Anyone prefer using a pick instead of fingers?

Davoravo said:
I have heard that some professional guitarists use clear nail varnish to keep their nails intact even if male.
Click to expand...

I know of classical guitarists who use a variety of options. I have see them repair or maintain nails with super glue.

There are players who do a wonderful job with picks. Besides Aaron Keim, who was mentioned previously, The guitarist/string wizard Rob Bourassa uses a thumb pick.



 
Nope. Just fingernails. But enjoy and keep playing whatever your style/technique.
 
I use both (not together of course). Got a nice collection going on!
20190129_212524.jpg
 
I primarily play with shaped, polished nails, but when the music demands that I use a plectrum, I prefer to use Cool Juratex Jazz picks. They produce an excellent tone and provide plenty of player feedback. IMHO, felt and leather picks don't provide enough string feel.

I also find that the Butterfly Finger Picks finger picks with the plastic coating work well for making up the difference in volume when I break a nail (the finger picks feel similar enough to playing with nails yet provide a volume boost vs. bare flesh and can be used to strum).

Unfortunately, neither the juratex nor the butterfly picks are especially kind to 'ukulele strings. Extended play with either type will dull the surface of 'ukulele strings quite rapidly, resulting in a loss of brightness and sustain.
 
It must be a practice thing. I've tried picks a couple of times, but it's like they're getting stuck between the strings. I guess I've just been using long fingernails as picks. Short nails on fret side, long on the picking side lol.
Maybe I'll try a thumb pick just for fun.
 
For some reason I can’t control volume with a thumb pick but have no trouble with a normal pick.
 
I started playing ukulele with a pick after 25 years of playing guitar. Then, after a while, I stopped looking for picks and used my fingers so much I started using them on guitar as well. Now that’s what’s most comfortable to me, but I always have a pick handy for when I want to play jazz leads on uke or punk/rock/metal on guitar. It’s all what the song calls for.
 
Here’s Aaron’s comments on picks.



Because my nails always seem to break just as they get to the perfect length and because I tried the fake nails and nail polish route—I have taken to the Alaska picks (why are they called Alaska?) and a thumb pick that I have trimmed down. I like the thumb pick because it eases my joint discomfort by letting the thumb joint relax with out bending. I find the Alaska picks and the others that wrap around my fingertips make them a little numb and a little cold. But I forget about it when I really get into practice.
 
Thumb all the ways. Pick and strum with it. I have a hard time keeping up with the tuner, capo, music, and extra strings. The pick would not stand a chance.
 
As a newbee to the uke, but a long time guitar player and steel guitar player (56 years), I use picks most of the time. But so far at this time, I am finding that it depends on the song I am playing and the style or mood I am trying to create. This comes from my background of chord melody (usuallly flat pick), travis style (always a Thumb pick) , or steel guitar playing (always thumb pick and metal finger picks). Just my 2 cents worth, and probably not worth that much even !!
 
I think I may be the only one here who uses a felt pick. I'd love to figure out how to strum with my fingers but I can't quite get the hang of it!

Plastic sounds weird to me, but the thick felt picks sound fine to me.
 
Although I play steel string acoustic guitar with a plastic thumb pick and 3 metal finger picks to get sufficient volume I only play ukulele with bare fingers. I never learned to use a flat pick. I get annoyed at a ukulele club I attend where a 2 or 3 people use flat picks. If I sit near them they drown me out so I can't hear my own instrument.
 
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I love using a pick, but don't generally like the sound on uke. I have found that the Dava pick sounds great on uke.
 
A felt pick, not too soft and not too hard, sounds beautiful!!! Experiment with different thicknesses of felt. You'll see.
 
Jim Dunlop "THIN" picks work for ukulele though it gives a very bright sound. I'd like to try a felt pick but I don't want to spend $7 on six picks I may end up tossing in the bin.
 
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