Fingers or Picks.....

[JDJen]

This has probably been covered here before, but I did a search and couldn't find a thread.

So......

What do you use 98% of the time.

Fingers or Picks in your playing?

I am a finger player and generally use a 3 finger technique.

I only use a pick for getting a certain sound and then usually end up throwing the thing on the floor half way through the song.

[EricF]

This topic has been covered/debated/discussed/abused/violated every different way on a regular basis since the start of TB. There's even a sticky about "pick or not to pick".

But, to answer your question...

With my current blues band, I play 100% fingerstyle. With my former power-pop band, I was 95% with a pick. It all depends on what sound is needed for the context of the music.

[Hookus]

Well, I would venture to say it's good to know both methods well.

I regularly switch back and forth depending on the sound I want to get. Not to mention, I think most folks actually play lines a little differently based on whether they are using fingers or picks.

[panama]

oh come on

[snyderz]

Thumb

[stflbn]

fingerstyle 99.5% of the time.

[artdrtr]

2 fingas, 99.93% of the time

[Ric5]

I use fingers, picks, finger nails, thumbs, or anything else I can find to pick, pluck, whack, pull, pop, slap, hit or strike a string. About the only thing I haven't tried is Tony Levin funk fingers, but if I had access to some I would try them.

I have no one style I use.

[JDJen]

No debating here.

Just asking a simple question.

[Valerus]

Originally Posted by stflbn

fingerstyle 99.5% of the time.

This. but the other .5% of the time is me using my fingernail like a pick.

[Flipsnake]

I mix it up. 66.6% fingers, and 33.3% pick. Ah, and 0.1% slap/pop.
I play a little guitar on the side, so I'm very familiar with picking.

[skwee]

I had been 100% fingers, but for my last gigs I used a pick on three tunes because it was easier on the rock tune (500 miles) nicer attack (ring of fire), and allowed me to mute the strings (great pretender).

[CrispyDelicious]

Depends of the music. The variation in tone, technique, and overall playstyle that can be produced by being proficient in both is more than enough for me to switch between fingers and picks depending on the song at hand.

[PeaveyPippin]

I use a pick for driving repetitive note tunes with a little palm mute, other than that its fingers all day. Fingers get a better tone and volume control without touching a knob IMO.

[xxfaux_punkxx]

it depends on my mood. I started off playing pick. Now I use my fingers. I'm trying to learn slap/pop but that's not working out for me. When I slap it's just to distorted to tell which note i'm playing.

anywho the answere is 50-50

[KingRazor]

I can't play with a pick, just doesn't work. Wish I could do it better so I could get the tone you get from a pick for some songs. Picks just seem unnatural to me.

[StyleOverShow]

Fingers with some pick as required for the tone (For the Love of Money - OJays for instance).

[EricF]

Originally Posted by KingRazor

I can't play with a pick, just doesn't work. Wish I could do it better so I could get the tone you get from a pick for some songs. Picks just seem unnatural to me.

Just like any other new technique - practice, practice, practice.

[KingRazor]

Originally Posted by EricF

Just like any other new technique - practice, practice, practice.

It's almost like learning how to write left handed (if you're a righty), know what I mean?

[PaulMacCnj]

95% fingerstyle, 5% pick. Some songs just sound better with that sharp attack of a pick. But I prefer fingerstyle by a long shot. The percentages show that!