Hi folks, I'm new to the forum here and this is my first post. With a regular acoustic guitar I don't typically use finger picks. My style is to use the bare fingertips but also incorporate the backs of my nails for a percussive stroke. (I could never get this technique to work with metal finger picks). Now that I'm getting into a resophonic guitar, I'm not sure if I like the effect. But perhaps I'm just not used to that much volume as it produces a fairly loud "cluck", which can be a desired effect when playing an old-time banjo. I've tried only using the "bare fingered" upstroke and omit the nails doing a back stroke (down stroke), but I miss the timing and drive of the back stroke. Do others share this? Am I going about it wrong? Am I making sense?
Welcome Steve.
This forum is mostly about lap style playing, but there are also a fair number of members who play bottleneck or fretted resonator guitars.
Your first post isn't clear about a very important point - and it's not uncommon on this forum among newbies - you didn't specify if you're referring to playing lap style with a bar or conventional or Spanish style, fretted or with a bottleneck slide.
Use of the word "resophonic" would typically refer to lap style, but I don't want to assume anything since we all know the definition of "assume."
forgive my “newbie-ness”. I should have clarified. I mentioned acoustic guitar and my question would be in reference to a resonator acoustic guitar. Round neck. Not a square neck lap resonator.
Okay - got it. Yeah, the comment about acoustic guitar didn't go over my head - but here is an FYI: a few years ago the International Bluegrass Musicians Association changed the name of their award for lap style from Dobro Player of the Year to Resophonic Guitar Player of the Year (since very few top pickers actually play Dobro brand guitars these days). So that's kind of the frame of reference in this joint.
At any rate, we now know you're talking roundneck. More on this later, I have some stuff to take care of right now. But hopefully some of the other members will join in on the discussion in the meantime.
I've played acoustic and electric guitar for over 50 years and began dobro about 6 years ago. Finger picking acoustic I almost always played with no picks however some songs just required more attack that long finger nails would give. Trying to keep longer nails for this was a lost cause and at a wedding ceremony gig a few years ago, I did use some nice finger picks to achieve a brighter sound.
I use finger and thumb picks when playing lap style dobro, but use bare fingers for round neck resonator bottleneck slide. I haven't decided on bare fingers or picks when playing lap steel, but always use a thumb pick on that instrument. If you look at videos of Derek Trucks playing electric or acoustic, he always uses bare fingers.
Check these picks out:
Results may vary!
To go back to Steve's original post, I've spent very little time on any acoustic guitar doing the back of the nails thing for a percussive stroke. Just one of those things that's never really occurred to me to pursue.
For the first time in several years I'm taking a series of flattop lessons (along with a buddy) from my on again/off again guitar teacher here in Sonoma County. He's a very accomplished player and an excellent teacher. His favorite area is the blues. It's a six week course on blues fingerpicking, hour lessons once a week. Even though I've played dobro and steel guitar for decades, on standard guitar I've always been more of a flatpicker. And on standard guitar or roundneck resonator I don't really like picks, though for the steel guitar family of instruments they feel as natural to me as holding a fork in my hand. Go figure.
I haven't tried any of the more unusual fingerpicks as posted in the link by Frederick but it seems like they would be worth a shot.
A number of years ago a friend went over to the Middle East for most of a year as a contractor. I got to babysit some of his guitars. One was a metal body National Tricone from around 2000. I fell in love with that one - didn't want to give it back. Even with bare fingers that sucker was loud.
Appreciate the comments. The percussive backstroke really happens subconsciously and adds to the syncopation of the beat—not unlike “popping” the bass note on the downbeat. I’m working with it to pay a little more attention to the effect and try to dial it back a bit from what I do on a plain wood bodied acoustic.
quote:
Originally posted by Missoula FloodHi folks, I'm new to the forum here and this is my first post. With a regular acoustic guitar I don't typically use finger picks. My style is to use the bare fingertips but also incorporate the backs of my nails for a percussive stroke. (I could never get this technique to work with metal finger picks). Now that I'm getting into a resophonic guitar, I'm not sure if I like the effect. But perhaps I'm just not used to that much volume as it produces a fairly loud "cluck", which can be a desired effect when playing an old-time banjo. I've tried only using the "bare fingered" upstroke and omit the nails doing a back stroke (down stroke), but I miss the timing and drive of the back stroke. Do others share this? Am I going about it wrong? Am I making sense?
Are you playing squareneck or roundneck?
With a squareneck, the technique is nothing like a standard guitar. So the best thing you can do is put on fingerpicks and work on your squarneck technique.
With a roundneck, you have more choices. You can use fingerpicks and quit downstroking or you can play bare-fingered and downstroke to your heart's content.
On standard guitar, I play both with and without fingerpicks. I downstroke when my fingers are bare, but I have no problem not downstroking when I have my picks on. Different songs and situations call for different methods.
So the easy answer is to just learn not to downstroke when you have fingerpicks on. It might be awkward at first, but after a couple of weeks, it'll start to feel normal.
Thank you Charlie. That affirms the approach I’ve been taking. I play a round neck and have been trying to remain aware of my backstroke when using fingerpicks and modify my technique for upstroke rather than down stroke. At this point, I feel much more “expressive” when using bare fingers and an occasional backstroke that really emphasizes the rhythmic component. It also seems to allow more dynamics in my playing. That said, the volume and attach of fingerpicks is its own thing. So currently I’m experimenting with different picks and have been using some old “National” brand metal fingerpicks with a heavy thumb pick. I need to learn to control the volume when using picks.
When you use the term "backstroke," is this the same thing as an upstroke?
In my guitar education it's always been "downstroke" and "upstroke."
Whenever I see "backstroke" I think of a category in swimming, or when you start your swing in golf. 
Per my original post, “back stroke”/down stroke”. Essentially using the nails rather than the flesh of my fingertips. Different strokes for different folks.
quote:
Originally posted by Missoula FloodThank you Charlie. That affirms the approach I’ve been taking. I play a round neck and have been trying to remain aware of my backstroke when using fingerpicks and modify my technique for upstroke rather than down stroke. At this point, I feel much more “expressive” when using bare fingers and an occasional backstroke that really emphasizes the rhythmic component. It also seems to allow more dynamics in my playing. That said, the volume and attach of fingerpicks is its own thing. So currently I’m experimenting with different picks and have been using some old “National” brand metal fingerpicks with a heavy thumb pick. I need to learn to control the volume when using picks.
Sounds right to me!
Here's what I use:
- Fred Kelly's low-friction Delrin thumbpicks
- Acri's brass fingerpicks
Both are comfortable and don't come off: my two big demands. I get 'em at www.BanjoBenClark.com.
Lots of folks swear by Blue Chip picks, but that's too rich for my blood!
Let us know what you discover in your pick quest. Operators are standing by.
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