How do you play?

[GuitarStv]

I play nearly exclusively with a pick, but that's not what I want to talk about.

I want to talk about this dumb thing I did as a beginner: I couldn't keep hold of a pick to save my life, so I developed this technique where I held my thumb and forefinger as though I were holding a pick (even though I wasn't) and then played like that, with the tip/nail of my index finger striking the strings.

I kept that up for literally YEARS.

Anytime else ever do anything that dumb, repeatedly?

Not dumb at all. Andy from all those pro guitar shop demos ("Hi I'm Andy, and this is the sound of that pedal you probably can't afford into that amp you really can't afford . . . ") plays this way and makes it work pretty nicely.

[solspirit]

Flat pick but I'm trying to get better at finger picking

[Securb]

Hybrid.

[ErikH]

Pick majority of the time. There's a few songs on the list where I'll fingerpick but that's it. When I'm fiddling around at home not really playing anything I'll fingerpick some but I'm most comfortable with a pick.

[ehdwuld]

I play nearly exclusively with a pick, but that's not what I want to talk about.

I want to talk about this dumb thing I did as a beginner: I couldn't keep hold of a pick to save my life, so I developed this technique where I held my thumb and forefinger as though I were holding a pick (even though I wasn't) and then played like that, with the tip/nail of my index finger striking the strings.

I kept that up for literally YEARS.

Anytime else ever do anything that dumb, repeatedly?

yes my name is Ehd
I used to do that
now i probably still do but I have stopped admitting to it

[beaubrummels]

I want to talk about this dumb thing I did as a beginner: I couldn't keep hold of a pick to save my life, so I developed this technique where I held my thumb and forefinger as though I were holding a pick (even though I wasn't) and then played like that, with the tip/nail of my index finger striking the strings.

Anytime else ever do anything that dumb, repeatedly?

I can't play that way because the strings sand my fingernail off. My first finger hits the strings even when using a pick, so if I have a longer 4-5 hour gig, I'll put clear fingernail polish on my first fingernail to protect it.

[ehdwuld]

back in the eighties
Lee Press On Nails were popular

[alex1fly]

I play nearly exclusively with a pick, but that's not what I want to talk about.

I want to talk about this dumb thing I did as a beginner: I couldn't keep hold of a pick to save my life, so I developed this technique where I held my thumb and forefinger as though I were holding a pick (even though I wasn't) and then played like that, with the tip/nail of my index finger striking the strings.

I kept that up for literally YEARS.

Anytime else ever do anything that dumb, repeatedly?

I don't think this is dumb... because I do it!

If I drop my pick or if I'm fingerpicking without a pick handy, and I want a more percussive sound similar to what a pick would do, I'll use this ghost pick method.

[Mincer]

I hybrid pick classical pieces, too. I started learning classical fingerpicking at 8, but then went to strictly pick playing. Eventually I went to hybrid picking as I didn't want to have to drop my picks to play the intros to my favorite hard rock songs.

[DKSEARS]

I play almost exclusively with a pick. I keep trying to learn to finger or hybrid pick, but it never really gets beyond my practice at home.

[Aceman]

Almost always with a pick, but various approaches
- I will occasionally play hybrid
- I can play finger style, having played classical for a while and now working bass
- I can tap with more than 1 finger on the right hand

More tools is more tools

[playas]

I hybrid pick classical pieces, too. I started learning classical fingerpicking at 8, but then went to strictly pick playing. Eventually I went to hybrid picking as I didn't want to have to drop my picks to play the intros to my favorite hard rock songs.

Another little trick that I must practice more is to roll the plectrum back and forth between the playing position, and held between 1st & 2nd (or between 2nd & 3rd) fingers towards the base of the fingers. That allows you to keep hold of it but have it far enough away to not interfere excessively with finger-picking.

[Mincer]

Another little trick that I must practice more is to roll the plectrum back and forth between the playing position, and held between 1st & 2nd (or 3rd & 4th) fingers towards the base of the fingers. That allows you to keep hold of it but have it far enough away to not interfere excessively with finger-picking.

I never do that. Just pick and other 3 fingers. I got really good at balancing the sound of the pick with the fingers.

[eclecticsynergy]

Flatpick for me, almost exclusively. Sometimes fingers for bass depending on the gig.

I do occasionally crook the pick in my index finger and use the other three & thumb for fingerstyle moments.
That comes so naturally I didn't really even notice what I was doing until the other guitarist in the band asked me about it.

[Demanic]

Almost always with a pick, but various approaches
- I will occasionally play hybrid
- I can play finger style, having played classical for a while and now working bass
- I can tap with more than 1 finger on the right hand

More tools is more tools

+1

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