I've been playing for 4 months now and I'm pretty good at playing with my fingers, and only my fingers (and thumb). I can strum with my thumb (whichs feels very natural to me), but here lies my problem. If I strum a lot I tear my thumb up really bad. I can't use a flat pick at all, and if I could I still wouldn't want to because I like being able to feel the strings with my fingers and feel I have more control with all 5 fingers than I could ever achieve with a flat pick. I bought a thumb pick yesterday with the hopes I could still play like I normally do, and have a pick attached to my thumb for strumming. It's giving me some trouble since it's different, but I'm doing ok with it. I like the fact that it leaves all my fingers free to play.
So the question is, should I just bear the pain of thumb strumming (which feels the most natural to me), should I learn to use a flat pick, which in my opinion occupies fingers that could be doing something else, or should I master the thumb pick so I can play similiar to how I have been, and have a pick to strum with? I think I could get the thumb pick down fairly quickly if I tried, but is this the best path? Remember, I'm a finger picker, I hate picks, the only reason I want a pick is so I can strum without tearing my thumb up.
I had a nice callus on my thumb for about a week that let me strum gently, but it tore off yesterday and made my thumb really tender (which is why i decided to try out a thumb pick)
I had an idea of putting a little balloon over my thumb as a protector, which worked fairly well, except it made everything sound muted.
Should I try putting "New Skin" on my thumb as a protector? (New Skin is "liquid bandage" stuff (basically clear nail polish)
Anyway, should I bear the pain of thumb strumming, master a thumb pick, or learn to use a flat pick *grits teeth*
I say the way you want to play is totally up to you.
I think the thumb pic would be a nice backup when your thumb is too sore and you have alot of strumming to do.
I prefer to play fingerstyle myself. I tried a thumb pick just for the heck of it and it really didn't seem like it would be to hard to get used to.
how do you strum? And how do you do it without tearing yourself up?
I have tried a thumb pick and it was a disaster.
I used my thumb for about a year, until I realised that fingernails give a much louder and brighter tone. Now I have complete control over the rhythm of my playing (until I pick up a pick).
Curl your fingers up slightly to form a very loose fist. Then, with a little wrist rotation, strum downstrokes with the fingernails and upstrokes with the thumbnail. Oh and apologies to anyone who feels this is not the "correct" way to strum a guitar.
When I can't find a pick, I do the same thing as you except I use the nail of my index finger, it hurts after a while though...
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A thumb pick is going to give you a much sharper sound because its harder than your thumbnail will ever be. It might overwelm your fingerpicking.
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hang in there Pilot7... I had trouble with a normal pick for my first few months, but once you've built up the muscle stamina in your right hand you'll forget you're even holding a pick!!!
I too bought a thumb pick but only use it now when my thumb is sore... I sometimes use my thumb to strum to keep the noise down when my missus has a moan at me.
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I have tried a thumb pick and it was a disaster.
Yep - me too. Just could not get on with it, so I went back to flatpicking. Eventually I got into Classical, and I can play my steel strung guitars using my fingers no problem, when I need to. I flatpick or use my nails (flamenco style) when I want chords and strums, but I just can't see any reason why I'd ever try a thumbpick again.
Best,
A :-)
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I think the more ways you learn to play the better. When I perform for an audience I only strum with my thumb. But I practice every day with a pick and a thumb pick. I use the thumb pick for Carter style picking. You must be hiting the strings awful hard to damage your thumb? I've never had that happen. I've tried that new skin stuff before, it worked ok, gave me more volume.
Tim Madsen
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