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Topic: Tried 3 finger picks vs. 2 and I'm hooked. |
David DeLoach
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 10 Jun 2018 3:54 am |
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Yesterday I put on three fingerpicks (plus the thumb pick of course) for an arrangement I'm working on that has a lot of 4 note chords in it.
Now I'm hooked. Perhaps because my main instrument is guitar and I do a lot of fingerstyle, and a bit of classical, playing for which I use the thumb and three fingers. So many things just seem easier now for my right hand to play.
Why is it that the majority of steel players seem to use thumb and two fingers? |
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Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
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Posted 10 Jun 2018 10:58 am Why use thumb and two fingers?
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Probably because most of the harmony on steel is 2- and 3-part, like vocals. Most single note picking is done with T and one finger. Pianos and rhythm guitars handle the big chord voicings. Also, some players like to use ring fingertip for blocking and/or harmonics.
By itself, I think those 4- and 5- part voicings sound great on steel, so go for it.
Joe Wright is a T+3 picker. I think Tom Morrell was T+4. |
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Slim Heilpern
From:
Aptos California, USA
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Posted 11 Jun 2018 5:58 am
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I've been using t+3 since shortly after I started playing steel (only 2+ years, so that's not much of an endorsement).
For me, it really came down to how much trouble I was having doing 4 voice chords cleanly with t+2, partially due to my undeveloped technique on things like the 2 string rake.
But I also remembered working with 2 different, very talented steelers in the 70's (Whitney Eisenwinter and John Ely -- back when he was playing a D12) that both chose to use t+3. It also seems to have worked well for Maurice Anderson and David Wright, so there's that.
The challenge seems to be keeping that extra pick out of the way when it's not needed, and having fewer choices when it comes to blocking or harmonics, so it's a compromise, but I like it!
- Slim.
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Chromatic Harmonica, Guitar, and Pedal Steel (Williams U12 Series 700, Emmons lap)
http://slimandpenny.com |
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Dom Franco
From:
Beaverton, OR, 97007
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Posted 16 Jun 2018 7:46 pm
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I have been playing with 3 fingerpicks and one thumbpick for over 50 years (most of that time professionally) In studios and on tour with many bands. (pedal steel, Lap steel, Stringmaster consoles, and Resonators) Once I put on the 4th pick I never went back to 3. I love the power and attack and being able to play 4 note chords, while always retaining the option of only playing 1,2 or 3 notes at anytime.
Dom JMHO
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https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYG9cvwCPKuXpGofziPNieA/feed?activity_view=3 |
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