This has been a dream of mine ever since I watched Chris Buck on YouTube work his guitar with and without a pick. Jeff Beck has always been an inspiration for unpicked playing. There are many more fingerstyle acoustic players who made the switch to electric, and kept with the fingerstyle.Anyone here ditch the pick and play only with fingers?
I've been playing with a hybrid approach for many years as I've always found it useful for things like pianistic chords such as those often used by Eric Johnson. That eventually grew into other use cases like arpeggios and single note licks, especially when crossing strings.
For about the last year I've been trying to use the pick less and less.
Watching Jeff Beck play live is inspiring and I know years back Richie Kotzen also stopped using a pick, too.
Of course, I just watched an Andy Wood video where he's blazing chromatic lines with alternate picking
Lari Basilio is a master at this also. The transition from pick to fingers is, well, seamless.I would also add that playing fingerstyle vs pick puts you in a different creative mindset for soloing/improv; it can be a creative boost.
Not sure I would ever advocate "ditching" the pick, but maybe just limiting its use. There are situations which are better suited for both. Joe Bonamassa is a great example. He can play fingerstyle and pocket the pick in the crook of his thumb then whip it out for a blazing fast solo, tuck it away, and continue on. Pretty amazing.
Tommy Emmanuel has some great FREE videos on youtube about this. but, he, and also, Joe Robinson really aren't doing what Unix guy is talking about. They are finger picking (how I learned long ago) using an alternating bass ala Chet Atkins , etc. Different I think.This has been a dream of mine ever since I watched Chris Buck on YouTube work his guitar with and without a pick. Jeff Beck has always been an inspiration for unpicked playing. There are many more fingerstyle acoustic players who made the switch to electric, and kept with the fingerstyle.
The best I've personally been able to do is hybrid pick, with pick and fingers. Gotta find a decent fingerstyle book or watch some Tommy Emmanuel/Joe Robinson instructional videos for greater insight...
Ouch! That looks sore….
I was teaching a neighbor to play Stormy Monday and the next day he texted me a picture of the blisters on his fingers. So now I teach him little bits he doesn’t play enough.
I think that's what I'd need to learn if it were fingerpicking, the walking bass line style...that might free up the remaining 3 fingers (if I were using my thumb and forefinger for bass) to play melody while the bass line shifts during the course of the song.Tommy Emmanuel has some great FREE videos on youtube about this. but, he, and also, Joe Robinson really aren't doing what Unix guy is talking about. They are finger picking (how I learned long ago) using an alternating bass ala Chet Atkins , etc. Different I think.
Although they both can play all types of music incredibly well of course!
That same friend is an over the road truck driver. He ended up buying a pair of those Boss Waza headphones cuz he can't lug an amp with him. He says they are perfect for his situation.... probably be great for yours as well.
Great player!Big fan of Doyle Dykes probably not that much known as others mentioned here but love this kind of technique he uses. Bit of a cheat for this post but what the heck..
Hi Dave what an awesome video Doyle Dykes is a phenomenal picker wish I could do that i the guitar.Big fan of Doyle Dykes probably not that much known as others mentioned here but love this kind of technique he uses. Bit of a cheat for this post but what the heck..
Jared James Nichols is my fingerpicking spirit animal.