Fingerpicking Volume

Me too. I'm plucking much more over the end of the fingerboard than I ever have to do on my mandola. Getting more volume there must have something to do with playing close to the middle point of the vibrating string length. If I shorten that length by going into higher playing positions, then I pluck more over the soundhole.

bratsche

I have acrylic nails on my thumb, index and middle finger. I find it not only adds volume when needed, but also a lot of versatility. I can strum and pick with just flesh, with just nails, or with a combination of them. This gives me a variety of tones that I can get. Combine that with moving up and down the fingerboard and quite a lot of different sounds are available. Stumming with my thumb side or nail gives me two very different sounds, - 1 like pad picking and one like using a pick - but I don't have to pick up and throw down the pick to alternate between these sounds within a song.

Finger pads, strictly. I dig in good and hard when I need volume. Fingernails don't work for me, they snag the strings, which means my nails have a lot of curve, and my angle isn't right.
The 8 string needs to be flat picked, it's almost impossible to fingerpick that thing.

Finger pads for me. My nails have got more brittle as I've got older and they split if I let them grow. I don't find a particular problem with volume. I can get enough for what I need. I don't really play melody. My finger picking is mostly picked arpeggios for song accompaniment.

Rllink said:

You got me to check, because I've not thought about it for a long time. I use the pads of my fingers, but I have evidently developed a technique were I pluck by hooking the string and pulling it out, instead of just strumming the single string with the finger. It is very subtle, and I don't yank in or anything, it is just a little hook and pluck. I don't even think about it until you brought it up and I played a little to see. I wonder if at some time down the road I started doing that just because of what you are talking about.

Click to expand...

I just checked, myself. Seems I do the same thing.

Also, I don't use a pick on uke or guitar, because I can't seem to keep it in my hand. I've just learned by trial and error how to get the tone I want with my fingers. I think on uke, at least for me, if I want loud fingerpicking (which I do), I pick with purpose--like I mean it, maybe a little harder than I would if just noodling or practicing quietly.