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offduty - Posted - 09/10/2010: 09:10:11
Finger picks do you really need them? I understand the volume aspect with using them but what about when you want just a low volume.
I ask this question because I just purchased a banjo 2 weeks ago and have been practicing clawhammer daily. I feel I am getting some good accuracy / speed but bluegrass is the style of music / sound I am trying to achieve and I have been learning the two styles can work together in jams but its best to stick with one particular style for best learning.
My goal is to participate in some local bluegrass jams for fun.
Thank you
daveh - Posted - 09/10/2010: 09:15:36
If you are playing bluegrass you must use picks and anchor at least one finger, two is better, on the head. Not an option. Once you start getting used to the picks it is hard to play without them.
Richard Dress - Posted - 09/10/2010: 09:17:08
Fingerpicks are only useful when you play with others. If you never do that, then you won't need them.
For low volume stuff some old underwear between the truss rod and the bridge.
PS: Dave is right. I should have said "only really useful"
Edited by - Richard Dress on 09/10/2010 10:44:41
tombriarhopper - Posted - 09/10/2010: 09:24:18
Like Richard said, by your lonesome is fine. My opine is that if you want to play at a BG jam, and it is your turn to pick part of a tune, and you try it without picks, another banjo player will take over because nobody will be able to hear you.
I play both clawhammer and BG, and I learned just fine in practicing both of them. Good luck to you!
Daveasti - Posted - 09/10/2010: 09:32:40
quote:
Originally posted by Richard Dress
Fingerpicks are only useful when you play with others. If you never do that, then you won't need them.
I disagree. Why would they ONLY be useful when playing with others? Fingerpicks are useful to get the big, bright, loud tone out of a banjo. That is good no matter how many people are playing or if you are by yourself.
The Pope - Posted - 09/10/2010: 10:52:51
If you normally don't use picks and go to a jam and try to use them, it won't work very well. If you want to play the BGM, you need picks...
Cuzzin Donny - Posted - 09/10/2010: 11:00:54
IMHO I believe one should learn With picks. If you dont need them ,fine. If you do ,an sooner or later you will want to have learned to use them.Then you wont have a problem either way . I believe to play BG you"ll need um.Enjoy the Journey.
offduty - Posted - 09/10/2010: 11:03:54
quote:
Originally posted by tombriarhopper
Like Richard said, by your lonesome is fine. My opine is that if you want to play at a BG jam, and it is your turn to pick part of a tune, and you try it without picks, another banjo player will take over because nobody will be able to hear you.
I play both clawhammer and BG, and I learned just fine in practicing both of them. Good luck to you!
Thats what I wanted to hear, someone learned both styles at the same time.
JonT - Posted - 09/10/2010: 11:06:58
Picks really contribute to bluegrass-style tone, so in my view, at least, you need to play with them from the start. After you learn to play with them, THEN you can practice quietly without them. I never, ever, do that, however.
tombriarhopper - Posted - 09/10/2010: 11:08:07
I usually play both styles in the same song!
Texasbanjo - Posted - 09/10/2010: 12:14:39
I've found if I play without picks, then try to play with them, there's a big difference in the feel, if you will, of what I play. In other words, for me, I have problems if I just finger pick and then try to pick with picks on -- takes me a while to get used to either type of picking -- maybe it's just me.
rstieg - Posted - 09/10/2010: 13:25:12
This question comes up really often. Essentially if you want to play bluegrass, learn to use fingerpicks. It doesn't take long to get comfortable with them.
5stringJim - Posted - 09/11/2010: 04:20:19
quote:
Originally posted by offduty
but bluegrass is the style of music / sound I am trying to achieve
My goal is to participate in some local bluegrass jams for fun.
Well, you just answered your own question. You won't achieve the Bluegrass sound without picks. Period. You won't be heard in a local Bluegrass jam without picks. That's a certainty. I switch between clawhammer and bare finger-picking on the same banjo, but I wouldn't try it in a Bluegrass context. To get the snap/pop/volume required, picks are essential.
stormoveroklahoma - Posted - 09/11/2010: 17:49:11
quote:
Originally posted by offduty
Finger picks do you really need them? I understand the volume aspect with using them but what about when you want just a low volume.
I ask this question because I just purchased a banjo 2 weeks ago and have been practicing clawhammer daily. I feel I am getting some good accuracy / speed but bluegrass is the style of music / sound I am trying to achieve and I have been learning the two styles can work together in jams but its best to stick with one particular style for best learning.
My goal is to participate in some local bluegrass jams for fun.
Thank you
I think that you are comfortable knowing where the ends of your fingers are and maybe uncomfortable finding a new touch or sensation when using picks. 2 Nice dunlop metal finger picks and a good sturdy plastic thumb pick is what is most commonly used. So come on Dave take the plunge fight the new sensation for a few weeks and become the bluegrass-er/player you want to become. You'll love it. Tracy from Vermont play it from the heart PS - some people and I don't know how they do it are real good at both... youtube.com/watch?v=l31MSpojWTAyoutube.com/watch?v=1jn3KCZEqxcBela just knocks that out of the park PPS ...is a coincidence that the instant I was finished writing this post - the police were knocking at my door? I think not.
Edited by - stormoveroklahoma on 09/11/2010 19:38:57
Airdog - Posted - 09/12/2010: 08:02:24
George Carlin had a good routine about wearing a hat - after a while, it doesn't feel like you have it on. But then, when you take it off, it feels like you have it on again!
I think you have to practice with picks to play effectively with them. The finger positions and angles all change, and you have to develop the muscle and nerve patterns with those finger extensions to be proficient. At first they feel clumsy, but then they become part of you.
banjer5 - Posted - 09/12/2010: 08:13:48
I normally practice with picks and jamming is always done with picks. I do practice at home without picks for the obvious reason of making less noise. I really hate mutes so practice without picks is a suitable substitute for me. Yes, it is a different feel and you have to get accustomed to the whole thing but it works for me. Any practice is better than no practice in my experience.
Fred
Gazza - Posted - 09/12/2010: 08:36:49
Pete Stanley (UK) famously plays Bluegrass banjo without picks.
frick - Posted - 09/12/2010: 20:44:14
As a guitar player, I wasn't used to fingerpicks at all, although I play a lot of fingerstyle guitar.
I've only owned a banjo for a little over two weeks (first experience ever with banjo) and I'm pretty comfortable with picks already.
If you want that bluegrass sound, you're going to need picks, IMO.
Now I think I'm going to pick up some plastic fingerpicks and try them with my guitar. Once you realize the difference in attack, volume and tone that picks provide, it's a major difference.
Edited by - frick on 09/12/2010 20:44:36
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