Do you use a Plectrum for solo work and strumming?

easyrider

easyrider

easyrider

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In my youth and wanting to show off at party's and get laid I used to carry a plectrum on me all the time. Only to find after a few beers I would either leave it on a table drop it or lose it.

So overtime I began not using one... Not really out of choice but wanting to not need one in any situation. Like a party on the beach when travelling and you meet some people with a guitar etc...its uncool to say have you got a plectrum so I forced myself to not have one but still play to my abilities.

I think this has made me a better guitar player..I started to pick more and experiment more.

I could strum...go into some finger picking and solo without needing anything.
I found it very liberating

Its odd my right hand finger postion when doing a solo is the same as holding a plectrum between finger and thumb but with no plectrum...I feel more connected to the guitar and still get harmonics etc with my nail as if that was the plectrum

I haven't used one for years although I do go back to it for flatpicking my acoustic every now again to avoid the inevitable blood spatter on my prized Martins :p

Do you always play with one if not finger picking?
 
Im only a beginner guitar player (been messing about for for a few years but only really started properly teaching myself about a year ago) but I've only started really using a plectrum recently (I prefer the tone I can get) I feel this has been to my detriment though as my technique with a pick now doesn't feel natural at all!

Like you I feel more connected to the instrument when i dont use a pick, Ive been trying to force myself to use one recently to combat this!
 
AdamEW said:
Im only a beginner guitar player (been messing about for for a few years but only really started properly teaching myself about a year ago) but I've only started really using a plectrum recently (I prefer the tone I can get) I feel this has been to my detriment though as my technique with a pick now doesn't feel natural at all!

Like you I feel more connected to the instrument when i dont use a pick, Ive been trying to force myself to use one recently to combat this!
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Sounds exactly like what was happening to me m8.

Stick with what feels best for you.:)

This is only a positive thing.
 
easyrider said:
Stick with what feels best for you.:)
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Id like to persist with a pick, I would like to be able to achieve the crisp sound you can get. when doing lead stuff rather than strumming chords I find im starting to really enjoy using one (hybrid picking is still a mystery.).

Just when strumming I cant get the feel for the resistance, especially upstrums I feel like im going to damage the guitar, like I cant 'glide' through the strings..if that makes sense?
 
I play with a plectrum, a thumb pick and without either. I couldn't play a whole solo show without a thumb pick, though. I could get through a show with my band without a plectrum, but would prefer to play with one.

If I'm just messing around, my default would probably be a plectrum with fingers, hybrid picking. By the way Adam, it's super difficult at first, but just keep trying (if only for ten minutes a day), and you will be able to do it pretty soon.
 
Surely depends on what you are playing and the techniques involved?

I doubt you could tremolo pick or sweep pick without a plectrum, or faster intricate riffs I guess.
 
I use a plectrum for strumming, mainly to avoid that singed nail smell from strumming too hard, but otherwise i can play just fine without, as you said, forming the pick hold position but just using your nail. It gives a slightly duller timbre with less attack but its still viable and a great sound.
 
A plec is required for some techniques, its pretty difficult to play intricate parts just using your fingers.

I play bass these days anyway, so all of that is played with my fingers. Can't stand bass being played with a plec these days :p
 
Funnily enough I was on holiday recently and took my acoustic along so as to force myself to practice some finger picking as I never have time at home.

My muscle memory (or bad habbits) with finger picking meant I never used my pinky so now trying to incorporate that into my new habbits.

To answer your question, I do use a plectrum but can happily play without for strumming (on acoustic). Electric I use plectrum.

Either Herdim blue or 1mm Jim Dunlop for electric, .88 or .73 for acoustic, depending on what I'm playing.
 
When nobody's looking I play by using my thumbnail as a plectrum. I try to use a proper pick but my fingers misbehave too much - I catch strings where I shouldn't, etc.
 
I learnt originally to play classical before moving to acoustic fingerstyle, then electric, and more recently jazz guitar, so I'm fairly familiar with all styles.

It depends what I'm playing what style I use. If I'm playing my acoustic, I'll use my fingers almost exclusively, or occasionally hybrid-pick when the song suits it.

When it comes to jazz, if its a more laid back song and I'm just comping I'll occasionally switch to fingers, gives a softer tone with the potential for arpeggios or short riffs if the mood suits. Otherwise I'll use a pick. I can play faster and get a fairly wide range of tones (albeit not as much as with my fingers). Either a sharp attack for some screeching bends, or a soft touch for those legato sweep solos.

I will say it took me at least 2 years to get fully used to using a pick, and I still can't do all the things I can with fingers, although that is probably to be expected.
 
Snograt said:
When nobody's looking I play by using my thumbnail as a plectrum. I try to use a proper pick but my fingers misbehave too much - I catch strings where I shouldn't, etc.
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Please don't think that using your thumb to play lines is necessarily bad thing.

 
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