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Using a PICK!


TGEvans
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Right then. After playing for about 10 years properly, I mean using my fingers. :) I have been involved in a project where the tone and attack of a pick sits better In the process. Just wondered if there are any tutorials out there that would give me some pointers or anything that may be of use. Anything really. Im quite enjoying using a pick but feel that there may be something missing with my technique.T

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Playing kind of post hardcore/punk rock stuff. The kind of stuff I have done in the past but for some reason it feels more natural with a pick this time round.play a five string too so dont know if that makes a difference.who are the pro 5 string pick guys? I know Jason Newstead did ( I think). Went through all my picks today. The 1.5 mil felt good for the lighter stuff but the 2 mil felt better for the heavier stuff.Dunlop picks. What picks do you guys use?

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[quote name='TGEvans' post='703609' date='Jan 6 2010, 10:45 PM']Playing kind of post hardcore/punk rock stuff. The kind of stuff I have done in the past but for some reason it feels more natural with a pick this time round.play a five string too so dont know if that makes a difference.who are the pro 5 string pick guys? I know Jason Newstead did ( I think). Went through all my picks today. The 1.5 mil felt good for the lighter stuff but the 2 mil felt better for the heavier stuff.Dunlop picks. [b]What picks do you guys use[/b]?[/quote]

How long's a piece of string?*

Seriously, you're likely to get as many different answers as people that reply - rather like strings :)

It took me ages & much experimentation before I settled on Jim Dunlop 1mm Black Nylons, so I'd suggest a hunt around on Ebay, get an assorted "grab bag", & see what suits you best.

From what you've stated I'd probably tend towards the heavier/stiffer picks, as I guess you want to enhance the edge & clank. Slightly thinner/more flexible ones are good for high-speed "drilling" - for me anyway.

Pete.


[size=1]*twice the distance from the middle to one end[/size]

Edited by Bloodaxe
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Pick size is a bit of a trade-off between tone & speed. Thicker picks will give a thicker, fuller tone but will be a bit harder to play really fast; whereas thinner picks flex more and so present less resistance to movement (which makes them easier to play fast - especially if you use an alternating technique) but give a slightly thinner tone.

From what you've said I would guess that your playing is dominated by downstrokes? That being the case thicker would generally be better.

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AS far as pick players go, [b]Jerry Peek [/b]is well worth a listen. There's not much of his stuff available on youtube, but he played with Steve Morse for a while and his picked/hammered solo on the track "Cruise Missile" is awesome!!

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUwO9xkyDnA"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUwO9xkyDnA[/url]

Edited by Conan
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I think I am still trying to play the same way I did with my fingers, by still alternating and moving up and down over both pickups and so on. After reading all the bits on here lat night/early this morning I see what people mean about the different thicknesses. I read a few things on other sites too. It looks like some players I like go as thin as.75 with some picks. I sat and played with a 1mil for an hour and that felt pretty good too. So It looks like I will be using between a 1 mil and a 2 mil depending on whats needed. Before this I would never have thought there was a difference.t

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I use Dunlop 'Tortex' .88mm picks. More often than not I play the sort of stuff you're playing. Mind you, I imagine you've got stronger fingers than me, so something a little more chunky might suit you better. But it might effect the snappiness of the sound - depends on if it's snappy or chunky post hardcore/punk :)

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[quote name='dannybuoy' post='703940' date='Jan 7 2010, 11:14 AM']Also, I find the big Dunlop triangles easier to use on bass rather than those little teardrop ones you useually see everywhere.[/quote]

I used to use those, but found them a bit knackering after playing for an hour or more.

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Some good links guys, Thanks. Becoming a bit obsessed with this now. As far as playing live with a pick is there much difference eq wise? I know the tone will be different but will I need to alter my settings much? I sound dumb now! Or would I be better getting a separate eq so that I can switch between fingerstyle and pick?

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I use medium gauge Alien 'glow in the dark' picks (BTW, they don't really glow much at all) [url="http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/products/299-alien_ebe_glow_in_the_dark_guitar_picks_medium_heavy_"]http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/products/29...s_medium_heavy_[/url]

Despite being 'medium' they are very thin which allows me to pick very fast. Was previously in a death/thrash metasl band and now in a punk band and speed is the order of the day. If I played in a slower band I would use a thicker pick for more meaty tone.

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Hi there!
I started playing "properly" (and i'm still going on!) but few years ago i swapped to pick for your same reason.

It took me a while to get used even if, playing also some guitar, the pick didn't feel like a completely alien object in my hand.

What i think is that if you play punk rock you just need attack and aggression and this doesn't come with any technique. It's all about the feel and the energy, trying different kinds of picks and trying to play in different positions along the strings you will work out YOUR sound.

rock on!!!

[quote name='TGEvans' post='702503' date='Jan 6 2010, 09:53 AM']Right then. After playing for about 10 years properly, I mean using my fingers. :) I have been involved in a project where the tone and attack of a pick sits better In the process. Just wondered if there are any tutorials out there that would give me some pointers or anything that may be of use. Anything really. Im quite enjoying using a pick but feel that there may be something missing with my technique.T[/quote]

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[quote name='TKenrick' post='704411' date='Jan 7 2010, 04:45 PM']he's one of the few guys that can really groove with a pick...[/quote]

Isn't that a Pink Floyd track?! :)

Great player BTW - thanks for posting that, I'd never heard of him before. Who does he play with?

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[url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Al-Di-Meolas-Picking-Techniques/dp/079351018X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263486165&sr=1-1-spell"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Al-Di-Meolas-Picki...mp;sr=1-1-spell[/url]

Look this one up (less than a fiver). It will get you where you want to be (yes, it is a guitar book but the principles are the same).

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[quote name='dannybuoy' post='703940' date='Jan 7 2010, 11:14 AM']Also, I find the big Dunlop triangles easier to use on bass rather than those little teardrop ones you useually see everywhere.[/quote]

Love those ones: perfect grip and they are so big that you can't miss the strings even in the sweatiest drunkest craziest gig

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That book looks good.found a pick im happy with.blue 1mil tortex.feels good too me! having a sit down with my mate in a few weeks for a few pointers.he has played with a few big names.(Gary Numan, Alison Moyet, Shakin Stevens,forget that one though). just to go through basics.really,really enjoying playing with a pick though.its great.just struggling with the 5 string bit though.anybody know any examples of 5 string pick players in the rock metal genre i can have a look at????t

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