Log in

View Full Version : playing electric guitar with fingers


scrooch
2008-12-28, 09:41
So i have been playing guitar for like four years now. And most of the stuff i can play is with my fingers(i.e without using a pick) I find it easier to play with my fingers rather than the pick.This is allright when playing accoustic guitar but I feel its a bit wierd when you play electric guitar with fingers. I havent been jamming a lot with others but planning to get into that but i feel i might feel like an outcast using my fingers while most people use the pick.Are there other people here who use a lot of fingerpicking?

Joshuasan
2008-12-28, 10:21
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ-JyAGUsys

scrooch
2008-12-28, 11:12
i thought someone would come up with mark knopfler. But he is an exception i guess

captain_pants
2008-12-28, 11:34
Jeff Beck, plain and simple.

PaperSwansAreFun
2008-12-29, 01:58
I'm starting to play more with my fingers. You can do so much more with your fingers than you can a pick. I regret neglecting finger picking for so long :-/

As far as it being weird, I don't think it is at all. If it sounds good who cares how it's played.

Blanko
2008-12-29, 02:09
besides knofler and jeff beck, derek trucks and jerry garcia are too guys who i can think of off the top of my head who use a lot of finger picking on electric. it can sound really cool and opens up a lot of different options when just like jamming with a band so, yeah dude i wouldn't be shy about playing with you fingers and without a pick.

reggie_love
2008-12-29, 02:17
I've never used a pick in my life. I don't necessarily do "fingerpicking" all the time, but when I play things that most people would play with a pick, I just put my thumb and forefinger together like I'm holding a pick, but I just hit the strings with the nail of my index finger.

It's probably shitty technique, but it's yet to hold me back. I can double pick, tremolo pick, do pinch harmonics, strum, all kinds of good stuff, and it sounds just like anyone else with a pick. I don't like having a piece of plastic between me and my instrument, you know?

I can fingerpick pretty well too. Used to WRECK my fingertips when I did it on electric, but years later it's second nature. I just switch back and forth.

I have trouble playing my 12 string like that, though. I usually break out a quarter or something because if I strum like I normally do I'll wear my nails down really quick and the tone gets all shitty or quiet.

I am odd.

Rev Ziggy
2008-12-29, 03:33
I used to use a fair bit of hybrid picking when I was first getting into chord melody, I always enjoyed the change in style whenever I wouldn't use a pick.

Horselover Fat
2008-12-29, 05:37
I've never used a pick in my life. I don't necessarily do "fingerpicking" all the time, but when I play things that most people would play with a pick, I just put my thumb and forefinger together like I'm holding a pick, but I just hit the strings with the nail of my index finger.

It's probably shitty technique, but it's yet to hold me back. I can double pick, tremolo pick, do pinch harmonics, strum, all kinds of good stuff, and it sounds just like anyone else with a pick. I don't like having a piece of plastic between me and my instrument, you know?

I can fingerpick pretty well too. Used to WRECK my fingertips when I did it on electric, but years later it's second nature. I just switch back and forth.

I have trouble playing my 12 string like that, though. I usually break out a quarter or something because if I strum like I normally do I'll wear my nails down really quick and the tone gets all shitty or quiet.

I am odd.

lol5char