Thumb Picks anyone?

Wondering if anyone uses thumb picks?

She does: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JArvrYw50X4&feature=related

Awesome.... very pretty. Yeah that is how I would use the thumb pick.

Especially if I was playing with someone else and I needed more volume. Otherwise, I finger pick too.

Thanks!

So on the vid below, how is she getting those beginning fast notes? With her thumb nail or index finger nail?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKImhBqQj0M&feature=channel_page

I have tried thumb picks and plastic fingerpicks on ukulele, I use them sometimes on guitar. On both I find they give you more volume but they are awkward to use (they get hung up on the strings sometimes). The other thing is if you use fingerpicks you can only do upstrokes with the fingers, on ukulele I use both upstrokes and downstrokes with the fingers so the picks limit what I can do. Most of the time I just use my nails. If you watch Bob Brozman's ukulele video he does some crazy fast strumming stuff at the beginning using thumb and fingerpicks (look for you tube video of a song called Ukulele Spaghetti, that is what he plays) it works for some people so give it a try!

lespaul_79 said:

Wondering if anyone uses thumb picks?

Click to expand...

Nope, I don't use thumb picks on the uke

I've tried them on the uke, guitar, mandolin and banjo. They don't work for me on anything. That's partly why I'm "only" a uke player now--it's easiest on the fingers. But all you can do is try them, then you'll know what works for you and what doesn't.

It's funny... I get on ok with thumb picks on guitar, but totally fail on uke. I think it's the different string material and tensions. I get all caught up in the uke strings.

I'll stick with my thumb and fingers. I'm still not great, but I get into less of a mess than I do with picks!

I don't use them - I did for a while, but don't now.

They are kind of a trap in my opinion. If you play only with them all the time, you will be lost without one when you forget it. I've talked to Herb Ohta Jr. about it and he says that he'd rather not use them, but it's like a habit. I think Jake does mighty fine without them...