minorkey
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Post by minorkey on Sept 13, 2021 18:33:53 GMT
I'm getting used to using picks and I have various types and thicknesses. Now I'd assume that heavier picks would have a stronger tone but I performed a test of 3, and the heaviest one (a Stagg 3mm I found) was in fact the quietest! http://instagram.com/p/CTxFBEDgY9j
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Post by andyhowell on Sept 14, 2021 7:08:34 GMT
I think shape is a big issue - you want something with a sharp tip and decent chamfer. I’ve some nice wooden ones which are great for rhythm but crap for lead.
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stringdriventhing
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Post by stringdriventhing on Sept 14, 2021 14:13:26 GMT
Picks make a massive difference to the sound you get, depending on what they're made of as much as the thickness. I find thinner picks more forgiving for strumming, but a bit weedy for lead playing (not that I do much of that). Too thin and I find you get a lot of unwanted pick noise. A thicker pick may not necessarily be louder, but for me it provides a better tone for single-string stuff. All down to personal taste of course and different picks will suit different guitars and players better than others. I've pretty much settled on 3 types of pick for guitar that seem to work for the stuff I do. Mandolin is a whole other can of worms...
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douglas
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Post by douglas on Sept 15, 2021 6:16:08 GMT
I've found I get unexpected results from picks - I mean gauge/thickness alone doesn't tell me how it will handle or sound. I went through a phase of using thick stiff picks, based on my theory that any flexing introduces inaccuracies and I reckon that is right, but the thick stiff ones are quite demanding of technique and accuracy. The flexible ones (nylon-type material) seem to be favoured for strumming (my impression) but I find them harder to use on single-note playing. So after years of gathering picks and keeping a box-full, I absolutely agree with stringdriventhing that a change of pick makes a huge difference to sound and not in a predictable way. I have some thinnish EBs that are clean and bright, thicker dunlops that are round and middy (not muddy, middy which is excellent in a different way), an old Rotosound that just has punch... They are inexpensive so collect a good range - it's quite shocking how much difference a pick-change can make, I mean way way more than changing the back from rosewood to maple. And cheaper. I make sure edge is super-smooth, polished. That's one reason I don't like 'nylon' picks - the edge breaks up and becomes a bit rough. The other thing I look for is really good grip. The drilled hole through middle is a good trick (about 8mm I find). And for developing technique I'd say really stiff is best - it demands greater accuracy in both placing and level of attack. I mean, who'd have thought something so small would make such a big difference.
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minorkey
C.O.G.
Too many instruments, too little time
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My main instrument is: hurting my fingers!
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Post by minorkey on Sept 15, 2021 11:49:32 GMT
Mandolin is a whole other can of worms... Yea same with Ukulele. I have a felt one I made but its a bit too soft. I'd like a proper leather one.
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Post by grayn on Sept 16, 2021 6:41:19 GMT
I have a good range of picks / plectrums, made from varying materials and of different thicknesses but I pretty much use Jim Dunlop USA Nylon .73mm, for everything. It's all down to angle and attack, IMO. I am mainly a bass player though, for which I don't use a pick.
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minorkey
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Post by minorkey on Sept 16, 2021 8:39:23 GMT
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Post by scorpiodog on Sept 16, 2021 9:08:13 GMT
I had a set of those. It doesn't make much difference, tbh. I gave them away as a FFG. Almost as important as pick stiffness/thickness is angle of attack and rigidness of the fingers. I have a friend who exclusively uses floppy nylon picks to pretty good effect. When he wants to play some lead lines he squeezes the pick between two fingers and thumb which makes it curl and provides rigidity. I've tried and can't do it, but it sounds pretty good when done properly.
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Sept 16, 2021 10:42:19 GMT
Spot on, Paul - the various ways of holding a pick make a big difference. I tend to use the pads of my thumb and first and second fingers. I do the squeezy thing too from time to time, esp on mandolin, which works well with the way I hold the pick anyway. Best for me with a sizeable one though - I use 0.6mm Dunlop Tortex triangles for pretty much everything, though I do have a couple of 0.5 and 0.73 that get used occasionally. Anything smaller than these triangles I tend to drop. And you get three points on every pick - good value.
Keith
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minorkey
C.O.G.
Too many instruments, too little time
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My main instrument is: hurting my fingers!
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Post by minorkey on Sept 16, 2021 13:02:38 GMT
I still fancy those wooden ones. I just like things made of wood (treen they call it)
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Post by grayn on Sept 16, 2021 14:16:07 GMT
Spot on, Paul - the various ways of holding a pick make a big difference. I tend to use the pads of my thumb and first and second fingers. I do the squeezy thing too from time to time, esp on mandolin, which works well with the way I hold the pick anyway. Best for me with a sizeable one though - I use 0.6mm Dunlop Tortex triangles for pretty much everything, though I do have a couple of 0.5 and 0.73 that get used occasionally. Anything smaller than these triangles I tend to drop. And you get three points on every pick - good value. Keith Skin flint!
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Post by andyhowell on Sept 17, 2021 8:58:40 GMT
I still fancy those wooden ones. I just like things made of wood (treen they call it) I bought a load of these a few years ago and still use them - though very rarely. They have a great tone for strumming (say ceilidh band) and for lead notes but they are not fast. So, if threshing is your thing …. As Paul says angle of attack is pretty key. I’ve never felt comfortable flat picking as I just can’t do it. The wooden picks soon create a nice bevel though. Worth trying.
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douglas
Strummer
Three chords and the truth.
Posts: 47
My main instrument is: ... the next one.
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Post by douglas on Sept 17, 2021 11:56:13 GMT
It's all down to angle and attack, IMO. I am mainly a bass player though, for which I don't use a pick. V good point about angle of attack. I'm also principally a bass player, and do use picks for some stuff. Took me ages to realise (or be told, either, don't recall) that dropping the playing hand a little so the pick is attacking the string flat rather than at an angle changes the sound, cleans the attack transient up a lot, and is all-round better. I've seen some guitar players recommend dropping a bit lower still so the bridge edge of the pick strikes first - no idea why. But I would say try different attack angles - by raising, lowering hand. As a bass player I had to learn by holding pick between thumb and the 2 fingers (1st and index) to get the amount of grip needed. Still do that - fine but need biggish picks, and I do need to back the power off a LOT going to guitar !! Frankly, I'm not too hot on this on the guitar - need to develop some delicacy, and the strings are all in the wrong place!
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Post by cgb on Sept 21, 2021 16:53:54 GMT
I have a good range of picks / plectrums, made from varying materials and of different thicknesses but I pretty much use Jim Dunlop USA Nylon .73mm, for everything. It's all down to angle and attack, IMO. I am mainly a bass player though, for which I don't use a pick. Ditto, apart from my pick of choice (for acoustic work at least) is a 0.60mm nylon. I have hundreds of different materials and thicknesses, but I still go back to those. For electric work I always use the celluloid style ones rather than nylon, much 'slippier' and I find them better for faster playing. Generally for acoustic playing though I am playing fingerstyle with a thumbpick - the white John Pearse ones being a favourite.
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Post by Gregg Hermetech on Sept 22, 2021 15:41:05 GMT
Shape, thickness and material all make a difference to the sound, as do how they interact with different types, gauges, and ages of strings. Not to mention playing style, if you want it for flatpicking, soloing, or strumming etc. Just get a load in and you'll find what works for you.
I've whittled it down to three I use 99.9% of the time, mostly depending on strumming vs. picking/soloing, and string age:
1) Pickboy Fibretex .60 - Good allrounder and picking on bright new strings 2) Dunlop Primetone Standard .73 - Good allrounder and picking on dull older strings 3) Dunlop Tortex .60 (the orange one) - Just for strumming
Been stuck on these for a few years now, often try others but these are the mainstays on acoustic.
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