A small tip: if the thumbpick is too loose or tight, put it in hot water for some time and then put it on the finger. It will change the shape of pick accordingly.
I'll have to try this. My problem isn't being able to use the thumbpick, it's that the thing cuts off the circulation to my thumb, and is incredibly uncomfortable.
I tried hot water, but it didnt work for me. I used a lighter to directly heat the plastic. Of course you have to be careful not to melt the plastic and ruin it. You can also file the clip of the pick down in width a little to take some of the resistance out of it.
Just noticed your second post. I used to modify right handed Nationals to lefthanded, and trim the tip a little with fingernail clippers. Try the Jim Dunlops. They make medium(9012R) and large(9013R). Amazon and eBay sell them too.
Biggest tip that worked for me: just play around with the thumb pick. Don't expect to put it on and sound great right away. Instead have fun with it. The brain is very flexible and will quickly get used to the new feeling. It took me a couple of days of playing with the thumb pick to not sound awful and somewhere between 1 week to a month to really start to take advantage of the new dynamics I was able to put in my playing because of it. So yeah, main thing for me was to simply have fun and not be frustrated. Best of luck!
Just wanted to say I enjoyed the video. I've been using a thumb pick for a few years now (Black Mountain). I've also used the Fred Kelly picks as well. You're right. You have to find your pick. I find the Black Mountain feels most like a regular flat pick. I can use it in the traditional role (the way I learned so many years when I was studying out of Mel Bay books). I can also use it to go to finger picking mode and use it as you were showing. It's nice when you can use one tool for two different things. That makes using the thumb pick worthwhile. I also use metal finger picks (pro picks) on index, middle, and ring finger. It took awhile to get used to them. They add quite a bit of volume that I don't get with bare fingers. The combination of thumb pick and finger picks allows you to play fingerstyle, although you have to learn the proper angle to strike the strings with the fingerpicks on index, middle, and ring. If the finger picks drag the string with the edge of the pick, you hear an unpleasant scrape noise. You have to learn to strike the string completely with the flat face of the finger pick. Not impossible to learn. This is just a matter of practice. I would be interested to know if you have used finger picks and if you have an opinion on them?
Nice lowden I live down the road from the lowden factory mr gorge makes some nice guitars 🎸 thanks man I’m trying to get the thumb thing off it’s coming but it’s slow
I've found that most thumb picks are much larger and bulkier than what is comfortable. I take them home and reshape them to my liking. I mix it up between all out fingerstyle, hybrid, and flatpicking. Been playing fingerstyle for more than 30 years, but finally getting the hang of using thumbpicks. I site Chet Atkins as my influence for this style.
Thank you, ive had a thunp pick sitting in my collection for many years and just got inspired to start using it thanks to learning Tim Buckley's Song to a Siren. Takes some getting used too!
Great vid -One thing that may be worth a mention is the angle of the pick to the string which can be determined by rotating the pick slightly around the thumb either clockwise or anti- clock wise . A slightly less vertical attack allows the pick too roll off the string more smoothly.
Nice one , playing finger style is definitely the best skill I learnt when I first started playing , Never thought of trying a thumb pick but I learn though playing classical and Spanish guitar , still play pick less most the time when I play electric too , even jammed with a band playing funk a few months ago pick less ,
I like to have a balance between my thumb licks and finger picks on steel. Same thing with bare fingers. Licking your fingers will make the picks stay in place. Vodka works well too. Scribing a couple lines with a pen knife inside the blade helps too. Wear them a lot to get used to them.
My problem and the reason I've given up is I can't reach cords ie can't reach c cord across all three strings I've been trying now for over two months I practice every day was getting some cords like e and em and a9 and am but c my fingers are not reaching so gone to Piano I can play a few songs in less than two weeks wow feel better about it but guitar I feel sad about spent 4 months only managed 4 cords I'm 60 so was expecting difficulty but piano wow it's brilliant so far
very good points indeed!!😊 I've been playing steel string acoustic some 40+ years now. my style quickly grew into fingerstyle only playing and used the thumb pick (National) extensively for many years and then slowly morphed into thumb-nail/flesh only, after reading about the styles of many prominent singer/songwriter artists; now I absolutely cannot go back to the thumb pick!! the hand position and the feel is entirely different and almost foreign to each other.
Very interesting. I imagine these exercises would also be useful for learning fingerpicking (speaking as someone who knows neither thumbpicking nor fingerpicking).
Chet Atkins over the course of years tried to use a fingerpick 4 times and couldnt get used to it 4 times, on the 5th try he finally pushed trough and we all know what happened.
Thanks for the lesson sir. I really need to get bit more volume out of my guitar, the thumb pick is the way to go. Btw, love your Lowden, I wish I still had mine... which was a more OM/Concert from the late 90's. I should have kept that one. :(
I keep meaning to make a thumb-pick video. I think the biggest problem beginners have with them is not pushing it far enough back on their thumb. You really have to push them back until almost all of (but not quite) your thumbnail is showing. Then it feels like a part of you after a while. And the further back you push it means the shank gets shorter and shorter too, which makes it easier to play them. I really like Golden Gate thumb-picks personally.
I have about 3/4ths of my thumbnail showing but I"ve seen players wear them farther back. It's just not comfortable for me that far back. If you watch John Standefer it looks like his pick is over the joint. I've tried all manner of picks. Even the $50 pick (I cannot recall the brand at the moment). Eventually, I settled on Fred Kelly Slick Pick medium.
1. Put your thumb pic in the microwave for 5 to 10 seconds on HI. 2. Take it out and put it on your thumb and form to your thumb. 3. Run it under cold water while still wearing it to set it. 4. Instant custom formed fit thumbpick to your thumb
The real problem with a thumb pick is the disparity in volume between the strings plucked with the thumb (LOUD!) contrasted with the strings picked with the fingers ( . . . much softer). Is the only way around this to use picks on each finger as well as the thumb? By the way, what model of Lowden guitar are you playing? It looks & sounds great.
The Lowden is a 2004 O35 spruce/koa. My baby. :-) In terms of the volume difference between the thumbpick and fingers - it's not really an issue. With a little practice, it's pretty easy to achieve a good balance.
i'm looking online for thumb picks now, they are described as left hand or right hand, and medium, small, large, lol does the left / right really make a difference seems like you can use either on both hands or not really ? Thanks great video.
Great lesson, thank you. I have one question about practice: When I am introducing each successive finger and practicing with that for 15 minutes, should I also spend time working the other finger I already conditioned? Thank you in advance.
I just got a thumbpick to mess around with (a good bluechip one) and I'm curious if it's even meant to strum. I can get the down strum well but the up strum just doesn't seem right. I'm guessing your not suppose to strum with thumbpicks??
I have no trouble where or playing with it on my thumb.... i actually like mine very tight almost to the point my finger gets purplish haha. Not that bad but you know what i mean lol. I like it very snug with a very small tip almost the size of a short finger nail.... MY BIGGEST issue with the thumb pick is, that it changes the tones of the bass while my fingers 1 2 and 3 do not sound as good.... the volume of the thumb is much louder and crashes out the sound of the other fingers doing the melody or the licks or whatever... Ive tried finger picks but there to awkward for me
DARN,, I guess Merle Travis, Chet Atkins & Jerry Reed and Many Others, Never knew they were Pussy's. Glad You got that straighten out. You are a Genius.. Or Something...
That being said, I did enjoy the lesson. I started playing guitar when I was 14, but only progressed so far because I couldn't afford lessons. Also that was the 80s metal era, and with me being into country and folk (even at that age) there really wasn't anyone in my peer group to learn from. I basically put the guitar down for years, only picking up one once in awhile to fool around on it a little. I'm 46 now, and just within the last year have made an effort to learn as much music theory as I can and progress on the guitar as much as possible. That includes fingerpicking. TH-cam is a wonderful tool for this I like the thumbpick, find I get more volume out of my thumb with it. For some reason I don't have that problem with my fingers so I don't worry about fingerpicks. Anyway, thanks for the lesson, hope to see more soon.
I don't know that there is an intrinsic advantage, however it is my personal preference for the following reasons - 1) I can still get a pick tone if I need it, 2) I can play a lot faster with the thumb pick than just my thumb.
Bill, I mean't to ask , do you shape the pick with fine wet/dry sandpaper to adjust the length and the shape of the blade on your Fred Kelly slick picks ?
Thanks Bill..it is very hard to find a thumb-pick that has a comfortable attack surface. They are mostly too long and pointed. The fred kelly slick pick is the best I have found also.
It's not the motion or the tone I need to get used to when trying a thumb pick. I struggle with the distance my thumb is from the strings and still striking the string...........it is just NOT natural.
You can find them online. just Google it. I found a few on ebay www.ebay.com.au/itm/like/200926107408?chn=ps&dispItem=1 www.ebay.com.au/itm/like/151074886108?chn=ps&dispItem=1
Sophie Christie I think there's different levels of 'handedness', if I had been forced to play righty I would have given up. It bet it helped with complex finger patterns, however.
wow you voice is so soothing, it sounds like GTA Vice city 70's 80's radio RJ
A small tip: if the thumbpick is too loose or tight, put it in hot water for some time and then put it on the finger. It will change the shape of pick accordingly.
Definitely a tip worth trying!
I'll have to try this. My problem isn't being able to use the thumbpick, it's that the thing cuts off the circulation to my thumb, and is incredibly uncomfortable.
I tried hot water, but it didnt work for me. I used a lighter to directly heat the plastic. Of course you have to be careful not to melt the plastic and ruin it. You can also file the clip of the pick down in width a little to take some of the resistance out of it.
I do this. Actually have limited success in molding right handed picks to lefty.
Just noticed your second post. I used to modify right handed Nationals to lefthanded, and trim the tip a little with fingernail clippers. Try the Jim Dunlops. They make medium(9012R) and large(9013R). Amazon and eBay sell them too.
Biggest tip that worked for me: just play around with the thumb pick. Don't expect to put it on and sound great right away. Instead have fun with it. The brain is very flexible and will quickly get used to the new feeling. It took me a couple of days of playing with the thumb pick to not sound awful and somewhere between 1 week to a month to really start to take advantage of the new dynamics I was able to put in my playing because of it.
So yeah, main thing for me was to simply have fun and not be frustrated.
Best of luck!
Thanks for sharing your experience. Good tip!
;)
Just wanted to say I enjoyed the video. I've been using a thumb pick for a few years now (Black Mountain). I've also used the Fred Kelly picks as well. You're right. You have to find your pick. I find the Black Mountain feels most like a regular flat pick. I can use it in the traditional role (the way I learned so many years when I was studying out of Mel Bay books). I can also use it to go to finger picking mode and use it as you were showing. It's nice when you can use one tool for two different things. That makes using the thumb pick worthwhile. I also use metal finger picks (pro picks) on index, middle, and ring finger. It took awhile to get used to them. They add quite a bit of volume that I don't get with bare fingers. The combination of thumb pick and finger picks allows you to play fingerstyle, although you have to learn the proper angle to strike the strings with the fingerpicks on index, middle, and ring. If the finger picks drag the string with the edge of the pick, you hear an unpleasant scrape noise. You have to learn to strike the string completely with the flat face of the finger pick. Not impossible to learn. This is just a matter of practice. I would be interested to know if you have used finger picks and if you have an opinion on them?
Thank you very much, just starting to use the thumb pick, very helpful instructions.
Nice, I like to call this the Peter, Paul & Mary picking, excellent lesson.
Neat trick playing on the other side of the capo.
You're the Bob Ross of guitar. I mean that as a compliment. Subscribed!
Thanks!!!
Hell, yeah, you nailed it.
...and here we have a little happy guitar; in your world everything is possible...
Good lesson, thanks!
I finally got serious about guitar playing about three years ago. I think I will learn to play with a thumb pick, starting now!
Excellent!
When I hear it!!! It sounds Good. Thanks! from Central America. Guatemala City!
Great lesson. Your very pleasant personality makes it even better
Those Fred Kelly speed thumb picks rock
Nice lowden I live down the road from the lowden factory mr gorge makes some nice guitars 🎸 thanks man I’m trying to get the thumb thing off it’s coming but it’s slow
I've found that most thumb picks are much larger and bulkier than what is comfortable. I take them home and reshape them to my liking. I mix it up between all out fingerstyle, hybrid, and flatpicking. Been playing fingerstyle for more than 30 years, but finally getting the hang of using thumbpicks. I site Chet Atkins as my influence for this style.
Thank you, ive had a thunp pick sitting in my collection for many years and just got inspired to start using it thanks to learning Tim Buckley's Song to a Siren. Takes some getting used too!
Good job. Thanks.
Great vid -One thing that may be worth a mention is the angle of the pick to the string which can be determined by rotating the pick slightly around the thumb either clockwise or anti- clock wise . A slightly less vertical attack allows the pick too roll off the string more smoothly.
If you leave a space between the dash and your text, you won't 'line out' the text, for example - Hi, how are you - vs. -Hi how are you-
Nice one , playing finger style is definitely the best skill I learnt when I first started playing , Never thought of trying a thumb pick but I learn though playing classical and Spanish guitar , still play pick less most the time when I play electric too , even jammed with a band playing funk a few months ago pick less ,
I wanted to stop watching this video but this dude's voice is too soothing.
Really helpful instructions! Can't wait to practice!
You are awesome. The focused approach is essential to building a strong technique that can then be elaborated.
What a beautiful lesson, so clear. Thank you!!
Thanks for this tutorial. These simple exercises are awesome.
I like to have a balance between my thumb licks and finger picks on steel. Same thing with bare fingers.
Licking your fingers will make the picks stay in place. Vodka works well too.
Scribing a couple lines with a pen knife inside the blade helps too.
Wear them a lot to get used to them.
My problem and the reason I've given up is I can't reach cords ie can't reach c cord across all three strings I've been trying now for over two months I practice every day was getting some cords like e and em and a9 and am but c my fingers are not reaching so gone to Piano I can play a few songs in less than two weeks wow feel better about it but guitar I feel sad about spent 4 months only managed 4 cords I'm 60 so was expecting difficulty but piano wow it's brilliant so far
Always wanted to learn to use a thumb pick. This is definitely a very good first lesson. Thank you. Will be subscribing for sure !
*This is Chords of Orion, and I'm Bob Ross.
:-)
Preston Callahan Iii
Took the words right out of my mouth
Yes, but his straw man is BOB ROSS in all CAPS.
*This is Chords of Onion, and I'm Davos Seaworth
I’m gonna try it
Excellent!
very good points indeed!!😊
I've been playing steel string acoustic some 40+ years now. my style quickly grew into fingerstyle only playing and used the thumb pick (National) extensively for many years and then slowly morphed into thumb-nail/flesh only, after reading about the styles of many prominent singer/songwriter artists; now I absolutely cannot go back to the thumb pick!! the hand position and the feel is entirely different and almost foreign to each other.
Very interesting. I imagine these exercises would also be useful for learning fingerpicking (speaking as someone who knows neither thumbpicking nor fingerpicking).
Definitely!
Thanks for the great video !!!
You sir are just amazing
Very very very helpful lesson
Your stuff is top notch! Thanks so much, will recommend your channel.
Thanks so much!!
Lovely tone from your guitar- thank you for the lesson- much obliged- bests
Chet Atkins over the course of years tried to use a fingerpick 4 times and couldnt get used to it 4 times, on the 5th try he finally pushed trough and we all know what happened.
Thankfully
Thanks for the lesson sir. I really need to get bit more volume out of my guitar, the thumb pick is the way to go. Btw, love your Lowden, I wish I still had mine... which was a more OM/Concert from the late 90's. I should have kept that one. :(
Awesome. I just subscribed.
Thanks!!!
I keep meaning to make a thumb-pick video. I think the biggest problem beginners have with them is not pushing it far enough back on their thumb. You really have to push them back until almost all of (but not quite) your thumbnail is showing. Then it feels like a part of you after a while. And the further back you push it means the shank gets shorter and shorter too, which makes it easier to play them. I really like Golden Gate thumb-picks personally.
I have about 3/4ths of my thumbnail showing but I"ve seen players wear them farther back. It's just not comfortable for me that far back. If you watch John Standefer it looks like his pick is over the joint. I've tried all manner of picks. Even the $50 pick (I cannot recall the brand at the moment). Eventually, I settled on Fred Kelly Slick Pick medium.
You have to give it time. I used to wear mine everywhere I went. After a couple of weeks you forget you even have it on.
Took me a few days to figure out to move it further back on my thumb!
1. Put your thumb pic in the microwave for 5 to 10 seconds on HI. 2.
Take it out and put it on your thumb and form to your thumb. 3. Run it
under cold water while still wearing it to set it. 4. Instant custom
formed fit thumbpick to your thumb
Thank you, foe an excellent lesson, one that will surely me start out! frank m.....
thanks for the advice! Great Video!
The real problem with a thumb pick is the disparity in volume between the strings plucked with the thumb (LOUD!) contrasted with the strings picked with the fingers ( . . . much softer). Is the only way around this to use picks on each finger as well as the thumb?
By the way, what model of Lowden guitar are you playing? It looks & sounds great.
The Lowden is a 2004 O35 spruce/koa. My baby. :-) In terms of the volume difference between the thumbpick and fingers - it's not really an issue. With a little practice, it's pretty easy to achieve a good balance.
Is it better to anchor the pinky finger or let it float?
Only lowden sound that good
You are Awesome Sir!🎼Thank You For All Your Trully Great and Inspiring Videos🎸🔊✌
thanks for the kind comment!
Charles White64
Thank you...
Nice Jethro Tull cover at 4:12. I can't think of which song to save my life right now. Someone help me out!
My God?
@@thebossman60 Yes! Exactly! Thank you!
@@bolderyman6089 2 years later lol!
i like the way u teach its slow and i can learn like this tytytytytytyttyytytytytytyty
i'm looking online for thumb picks now, they are described as left hand or right hand, and medium, small, large, lol does the left / right really make a difference seems like you can use either on both hands or not really ? Thanks great video.
The brand that I like (Fred Kelly) are asymmetrical and would probably not work as well for a lefty due to the difference in fit and angle of attack.
@@chordsoforion Thank You !
Great lesson, thank you. I have one question about practice: When I am introducing each successive finger and practicing with that for 15 minutes, should I also spend time working the other finger I already conditioned? Thank you in advance.
I think it would be good idea for sure!
I just got a thumbpick to mess around with (a good bluechip one) and I'm curious if it's even meant to strum. I can get the down strum well but the up strum just doesn't seem right. I'm guessing your not suppose to strum with thumbpicks??
I have seen some folks strum with a thumbpick, however, it's not super easy.
I have no trouble where or playing with it on my thumb.... i actually like mine very tight almost to the point my finger gets purplish haha. Not that bad but you know what i mean lol. I like it very snug with a very small tip almost the size of a short finger nail.... MY BIGGEST issue with the thumb pick is, that it changes the tones of the bass while my fingers 1 2 and 3 do not sound as good.... the volume of the thumb is much louder and crashes out the sound of the other fingers doing the melody or the licks or whatever... Ive tried finger picks but there to awkward for me
Do you just pick down on the strings or can you play down and up? Anyone?
Only thing that sucks is all the picks that fit my fat ass thumb are like a foot long.
Sir Davos, is it you?
I learned how to use a thumb pick in 15 minutes a Day also. 15 minutes a day for 30 years.
LOL
Problem with thumbpicks is that rest of your fingers (e.g. the melody) sound much softer.
some of the tonal difference can be modified by letting your righthand fingernails grow out a bit.
Nice video! I'll stick to my nails though. All the best. /C
exactly thumbpicking is for pussys
DARN,, I guess Merle Travis, Chet Atkins & Jerry Reed and Many Others, Never knew they were Pussy's. Glad You got that straighten out. You are a Genius.. Or Something...
The best advice I ever heard regarding thumbpicks is to stay away from thr Dunlop brand.
Dunlop thumbpicks? Agreed that they are not great. I do like their jazz flat picks though.
Do you use your nails or just the tips of the fingers?
I keep my nails a little long and pick with a combination of nail and flesh.
Are you using the finger nails or the finger itself to pull the strings?
I pick with a combination of the fingernail and the flesh of the finger. For me, it produces a nicer tone.
ok, thanks
This dude is the Bob Ross of guitar 😂
Black Mountain Thumbpicks.......Nothing more need be said.
Appreciated the lesson, and learned from it. But if all I did was pluck the A string for a week I would be in an insane asylum.
Oh yeah - I get that . :-)
That being said, I did enjoy the lesson. I started playing guitar when I was 14, but only progressed so far because I couldn't afford lessons. Also that was the 80s metal era, and with me being into country and folk (even at that age) there really wasn't anyone in my peer group to learn from. I basically put the guitar down for years, only picking up one once in awhile to fool around on it a little. I'm 46 now, and just within the last year have made an effort to learn as much music theory as I can and progress on the guitar as much as possible. That includes fingerpicking. TH-cam is a wonderful tool for this I like the thumbpick, find I get more volume out of my thumb with it. For some reason I don't have that problem with my fingers so I don't worry about fingerpicks. Anyway, thanks for the lesson, hope to see more soon.
After years of practice, I still can't get it.
That damned pick continues to irritate my nose.
What’s the advantage of a thumb pick over just your thumb? Been playing finger style for a years now but use just my skin. Thanks
I don't know that there is an intrinsic advantage, however it is my personal preference for the following reasons - 1) I can still get a pick tone if I need it, 2) I can play a lot faster with the thumb pick than just my thumb.
Chords Of Orion I’ll give it a go
Its easier and louder to play...over hours...
Slashley gibbins i
I read Leo Kottke say "throw 'em away".
I use the thumb pick and 3 finger picks.
When you get it going, the sound is jaw dropping.
Bill, do you shape the pick with fine wet/dry sandpaper to adjust the length and the shape of the blade ? . thank you for your advice. cheers
I sometimes do with both thumb picks and flat picks. I generally prefer a rounded point on both.
Bill, I mean't to ask , do you shape the pick with fine wet/dry sandpaper to adjust the length and the shape of the blade on your Fred Kelly slick picks ?
I have in the past, however, the last one or two, I decided to leave as is, and they worked out fine.
Thanks Bill..it is very hard to find a thumb-pick that has a comfortable attack surface. They are mostly too long and pointed. The fred kelly slick pick is the best I have found also.
Finally u need to beat the devil somehow))
It's not the motion or the tone I need to get used to when trying a thumb pick. I struggle with the distance my thumb is from the strings and still striking the string...........it is just NOT natural.
but i need to see what chord its in HELP
What chord are you referring to?
If you want to shape your pick do not use an open flame ! A lot of those picks are made of flammable plastics
indeed. Good tip!
Wish I could find a left-handed thumb pick
Ask and ye shall receive!! :-) www.stringsbymail.com/jim-dunlop-lefty-thumb-pick-large-9013r-white-12-pack-17956.html
You can find them online. just Google it. I found a few on ebay
www.ebay.com.au/itm/like/200926107408?chn=ps&dispItem=1
www.ebay.com.au/itm/like/151074886108?chn=ps&dispItem=1
Why do I keep losing Don Ross?need don rossp
1:11 are you sure about that ?
"many different shapes, sizes and brands".
Nope. Not for me.
Another one of the many reasons why it sucks to be left handed.
Fellow left hander here!!
I'm left handed but I learnt guitar right handed because when I was little I didn't know the difference now I just play right handed
Same thing here.
I actually think that if I wanted to re learn and play left handed it would be so much harder at this point
Sophie Christie I think there's different levels of 'handedness', if I had been forced to play righty I would have given up. It bet it helped with complex finger patterns, however.
0:10....ok then.........
Davie504 said picks are illegal 😆
Que desastre te la pasas hablando raul portal
Can i practice more than 15 minutes a day? Lol
You have my permission. 😜
Holy crap what in the name of gawd? Good lesson but this guy is a little ? "snug"?
Did someone change the meaning of the word snug?
Says 15 minutes a day, when the video is 10 minutes long.