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Permalink Reply by Mark Werner on June 25, 2009 at 2:21pm

I've been playing a long time, and I'm comfortable with both pick and fingers. On the CBG when playing slide, I usually play fingerstyle, and usually use fingerpicks as my nails are so fragile.

I've been fooling with using a "frailing" (old-time banjo) style that seems to work well for folkie tunes.

For those who can master the style, the "hybrid" picking technique where you use a flatpick and your fingers together would work well. I've never been able to do it to my satisfaction, the flatpicked notes overpower the fingered ones.

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on June 25, 2009 at 3:38pm

Unlike Mark, I've not been playing CBG a long time. I have to give credit to those who have, but from a new CBG player I must say that I use any method that gets me the sound I want.

I'm a horrible fingerpicker and am learning, but I do seem to do better on my CBG than on my six string(s). I also use a pick for some songs.

The greatest thing I have been able to accomplish is to use a slide with some degree of skill. That, since I have a fretless naturally is the best technique for me.

One thing for me, and better players can advise, when I fingerpick I don't get the volume as when I use a pick.

-Wes

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Permalink Reply by Mark Werner on June 25, 2009 at 7:56pm

Fingerstyle players jump through all sorts of hoops to get a decent sound. Classic guitarists spend a great deal of time getting their nails exactly right, and work to pluck the strings with just the right combination of flesh and nail for best tone production.
Folkier pickers usually end up using fingerpicks...Unless you have good strong nails. If you're so blessed, then keeping the nails trimmed and filed so that they just break across the string should work well.
However, if you play a lot....Steel is stronger than fingernails; they're gonna wear down.
They even sell acrylic glue-on nails for guitar pickers. Some guys use little crescents cut out of ping-pong balls super-glued to the ends of their nails.

Some pickers just develop enough callous on their fingertips that it gives a good "attack".

There's always going to be a difference in volume between bare fingers and picks; I think that's unavoidable.
I read about one classical player who wouldn't do anything with his right hand to avoid breaking a nail before a concert, and he'd wear a rubber glove when he took a shower!

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