I've started to use sports chalk to keep my picks from sliding off my fingers when I nervous and sweat playing banjo for others (which is pretty much any time I do). Works well for my metal finger picks, not so well for my plastic thumb pick. Does a metal thumb pick adhere better to the thumb, in your experience? Any other advice for managing playing nerves?
I play banjo with a metal thumb pick and guitar, Dobro, and lap steel with a plastic thumb pick. I don't see that much difference in how they adhere to the thumb but I have never tried using chalk either. It would be cheap enough to find out and you may, or may not, find that you like the metal pick better.
This subject was discussed earlier. One suggestion was to "lick" your fingers where the picks will be located on your finger and thumb. I had never tried doing that, but gave it a try. It worked on my fingers and thumb.
As suggested earlier, in extreme cases you might try "Gorilla Snot" (This is not a joke). It is inexpensive. Use it sparingly because "a little bit goes a long way". I have used it at times, and have always had to wash my thumb and fingers afterward.
The nervous sweat will pass with time. Rest assured even a rank beginner is better than most people. Stop & think about it. Out of everyone you know, how many are musicians? Assume not one can play so much as a simple doe ray me scale. It's a mind trick but, it works.
Disgusting as it may be, sucking your fingers does work. Just don't let anyone see you doing it. However, I prefer to keep a supply of ground up rosin handy for dipping my fingertips. As for the plastic thumb pick, Earl's trick of cutting grooves on the inside of the pick works wonders when those groove become caked with rosin.
A lot of newbies adjust their finger picks so tight they cut off circulation. There is is a fine line between picking too hard & finger tips that are too tight. It takes time to get there.
Edited by - monstertone on 12/02/2020 17:57:45
if its a plastic thumb pick,,, take yer pocket knife and cut about 3 grooves on the flat part (inside) and use gorilla snot,,, on for life
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