cpk - Posted - 11/27/2014:  12:20:57

Is this generally a personal preference or is there a gospel on how far to the left or right the index and middle finger picks should be situated on the tip of the finger? I am familiar with "the claw." And while I want a good attack angle, if the pick is dead-center then my hand cramps up something bad. So I slide them a little back and rotate them a little bit to one side so I can play with a comfortable hand angle. The tone is good, I can dig in, and there isn't any noise. But am I learning a bad habit that I should nip in the bud? Happy Thanksgiving and thanks in advance.

RawhideCreek - Posted - 11/27/2014:  12:45:50

You'll likely get lots of preferences and perhaps even some "gospel".

You've probably already figured out that your hand position and how you hold your instrument will affect things a bit.

Here's what works for me--picks worn straight-on and close, with the blades twisted a bit (toward the camera) for better contact:

Edited by - RawhideCreek on 11/27/2014 12:50:49

Fingerpicks

Texasbanjo - Posted - 11/27/2014:  12:51:37

How you wear your finger picks is mostly personal preference.  I wear mine very much like is shown above.  I've seen some people wear them with the pick part sticking straight out.  I wear my picks even on my finger; i.e., I don't twist or turn them around my fingers.  I found out years ago that I could move the neck of the banjo up or down where my fingers struck the strings correctly.  Might try that and see if it helps you.

PaulB - Posted - 11/27/2014:  12:53:06

No not a bad habit. I turn my pick on my middle finger an ring finger 

so my pick,s hit flat on the strings  I get the best sound  out 

of my banjo that way  Paulb 

steve davis - Posted - 11/27/2014:  13:43:34

I wear my Dunlops just the way they come from the box.

Whatever works for you.

cpk - Posted - 11/27/2014:  13:52:54

Thanks, all.

I've learned all my instruments as self-taught and sharing from friends. Without a bluegrass banjo instructor to sit down with, I was concerned with giving myself a headache down the road. After all, it was hand position and picking patterns that kept me off Scruggs style years ago. I did clawhammer instead, revisiting this now with more success. Like with reeds... breathing, fingering and embrochure, teach yourself those the wrong way and it can be a real pain if you want to do something with it later.

This is what my right hand position looks like now (a little shallow compared to a lot of players I see), and fingerpick positions. I have actually noticed the relationship between neck angle and angle of attack. That's good advice, too.

stringed - Posted - 11/27/2014:  22:36:52

I started wearing my picks bent up so they pass over my fingernails by about 1 mm. I did this because my fingernails would sometimes catch instead of the pick, which looks like it might happen to you. You might be more controlled than me though.

Regarding your hand position: check out Jens Kruger. He has a very minimal wrist angle and is obviously awesome. The other end of the spectrum is JD Crowe, who is also awesome. So you should recognize it can be done either way, and anything in between!

Edited by - stringed on 11/27/2014 22:39:42

pickincat - Posted - 11/27/2014:  23:38:14

Many customize their thumpicks as they don't always work 'out of the box' for some. There is no gospel as Rawhide noted.

The picks are just your tools of the trade. A carpenter may have many saws and a seamstress many needle. As a banjo player, don't be afraid to acquire many picks and try them out.

Best advice from above is to try things and do what works best for you. Finding your pick grooves is just part of the process of having fun with the banjo.

Richard Dress - Posted - 11/28/2014:  07:56:53

I think the important thing is to position the picks so that the metal touches the string in the same place your finger would touch if you didn't wear a pick.

RioStat - Posted - 11/28/2014:  14:04:39

quote:

---

Originally posted by PaulB

No not a bad habit. I turn my pick on my middle finger an ring finger 

so my pick,s hit flat on the strings  I get the best sound  out 

of my banjo that way  Paulb 

---

??  ring finger ??