Julian doesn't.

That's interesting - where did you discover that Bream doesn't use fingernails? (I was 90% certain that he did and a quick rummage on the web suggests he does too)

[audidoody]

Hybrid picking. The Guv'nor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGU63KqXuZk

[br d]

Can't disagree with Audi, Albert is the man when it comes to Hybrid picking, he famously uses his little finger which most Hybrid pickers don't, it gives him the edge.
Of course I could throw in James Burton, Johnny Hiland, Darrell Higham and the incomparable Danny Gatton if you want to see more magic, hours of jaw dropping stuff there.

But SC started this thread about just finger picking, and most of the contributors seem to agree that playing with finger tips is plenty good enough, so we can't ignore the greatest picker that has ever lived IMHO. I can never miss an opportunity to pimp Tommy Emmanuel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S33tWZqXhnk

[dojo]

Tommy Emmanuel is absolutely quality but for me Paco is the king of finger style (plus he is playing on a nylon), anyway all subjective and amazing players.

With regards to switching between flat picking and finger picking I hold my pick under my ring finger (between the first joint (nearest finger nail) and where finger and hand join) , this allows me to still use this finger while playing finger style.

Check out LA guitar academy on YouTube, the guy has great angles wroth camera work so you can see his technique plus he is a great player.

[audidoody]

And Ray Flacke, another Brit who went to Nashville and taught the Americans how to chicken pick!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VhFIw9CbO4