Who here plays Classical/Nylon string with a pick?

[Xeromus]

I've been classically trained for a few years and I can't bring myself to use a pick on a classical. You seem to lose some of the timbre and a lot of the dynamics. I mean the technique is completely different. But I find nylon string easier to play and better sounding just using my fingers. Anyone here use a pick and get good results?

 

[DirrtyCraig]

Re: Who here plays Classical/Nylon string with a pick?

Buy a John Mclaughlin record. Somehow he managed to do it really well. Personally though I'm strictly fingers on a nylon string, unless you can find one with a closer string spacing like the Chet Atkins models its really tough.

 

[Loserchief]

Re: Who here plays Classical/Nylon string with a pick?

i once had a classical guitar but it sucked pretty damn hard(some 30€ crap of a guitar). I play nylon with fingers and it sounds better but i tried a little shredding on it and was at least funny.

 

[Leveller]

Re: Who here plays Classical/Nylon string with a pick?

I'm used to use a pick but my teacher is really bugging me to learn to play properly with my fingers so in a not too distant future I hope I can do that too.

 

[Hellion]

Re: Who here plays Classical/Nylon string with a pick?

I do both, depending on what I'm wanting to do. If I want to play Fernando Sor material, obviously it calls for fingers. If I want to impersonate Roy Clark playing "Malaguena", better use a pick....

 

[Mincer]

Re: Who here plays Classical/Nylon string with a pick?

Buy a John Mclaughlin record. Somehow he managed to do it really well. Personally though I'm strictly fingers on a nylon string, unless you can find one with a closer string spacing like the Chet Atkins models its really tough.

I took classical lessons when I was young, and then heard McLaughlin play. I've used a pick on a nylon string ever since. I guess his playing 'spoke' to me more than traditional classical guitar playing. But then, I don't play traditional classical guitar so it works out well.

 

[TheProphet]

Re: Who here plays Classical/Nylon string with a pick?

Fingers only ... I've tried the pick thing once or twice but it gives the sound a hard percussive edge that kills the tone for me

 

[Bludave]

Re: Who here plays Classical/Nylon string with a pick?

I voted fingers, but on rare and I mean very rare occasions I may use a pick. The one technique I have yet to master is tremlo picking with my fingers, so when I need to pick very fast I do use a flatpick. The negative to this is most classical guitars are made with a cedar top (st least mine is), and cedar is much softer than spruce so you can actually put dents in the top from the pick. I have considered putting a clear pickguard on it, but was recommended not to do that as it would affect the tops ability to move.!

 

[Boston Joe]

Re: Who here plays Classical/Nylon string with a pick?

I like the sound of fingers, but when I do pick, I use a Dunlop Jazz III... very close to fingernails on nylon, though I keep my nails very short for that Segovia tone when fingerpicking.

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: Who here plays Classical/Nylon string with a pick?

Me. But I don't really count cause I'm really crap and play extremely rarely.