Cheerios4u98 Posted November 6, 2015 Report Share Posted November 6, 2015 Random question but I was just curious since I've only recently started to learn fingerpicking on the guitar (I grew up playing blink so I only learned to play with a pick). Do you use your fingertips to play, or your fingernails?I play with the flesh of my fingertips, but I can see why playing with the nails would be beneficial. The problem for me is that my nails are oddly curved and it makes picking with my nails really awkward and uncomfortable. On top of that I hate the feeling of picking with my nails. It feels almost like scratching a chalk board. Can't stand it.When it comes to fingerpicking, how do you guys play? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knapppers Posted November 6, 2015 Report Share Posted November 6, 2015 This guy seems pretty amazing and his fingernails look pretty long which leads me to believe he uses them. Shoutout to Beth for showing me this wonderful masterpiece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redhotbrianpeppers Posted November 6, 2015 Report Share Posted November 6, 2015 I pick with my fingertips, and use my nails to strum. Something I do a lot is down pick the root note with my thumb, then up pick a few notes with my next two or three fingers, and then strum down with my nails. Usually like this: Thumb, pick, pick, strum, pick, pick, thumb, pick pick, strum, pick, pick. Try changing chords with each thumb strike to establish a bass line. Then the picks can be a sort of accompanying higher melody or just repeated pattern, and the strum comes off as percussive. Written out, because I'm a drummer: 1 e & 2 e & 3 e & 4 e &thumb pick pick strum pick pick thumb pick pick strum pick pick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kay Posted November 6, 2015 Report Share Posted November 6, 2015 using your nails is more for classical guitar, you're taught to use your nails for it - I constantly bite my nails which is why I quit haha. most classical guitarists are quite telling because they have longer nails on one hand. I pick with my finger tips, like the majority of other people. if I ever strum without a pick, which is rare because I'm quite an aggressive acoustic guitarist, I use my thumb. if I used my nail I'd break it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheerios4u98 Posted November 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2015 You guys are reassuring me that I do not need to learn to play with my nails. That is good, because I didn't want to. Haha.My fingers are still suffering because I'm not used to this, so they're hurting quite a bit. Slowly building up calluses and strength though. It's getting easier little by little. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redhotbrianpeppers Posted November 6, 2015 Report Share Posted November 6, 2015 I hardly ever use a pick. My nails are huge and thick, and I use all four nails to strum down. I like not having a pick in my hand because then I can walk the strings a bit on the upstroke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kay Posted November 7, 2015 Report Share Posted November 7, 2015 I think being adept at both is the best way really, if you're interested in a variety of styles of music. I love playing bass with my fingers for example because it sounds infinitely better, but because I play in a punk band I use a pick - it's just easier to play harder and faster with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheerios4u98 Posted November 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2015 I didn't know playing bass with your fingers sounded better. (I don't play bass so...)The only time I've ever played bass was once at a local show when my friends' band asked me to play bass with them for a cover of "Lose Yourself" by Eminem. lol. Actually I guess I've played bass two times if you count the time we practiced the song before the show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allsystemsgo Posted November 7, 2015 Report Share Posted November 7, 2015 Finger-picking is one thing I'd like to learn but haven't really put effort toward. Knowing that Lindsey Buckingham plays mostly with his fingers and emulating that is one of my goals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kay Posted November 7, 2015 Report Share Posted November 7, 2015 I didn't know playing bass with your fingers sounded better. (I don't play bass so...)The only time I've ever played bass was once at a local show when my friends' band asked me to play bass with them for a cover of "Lose Yourself" by Eminem. lol. Actually I guess I've played bass two times if you count the time we practiced the song before the show. It's the 'right' way to play bass, at least as far as I'm concerned, but it just isn't that feasible in faster music... or at least not for someone as talentless as me. it totes can be done I mean fuck look at Flea, but I'm too shit at it haha. but yeah it's the more dominant way to play bass for sure it's mostly only punk and metal bands who use picks for bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean Posted November 8, 2015 Report Share Posted November 8, 2015 You definitely don't need to play with nails, but in my experience it is easier and you get a much more solid sound out of each pluck if you use a nail. I do a lot of fingerstyle, it's the most enjoyment I get out of acoustic guitar. When I have a gig coming up or I'm working on something in particular I let the nails on my right hand grow out quite a bit and I find it makes a huge difference for me. I tried using thumb/finger picks that you attach to your fingers but found them really awkward. Having said all that I can still play just fine using fingertips but I'm much more prone to missing a note here and there or playing some muted notes, and it just doesn't have the same 'twang' so it just doesn't sound quite as good. Once my nails get long enough I usually end up getting frustrated with their length and cut them right back, then I pick up the guitar and instantly regret it because my fingerpicking ability seems to go out the window hah. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheerios4u98 Posted November 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2015 I started growing out the nails on my right hand as an experiment for this. The stupid thing is, I haven't played the guitar since I started growing them out, so now I just feel gross having long nails on one hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raw_sounds Posted April 20, 2016 Report Share Posted April 20, 2016 I play guitar with my nails, i found it comfortable. I play bass in a band and i mostly use a pick because of the style, it gives a trebley louder tone, wich is harder to get with fingers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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