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Post subject: Okay to hit other strings?
Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 1:53 pm
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So I am about as 'Beginner' as they come. I went out and got a Squier Strat starter kit as my first guitar. I have a friend who plays, but he isn't free a lot of the times to answer my questions or what-have-you. So I came here. :)

I am still trying to get the power chords down, and to be honest, I'm still practicing on getting E and A down before I move on to D. I've almost got it down to where I don't have to look when I switch between them. Anyways, I lost my picks that came with the guitar, when I took it back into the shop to have it looked at, and don't feel like going out to get them, so I decided to practice with my thumb. I never did like the pick; didn't like how it sounded, didn't like how it felt, just didn't like it. The thumb feels much more fluid and natural.

My questions to you:
1) Should I learn to play with a pick, as a casual player?
2) Say I'm playing the E power chord; is it okay that my thumb hits the 3rd string, when I should only be strumming the 6th, 5th and 4th? The 3rd string doesn't make noise to my ears, tho I am sure that someone could pick it up compared to not hitting it.

Thanks in advance!


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Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 2:07 pm
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Welcome to the forums.
It's very much OK to play with your thumb and fingers. If you don't believe it, go and look at one of the best around ( In my opinion ) Jeff Beck and there is Snowy White and quite a few others too.
Whatever you feel comfortable with is right for YOU
Have fun.


Last edited by Rhumba on Tue Dec 09, 2008 2:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 2:17 pm
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Welcome!

If you hit a string, it will make some kind of sound.

So to answer your question, it's ok as long as you're getting the sound you expect. :)

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Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 2:34 pm
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I used to use my thumb and hated picks but I wanted to get used to using picks, so I just played with my picks for a long time, and now I always use picks. I find them much nicer than using my thumb, but do what feels comfortable to you.


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Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 2:38 pm
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You are bringing a few issues here. One is, yes its ok to use your thumb, or whatever you want. Many have got their technique from just being self taught. With that said, I think you will be missing a lot by not using the pick. You might want to grow your fingernails on your picking hand and learn to shape them like picks. This is what classical players do. The pick will give you a different attack on the string, and allow you to use more precision than your thumb. The skin on your thumb will not sound as bright as hard pick/fingernail. But if its what you like, go for it. However, I would suggest getting used to the pick, as you progress it will help

As for the second part, hitting the 3rd string, its not that your hitting it that is the problem, the problem comes if you can't mute that string. I have been teaching my 11 year old son, and one of the problems is muting. He can finger the chords and move them around, but he will hit strings that should be muted and they ring out making it sound messy and wrong. I forgot how I learned to mute certain strings, but it comes very natural now. It a hard thing to teach. Muting a string means resting your finger or hand on the string in a way that keeps the string from being allowed to vibrate. Teaching is hard, I don't whether to complement my son for hitting the right notes, or to tell him he needs to learn to mute certain notes to let the chord ring correctly. I don't want to discourage him, but i don't want him to learn wrong either.

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Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 2:52 pm
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Hey Urabbit, there is of course v-picks. They do an extra thick one which is a bit like playing with your thumb. Check them out.

http://www.v-picks.com


I should be an agent for these :lol:


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Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 2:55 pm
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Thanks for the replies, guys!

I've noticed the difference between thumb and pick, and I can see where the pick has its advantages. A few Nirvana songs come to mind (whom are my inspiration to play guitar). I'll definitely have to get some more picks. :)

I think I can mute the string. When I notice that I'm hitting it, I arch my 3rd finger at the last knuckle to bring down part of that finger onto the string I'm hitting by mistake. If I were to pluck that string, it would song muffled. Tho the initial, muffled sound is not muted, I think I have it down to a certain extent.

Thanks again! I look forward to sharing many a rock-out sessions with you all. :)


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Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 2:57 pm
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Rhumba wrote:
Hey Urabbit, there is of course v-picks. They do an extra thick one which is a bit like playing with your thumb. Check them out.

http://www.v-picks.com


I should be an agent for these :lol:


Hmm. Interesting. Tho I think I might look at the thumb picks that are usually used by bluegrass players iirc. The form that using just the thumb provides is more comfortable to me currently. But I'm sure there's so much to experiment with that I'll be dying to do so when the time comes. :)


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Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 3:04 pm
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Are you sure that you're talking a power chords or are you talking about open chords? Are you a casual acoustic strummer or do you want to be an electric guitar master?

If you're talking open chords you can hit all the strings on an open E chord. Some open chords requre dampening and/or avoidance of certain strings.

If you're taking power chords, you should only be hitting the top 2-3 (e, a, d) strings and avoid the others when playing "e" string power chords, and the same with "a" string power chords (only here it would be the a, d, and g strings).

Check out chord diagrams/charts. Many free ones are available online. Fender has good online lessons.

As for thumb verses pick. It really depends on the kind of music you're going to play. Finger picking is great for some styles but it can be difficult to use all the required fingers (not just the thumb). You should use a pick for playing fast and getting good attack on an electric guitar -- your thumb won't cut it as you advance. If you're just practicing open chords on an acoustic or electric, your thumb is fine as you're learning chords.

You came to the right forum. For some reason, Fender players are some of the most helpful and polite among all guitarists.


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Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 3:15 pm
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The string noise is a hard one to call without seeing you play so your better off taking that one up with your mate when he's got time free.
On picks or thumbs i used both when i started. I spent 20 odd years just using picks and have just recently gone back to using my thumb and fingers for certain stuff. Its been a bit of a struggle to get used to it again but i'm getting there. You dont have to limit yourself to one or the other, neither are wrong.

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Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 3:20 pm
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museseek wrote:
Are you sure that you're talking a power chords or are you talking about open chords? Are you a casual acoustic strummer or do you want to be an electric guitar master?

If you're talking open chords you can hit all the strings on an open E chord. Some open chords requre dampening and/or avoidance of certain strings.

If you're taking power chords, you should only be hitting the top 2-3 (e, a, d) strings and avoid the others when playing "e" string power chords, and the same with "a" string power chords (only here it would be the a, d, and g strings).


I'm not too sure now... The DVD that came with my starter Strat package talks about both. But I think it's showing power chords to begin with. I don't have the slightest clue as to what the differences are...


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Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 3:33 pm
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It's okay to use your thumb. Sometimes (though it happens when i can't find my pick lying around) i use my fingers and thumb. I started with just using my thumb, and it worked on my acoustic. When it came to electric, i wanted to start using picks. If you want to become some semi-master and be able to impress with quick playing, then use a pick because unless you're jeff beck its probably hard :) I am an amateur type (not quite beginner, but not necessarily intermediate), and am trying to perfect my technique.

I am not telling you what you should listen to, but my advice is to learn where rock started and listen to some good ol' blues (or jazz, not so much though). If not down home blues then at least the 'first four'[awesome rock guitarists]: Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, or Jimi Hendrix. Again, this is simply a suggestion. You could learn volumes of knowledge just by listening to them, and the bands you may be listening to have a good chance of being influenced by these guys.

GOOD LUCK, and remember, it may seem kinda sucky, but stick with it and it can do wonders.

-The Screamin' J

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Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 7:50 pm
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It's ok as long as it sounds good. As you practice, things get easier. The important thing is to have fun with it. Remember even the best of us hits the wrong note on occasion.

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Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 6:13 am
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urabbit wrote:
I'm not too sure now... The DVD that came with my starter Strat package talks about both. But I think it's showing power chords to begin with. I don't have the slightest clue as to what the differences are...


Open chords use a combination of unfretted strings plus a few strings fretted usually around the first to third frets. The unfretted strings are the "open" strings.

Power chords are chords made of two to three strings that are fretted and can be considered abridged versions of fuller barre chords where all of the strings are fretted at least by your index finger with "barres" all the way across all six strings.

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Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 6:52 am
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firstrat wrote:
You are bringing a few issues here...


That's a very nice post.

I particularly sympathise with the difficulty of teaching certain things. Sometimes you get asked, "how do you do that?" and you find yourself looking at your hands and thinking, "yes, how DO I do that?"

Urabbit: I'm a thumb and fingers player in the Knopfler/Beck mould. As such I'd want to encourage you with that if it's how things feel best to you.

However, having lost the pick may not be the best reason to go that way. Beck and I believe Knopfler both chose that style having played with the pick first, Jeff Beck for a long time. So giving it up was an informed decision based around tone and feel.

As a thumb and fingers player I am very conscious that there's many shortcomings to it. Strangely, all the digits on your right hand probably can't play as fast as a single pick: if you want to be speedy you have to learn strict up-down picking with a plectrum - and do it from the start. Also, there's certain tones you can't get with your fingers. Listen to the clear, piercing solo guitar at the beginning of Shine On You Crazy Diamond, for a famous example. I have to use my nails to get near to that, and it still isn't the same.

Also, have a look at the "hybrid" picking styles of people from Joe Bonamassa to Brian Setzer: snazzy stuff for which you must have a plectrum.

By all means become a fingers and thumb player if you want - but do it as a choice rather than a necessity.

And good luck!

Cheers - C


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