Play with Fingers (no pick)?

Am I alone on this? But I much prefer playing with my fingers only (no pick at all). It seems to me I have a much better feel and better control with bare fingers. I tend to used two or three fingers and thumb. This is probably because I started playing fingerstyle on the acoustic before moving to electric. I feel more comfortable with fingers.

In addition, I don't like the "clacking" sound of a plastic pick on the strings (very noticable to me when playing at low volumes in the Living Room).

One drawback is that I tend to sound twang-y by snapping the strings up instead of the traditional downstroke.

Is this a bad habit? Is it acceptable? Should I learn to use a pick?

I have heard that Jeff Beck and Mark Knopfler also play this way. Is that true?

Why not get the best of both worlds and hybrid pick?

Add Lindsey Buckingham to the list of folks who play fingerstyle.

As well as Chet Atkins, Merle Travis....

Anything you can do with a pick, you can do with your fingers, with the exception of pinch harmonics, and probably that nu-metal chugga-chugga thing.

I stink at using my fingers on electric. The only time I do it is to make a miserable attempt at the first solo in Middle of the Road.

I've tried to slowly wean myself off of the pick over the last couple of years. I think using the fingers sounds much more organic. The hardest thing for me was getting used to the dynamics in a band setting (it always sounds great when I'm practicing alone).
It really improves and increases your tonal possibilities if you can switch between the fingers and the pick.
anthony, IMO, you are ahead in the game by having this skill mastered.

p.s. ...nuthin' wrong with 'twangy'.! ;)

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Originally Posted by cooltone

The hardest thing for me was getting used to the dynamics in a band setting (it always sounds great when I'm practicing alone).

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I beliieve a lot of fingerstyle folks use compressors. Worth checking into, anyway.

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I beliieve a lot of fingerstyle folks use compressors

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yep, I believe you are right. I picked up my Dyna Comp a few years ago, when I started playing slide with my fingers (along with entry level country style chicken picken..)

I have been using a pick less and less lately. But, I have been playing my acoustic more and more too....must be a summertime thing.

Copping some blues fills and leads off a couple of CDs somehow became much easier without a pick. There is less bite so I crank up the treble a bit. Really though, I agree completely that theres a more organic and natural feel. I still use the pick for most strumming but palm it and use my index, middle and thumb for fast rhythm. Lots of possibilities with muting, damping and fanning the strings w/o a pick.

Add Derek Trucks to the list. A MONSTER finger style.

TT

You can always get acryllic nails and your local beauty salon. I have them and I keep them relatively short so I can play with either the nail or flesh. I shape my index nail like a flatpick and all that I can't to (yet) is get pinch harmonics on the up-stroke. Blugrass flatpicking comes off a bit weak -- I just can't quite dig in -- and convincing strumming took a long time to get.

But other than these difficulties, the nails get you to the best of both worlds. Oh, and I don't use a compressor often. The option of playing off the flesh or the nail gives a lot of dynamic, though it does take quite a bit of getting used to.

I like playing fingerstyle a lot too. Much more tone. Mark Knopfler was a big influence. Keith Urban too. The only thing really hard for me is a fast tremelo ala Eruption or something. I'm not talking about the classical style trem, but I think the rock style trem is better suited with a pick. Maybe if I grew my fingernail out I could use it to pick fast. Lots of cool dynamics with fingers. snapping, popping, slapping etc..of course a regular free stroke can be made to sound similar to a plectrum too. You don't have to have that snap.

Jeff Beck plays fingerstyle. He pretends to hold a pick and uses his flesh/nail to strike the string. It's a good way to play the rock stuff. and pick harmonics are not a problem like this.

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Originally Posted by 69strat

Jeff Beck plays fingerstyle. He pretends to hold a pick and uses his flesh/nail (of the index finger) to strike the string. It's a good way to play the rock stuff. and pick harmonics are not a problem like this.

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:yayGood description.
I was trying to think of how to explain that.

That does work but the nail has to be a little on the longer side of how I keep mine. Make like you're holding a pick between the thumb and forefinger and pull the meat of the finger back with the thumb. Keeps the finger from damping the string after you pick it then the thumb catches it for the pinch harmonic just like with a pick.

TT

If you think about it for a sec, a lot of my guitar influences today use both,,,Clapton, Guy, SRV, Hendrix, Johnson, etc, the list goes on and on. Being able to switch on the fly really opens up the tonal options to almost any style music you play.


CT.:ahem

True. Like everything else it takes practice. I used to have a hard time palming a pick and would just hold it in my mouth. The other night I discovered that I had neatly and quickly tucked it into the crook of my middle finger and switched to thumb & forefinger picking. It was easy to retrieve it too. If I can make that pass to the ring finger I'll be set. Thumb, index and middle for picking, pick held in ring finger and pinky anchoring to the guitar and muting the high E when needed.

Lets not talk about the fretting hand. Lots of work needed there.

;)

TT

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Originally Posted by Tele-Tubby

If I can make that pass to the ring finger I'll be set. Thumb, index and middle for picking, pick held in ring finger and pinky anchoring to the guitar and muting the high E when needed.

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Where I able to get this down -- and I tried for years -- I'd probably still be using a pick. Still, I think acryllics are the most versatile, for me anyways.