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Article: 24591 of rec.music.makers.guitar.acoustic
Subject: Fingerpicking/flatpicking explained
Date: 23 Oct 1995 22:17:42 -0400
Sender: happyt@aol.com (HappyT)


Hi folks,
I recently wrote this for the Homespun Tapes catalog, and since I've seen
discussions here by players wondering about terminology, I thought it
would be of interest to some, particularly novices. In deference to the
non-commercial aspects of this forum, I've deleted any references to
specific tape lessons that are in the original. I'd love to hear feedback,
comments, arguments, etc. in regard to these definitions. Hope you enjoy
it. 

Guitar Picking Styles: Which Should You Learn?

Some of the most frequently asked questions of our Homespun staff concern 
terms used to describe the various guitar picking styles. Perhaps the
following will help clear it up for those in doubt.

Q. What's a flatpick?
A. As the name implies, it's a flat, triangular piece of plastic or
celluloid. (Tortoise shell was once a popular material but is no longer in
use due to environmental and humanitarian concerns.)  The pick, also known
as a plectrum or a straight pick, is held between the thumb and index
finger to pluck or strum the strings.

Q. What is flatpicking?
A. The term "flatpicking" is generally used by folk, bluegrass and country
musicians. In this style, the pick is used to either accompany songs (in
the familiar boom-chicka boom-chicka rhythm, with the addition of bass
runs and other embellishments ) or to play more spectacular lead lines and
solos. Fiddle tunes and other instrumentals are played on the guitar with
this method --  the up-down action of the pick on the strings gives a
sharp, clear attack, often with blazing speed. This technique has been
brought to a fine art by players such as Tony Rice, Doc Watson, Dan Crary,
Steve Kaufman, Norman Blake, Russ Barenberg and many other bluegrass
guitarists.

Q. Don't other kinds of musicians utilize the flatpick?
A. Yes, in fact most electric guitarists playing rock, blues, jazz and
modern country play with a flatpick, although their technique is not
usually referred to as "flatpicking." Some guitarists (Ray Flacke, Jim
Weider and Richard Thompson, for example) use a combination of flatpick
and fingers for maximum versatility.

Q. What's crosspicking?
A. "Crosspicking" is a flatpicking technique which combines classic
bluegrass picking with banjo-like rolls. This is acheived by dextrous use
of the pick crossing the strings in various up-down patterns to create a
rhythmically complex sound. Innovated in the 1950s by mandolin great Jesse
McReynolds, this technique was enthusiastically adopted by many of the top
flatpickers, and has become an integral part of every hot bluegrass
guitarist's arsenal.

Q. Is "finger style" guitar the same as "fingerpicking?"
A. Yes and no. "Finger style" refers to any type of music in which the
strings are plucked by the fingers rather than by a pick. Classical
guitarists invariably play finger style, as do many singers accompanying
folk songs. (This "classical" style usually involves the thumb and three
fingers --index, middle and ring). Many excellent instrumentalists use
this technique to play beautiful pieces in various forms: Martin Simpson's
Celtic arrangements; Artie Traum's fingerstyle jazz; and Keola Beamer's
Hawaiian slack key guitar are some examples, among many others. 

Q. So what's "fingerpicking?"
"Fingerpicking" (like "flatpicking") is a term that is used to describe
both a style and a type of music. It falls under the "fingerstyle" heading
because it is played by the fingers, but it's generally used to play a
specific type of country and/or blues music. In this technique, the thumb
maintains a steady rhythm on the low strings while the index, or index and
middle fingers pick out melody and fill-in notes on the high strings.
Originally developed by African American blues guitarists throughout the
south, it was later adapted by white musicians (most notably Ike Everly
and Merle Travis) who have created a blues/jazz/country hybrid that is
extremely popular. Although usually played on acoustic guitars, Travis
himself often played on hollow-body electrics, as do many other players. 

Q. What about "pattern picking?"
A. "Pattern picking" is basically an easier way to get started
fingerpicking. Learning a variety of right hand patterns by rote allows
you to simulate the fingerpicking sound and get results (and
gratification) much faster. This is especially useful if you want to
accompany folk and country songs with a fingerpicking sound -- something
you'll hear many singer/songwriters do very effectively. You'll eventually
want to have the flexibility to pick melodies and improvisations that
don't fall into your rehearsed patterns, though, so if you start with
pattern picking try to go on to learning "real" fingerpicking one you've
got the basic idea under your belt. (By the way, when I was starting out
way back in the fifties, this way of playing was already mis-named "Travis
picking," and as far as I know it's still called that in some circles.
Playing in these kinds of patterns is about as far from the way Merle
Travis played as you can get.) 

Q. What are fingerpicks, and should I use them?
A. This is a personal choice -- some pickers swear by them, some swear at
them. These little devices fit on your thumb (appropriately called a
"thumb pick") and fingers, and many guitarists like the hard, sharp sound
they produce. They are also very convenient for those whose fingernails
tend to break easily. Thumb picks are invariably made of plastic, but you
have a choice of plastic or metal fingerpicks. Either way, they take a
good deal of getting used to,and some players throw them out before they
get that far. I personally like them, especially when I'm performing. I
like the way the picks (I prefer plastic) slide off the strings and give
me increased volume as well as speed. When I'm recording or playing at
home, though, I generally prefer my bare fingers for better control and
the nicer tone. 
Although fingerpickers often wear fingerpicks, finger style guitarists
(classically-based, that it) usually do not. Get it now?