Fingerpicking Dilema

Hughj,
I keep my nails on both hands short and finger pick with the fleshy parts of my finger anyway. It's a mellower sound, I suppose. Does it bother your finger to fingerpick that way?

well I just think it sounds brighter with the nails, also if you are interspersing some strumming into it then I generally strum with my index finger which is the problem nail.

I fingerpick David's America lesson, no idea how anyone can use a pelctrum on that one.

Hugh (love the name by the way ha ha ha). Wonder if anyone else has spotted it yet.

Anyway, I think the answer might be to try the finger picks that attach to your fingers, like Paul Simon uses. I imagine they take some getting used to, but what doesn't?

Maybe some other pickers on here can comment on their use?

All the best

Matt

I agree, maybe you could use this as an oppourtunity to incorporate mastery of an unknown technique. Rather then adjust to fit the norm try something new. If People without legs can run in the olympics why cant you throw on a fingerpick for your index finger, or better yet all five.

Kido

You could try these finger picks:

http://www.tonetoys.de/de/Finger-Tone.html

Sorry, it's in German, but the picture will tell you enough about the pick

Here are my favorite fingerpicks: http://www.guptillmusic.com/propik/fastpicks.html

Here's an extraordinarliy versatile thumbpick:
http://www.fredkellyspicks.com/speed_pick.html

Wow, those are some cool picks. I could never get used to those things.

I read once many years ago that Eric Clapton would paint his fingernails with super-glue to strengthen them. Just don't get it in your eyes! :D

BTW, those FingerEase picks are also ProPiks made by Guptil Music. I linked to another page on the maker's site above. Look around, they've got several styles.

You could also stick an acrylic nail to it.

Contrary to popular belief, you don't need extremely long nails to play classical/fingerstyle guitar. My nails usaully are just a couple millimetres past the tip of the finger, this allows for both good speed and decent tone. When I first started playing classical guitar my teacher told me not to worry about my nails, and to focus on getting the technique down first... I find that playing with long nails is easier, but playing without can be just as effective.

My nails are actually a bit shorter than my fingertips, but I can still get the nail on the string - it's a matter of how you position your picking hand, and the angle of attack. Plus, it allows me to straighten out my fingers and use just the fleshy part for more of a 'bowing' effect.

The one thing I've never been able to do is get used to using the nail on my thumb, though... since it's just the 'left' corner of the nail that strikes the string, I'm still playing with how to shape it so I can hit consistently without getting the wrong string. On the plus side, bass strings ring out with a bit more volume anyway, and the subdued bass from striking with flesh serves as a good counterpoint to treble strings with nails when both are used at once. One thing I particularly like is attacking with the thumb going up, and the fingers going down - all the way to low E if need be.

I guess it's a good thing that 95+% of my work is on plectrum, huh?
:)