What are some good tips for fingerpicking?

Martian · **Posted:** Fri Jul 08, 2011 7:57 am

Ceri wrote:

adey wrote:

Think about growing your plucking hand fingernails a little and keeping them in good condition. File them rather cutting them to stop them splitting. Splitting? Eating one cube a day of raw jelly works wonders.

Just to second that - because it might be very handy advice for someone out there.

It sounds like folklore but this gelatine thing is absolutely true. My dad and I both have quite brittle nails so a couple of years ago my wife recommended a cube or two a day of concentrated jelly (like you get at the supermarket for making kid's party food). We scoffed sceptically, but tried it - and as quickly as a couple of weeks later splitting nails were a thing of the past.

A miracle cure for string players!

Now if only there was a little cube to eat that would turn me into an instant fingerpicker...

Cheers - C

I must second this. All the years I was studying Classical Guitar, it was common knowledge that anyone having nail problems should ingest Knox Gelatine for remedy.

gridlok · **Posted:** Fri Jul 08, 2011 10:37 am

Coming from a folk background, fingerpicking is very natural to me. My problem was when I finally got my Strat, I figured I had to use a flat pick. It took a couple of years to get by that notion. I also tried "claws" (as we used to call them), National fingerpicks (steel), because that's what we used with our acoustics. Another failed experiment.

At this point, I find myself using just my fingers to play some rock, but a lot of folk - on my Strat! Crazy, I know, but it just plays and sounds so great!

Cheers, (and good luck),
Gridlok

Kong · **Posted:** Fri Jul 08, 2011 10:48 am

I find the pinky works best, especially if I'm really stuffed up...

fenderflamestrat · **Joined:** Tue Jan 04, 2011 3:42 pm **Posts:** 361

Well I didn't stay up all night

Me madre wouldn't let me because I have a baseball tourny this weekend and I need to be well rested.
I have hit a small problem though. I have a really hard time keeping the correct fingers on the correct strings. My third finger really is the only one though. I'll keep at it though!

A Day in the Life is especially beautifully sounding

adey · **Posted:** Fri Jul 08, 2011 6:11 pm

fenderflamestrat wrote:

I have a really hard time keeping the correct fingers on the correct strings. My third finger really is the only one though. I'll keep at it though!

A Day in the Life is especially beautifully sounding

To be expected.. just like the rest of us.. That's what you practice for. You are effectively re-training your naturally inclined movement. Call it re-progamming!!

Nice to see so many electric guitar players with a Spanish guitar background - all scoffing jelly cubes.. Raspberry and the occasional pineapple were the ones that did it for me I recall..

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What are some good tips for fingerpicking?

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