Plastic Finger Picks
Here we have a few words about
plastic finger picks. There are different brands of plastic finger picks
out there. You can experiment around to find the picks that work best for
you, if you like. The problem has been that anymore it has become
difficult even to just find plastic finger picks in music stores. That is
certainly an indication of the trend! Wouldn't you say? Some
stores carry them but many don't because so few people use them anymore.
You can find them for sure on the internet, but once you pay the shipping costs
you may feel it becomes too cost prohibitive. For this reason people have
requested that I sell them picks. So after several of these requests I
started to offer "sets" of the Dunlop picks on this site. The
brand you use doesn't really matter to me though. I prefer the clear type
plastic finger picks only because of appearance. That too doesn't really matter, thats just
my preference. I use a turtle shell thumb pick but that makes no real
difference either. In my opinion the important thing, no matter which
brand you settle on, is that they be PLASTIC finger picks and not metal.
When you go to buy picks, please keep in mind that I make
very little money selling these picks because I'm not in the retail
business. I buy them from my local music store just like you would do.
(If you could) As I said in one of my first articles is that what I
really want is for people to hear and like my music. I suppose that's true
of every musician. Isn't it? That is my real motive for this web
site in the first place. So I'll be asking that you please purchase the
picks along with one of my CD and finger picks
combo offers. This way you will have SHOWN your appreciation to me
and gotten the picks you'll need. Plus you'll get some finger picking
music to listen to that uses the very patterns you will be learning on this web
site. At the same time, I'll make a little money and have that
satisfaction that I need. It is satisfying to know that someone out there
is listening to my music. That will make it all worth wile for
me.
I want to THANK YOU now for doing that for me!
You see...I need encouragement too!
As I said above, I recommend that you do not use metal finger picks on acoustical guitar strings because the metal pick against the metal wound strings
makes for a bad mix. (Download
free audio
clip to hear the problem). I know that some people do use metal
picks on acoustical guitars. Jim Croce for example used two metal finger
picks, one on his 1st and one on his 2nd fingers and a plastic thumb
pick. He was one of my favorite artists too and no question about it, he
certainly had a distinctive sound. When he used an Ovation guitar and
metal picks the result was a very bright finger style guitar and an almost "tinny,
sometimes harsh sound" with that combination. However, using
this approach of to finger picking with metal picks tends to limit you because
you'll tend to use the metal picks only on the B and E strings. (Theyre not
wound like the E, A, D, and G strings) Personally, I use metal picks only
for banjo. They can also be used on Steel Guitar (Which I don't
play). They have there place but just not with the acoustic
guitars. Please!
The reason I use three plastic finger picks is because
that way you can be more versatile. You can move your "hand
position" up and down on the strings as you play and still have your
individual fingers "assigned" to one string. (This is discussed
on the RIGHT HAND
POSITION page) With the plastic picks, the problem of the wound strings is
greatly reduced. Also with plastic picks you still get a crisp clean
sound with plenty of good volume and clarity. Personally I feel the
plastic picks produce a more even, warmer, naturally mellower and more pleasing
sound then metal picks. That makes for a more relaxing appealing
combination for me.