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Author
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Topic: How many finger picks do you guys use?
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Mark Metdker
Member From: North Central Texas, USA
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posted 16 September 2004 06:05 AM
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Personally I use 2. One for my index finger and one for my middle finger. Years ago when I first started playing, I knew a guy who had been playing steel for years who used 3 finger picks. He added one on his ring finger. He played a double 12 Emmons, and said the extra pick enabled him to play more string when he wanted to grab certain chords.
Anyone else here do this? I tried it for a while, but it felt kinda awkward.------------------
BMI S-10
Peavey Session 500 "Do Right, and Fear No Man"
Ronald Reagan
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Bill C. Buntin
Member From: back at home in Cleburne, TX
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posted 16 September 2004 06:18 AM
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Mark I started out trying to use 3. But quickly went to just 2. Reece Anderson I think uses 3. Most I've run across though use the standard 2. I've seen Tommy Morrell and thought he was using maybe a pick on each finger, I'm not sure but thats what it looked like to me. |
Larry Robbins
Member From: Fort Edward, New York, USA
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posted 16 September 2004 01:04 PM
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I use three. Started out trying to use just two but I guess that I just had too many years of playing 6 string Atkins/Travis style not to use three. Besides, it lets me play them "big"swingy/jazzy type chords on the C6 neck!  Plus it gives me one more excuse when I mess up!------------------
Sho-Bud ProII,Nash 400,
TC Electronics M300.
"Kindly keep it Country"
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Richard Gonzales
Member From: FITCHBURG,MA USA
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posted 16 September 2004 01:47 PM
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Reece recommended 3 and I am glad he did. Now I feel naked if I only wear 2. I really like picking 4 string chords in the Bb6 tuning. Also I get a reach advantage when I pick the low strings and then the 1st or 2nd string. This is playing an S12, maybe a S10 2 picks would be fine. But it is 3 for me, thanks Reece!
I heard that Jim Cohen was trying 3 picks? |
Charles Curtis
Member From: Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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posted 16 September 2004 03:08 PM
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The late great Tommy Roots taught this long ago; works great doing an arpeggio. |
Darvin Willhoite
Member From: Leander, Tx. USA
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posted 16 September 2004 03:42 PM
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When I first started learning the steel, there wasn't anyone around to show me how it should be or shouldn't be done and it just seemed natural to use the ring finger for the chromatic strings and 4 string chords. For the first couple of years I didn't use any finger picks, just a thumbpick and fingernails, like I did on 6 string. That was fine until I broke a nail, then I was in trouble, so I forced myself to start using finger picks. I would be lost without the third one. Even when playing Dobro, I never use it but its always there just to make eveything feel right. |
Sidney Malone
Member From: Buna, TX
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posted 16 September 2004 05:29 PM
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3 fingers and a thumb for me. You might try to just wear it for a while until you don't notice it and then start using it. There are quite a few who use 3 picks but I'm sure the big majority use 2. ------------------
MSA Millennium S-12U
Fessy S-12U
Walker Stereo Steel, Hilton Pedal |
Mark Metdker
Member From: North Central Texas, USA
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posted 17 September 2004 04:52 AM
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Thanks for the replies boys. I may start sticking that 3rd pick on there and see if I can get use to it. I guess it's better to have and not need it, than need it and not have it![This message was edited by Mark Metdker on 17 September 2004 at 04:53 AM.] |
Jerry Hayes
Member From: Virginia Beach, Va.
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posted 17 September 2004 05:27 AM
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I use just a thumb & two finger picks but I do grow the nails a little longer on my ring and little fingers and use them for extra notes at times. I started doing this years ago on lead guitar as I always used the same picks on that. A lot of guitar things I wound up doing by alternating between the thumbpick and the bare ring finger. If you reinforce the nail with either a fake one or super glue works well (the Ray Flacke way) you can get by with only two finger picks. I can't use the 3rd fingerpick as I have a habit of doubling my ring finger under to block with....Have a good 'un, JH------------------
Livin' in the Past and the Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning. |
Ronnie Miller
Member From: Dallas Tx USA
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posted 17 September 2004 08:06 AM
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Back in th 60s while at Guitar City in Denver,I noticed Donny Buzard wore 3 picks, I asked him about it, and his reply was put it on there and you will use it..I did, and I do.
Now, if I don't have it on,the feeling is like wearing one shoe...cya...Ronnie |
Rick Schmidt
Member From: Carlsbad, CA. USA
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posted 17 September 2004 01:14 PM
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Isn't 2+T a banjo thing? [This message was edited by Rick Schmidt on 17 September 2004 at 01:20 PM.] |
Klaus Caprani
Member From: Copenhagen, Denmark
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posted 27 September 2004 06:02 AM
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"Plus it gives me one more excuse when I mess up!"I simply love this  I'm new to steel and attempt to use 3 as well. ------------------
Klaus Caprani MCI RangeXpander S-10 |
John McGann
Member From: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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posted 27 September 2004 06:31 AM
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3. sounds like there's more of ya! ------------------
http://www.johnmcgann.com
Info for musicians, transcribers, technique tips and fun stuff. Joaquin Murphey solos book info and some free stuff : http://www.johnmcgann.com/joaquin.html |
Herman Visser
Member From: Rohnert Park, California, USA
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posted 27 September 2004 07:47 AM
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Does any one use just a thumd and index to play and if so on what?6 8 or10 string. |
Terry Sneed
Member From: El Dorado, Arkansas, USA
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posted 27 September 2004 02:36 PM
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Thumb pick, index and midle finger picks only for me. I block my notes with my ring finger doubbled under, so can't use a pick on that finger.
Terry------------------
84 SKH Emmons Legrand D10
session 400'rd Steelin for my Lord. |
Bobby Ranes
Member From: Atlanta, Texas, USA
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posted 27 September 2004 02:48 PM
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Three. Forgot where it came from. Was around Reece before the days of pedals, must have been there. Like the "more exuses", I need all I can get. I had a guy tell me that "if Emmons dont need that third one, you dont either"............WRONG! I need all the help I can get. |
Roger Edgington
Member From: San Antonio, Texas USA
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posted 27 September 2004 05:11 PM
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It's hard enough for me to keep 2 out of trouble. I tried 3,but found myself not using the index finger much. Too hard to retrain after using only 2 for 45+ years. I also curl my ring finger to block. |
Al Marcus
Member From: Cedar Springs,MI USA
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posted 28 September 2004 02:03 PM
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Reece told me to stick that 3rd pick on , back about 30 years ago. After hearing him play, who wouldn't?
And it works real good , especially for bigger Pop, Jazz chords. Nice for Arpeggios too....al ------------------
My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/ |
Buck Dilly
Member From: Branchville, NJ, USA
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posted 28 September 2004 03:08 PM
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I could never go back to two, but on occasion I take them all off. |
basilh
Member From: United Kingdom
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posted 28 September 2004 04:22 PM
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I've always used a thumb-pick and three finger-picks
Baz------------------
quote:
Steel players do it without fretting
 
http://www.waikiki-islanders.com
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Dave Mudgett
Member From: Central Pennsylvania, USA
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posted 28 September 2004 08:55 PM
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I recently moved from Thumb+2 to Thumb+3. I play spanish guitar with a flatpick and 2 fingerpicks (Middle & Ring), so this feels pretty natural. It does affect my palm blocking some, so I'm still working to make some adjustments. But there are times I really like some of the more complex voicings made possible. I'm also finding I can arpeggiate better with 3. Overall, I'm pleased with the change.------------------
MSA Classic D-10 8+4, Sierra S-10 3+4;
Peavey LTD 400, Line6 Pod 2.0 + Ampeg BA 112, '64 Fender Deluxe Reverb |
Donny Hinson
Member From: Balto., Md. U.S.A.
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posted 29 September 2004 01:50 PM
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Two are plenty for me, but some guys use a lot more. Some, like Bobbe Seymour, don't use any. It ain't how many picks you use, but how well you play that counts! |
Terry Sneed
Member From: El Dorado, Arkansas, USA
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posted 29 September 2004 02:02 PM
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quote:
Some, like Bobbe Seymour, don't use any.
Ive heard of steel players not using picks, but I didn't know Bobbe seymour was one of them. don't that make for an extra mellow sound? seems like it would.
Terry ------------------
84 SKH Emmons Legrand D10
session 400'rd Steelin for my Lord. |
Logan Wilkerson
Member From: Franklin, Tennessee, USA
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posted 30 September 2004 12:12 AM
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i use three finger picks and a thumb pick------------------
sho-bud pro2 custom
session 400 b/w series |
CrowBear Schmitt
Member From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
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posted 30 September 2004 12:33 AM
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i find that Bobbe is quite a romantic & sentimental picker
no pics has probably got somethin' to do w; it  ???
i often play without picks - the meat not nails BUT,
i also play w: picks
2 & thumb or 3 & thumb[This message was edited by CrowBear Schmitt on 30 September 2004 at 12:34 AM.] |
John Bechtel
Member From: Nashville, Tennessee,U.S.A.
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posted 30 September 2004 12:45 AM
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I used (3) finger-picks back in the early ’50's when I first started playing a 10-str. Eddie Alkire EHArp. But, I noticed that if I tried to play PSG with (3)-finger picks I was playing too many full chords where only 1 or 2 or 3 notes together sounded more pleasing to the ear! (cleaner) It's was almost like playing Chord-Melody! The EHArp Chromatic-Tuning makes (3) fingers almost required equipment!
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“Big John” Bechtel
(2)-Fender ’49–’50 T–8 Customs
Fender ’65 Reissue Twin-Reverb Custom™ 15”
click here
click hereclick hereclick here[This message was edited by John Bechtel on 30 September 2004 at 12:49 AM.] |
Fred Shannon
Member From: Rocking "S" Ranch, Comancheria, Texas
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posted 30 September 2004 05:14 AM
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Been using 3 fingers and a thumb for many years. However I'm not tuned to E9 either. Probably could only control 2 fingers with that tuning.fred ------------------
The spirit be with you!
If it aint got a steel, it aint real
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