BluegrassEnglishman - Posted - 07/14/2011:  14:57:44

Ok so firstly, do I have to use picks to play the banjo with, are they essential? 

Secondly, presuming the answer is most likely a yes, here's my issue: 

I'm having no trouble using the thumb pick but these 2 finger picks, I just don't know how to use them, how to pick each string with them. They seem to scrape across the strings making that scraping, high pitched noise, it doesn't sound right. I don't know what direction/style I should be using with these finger picks, they don't feel right. 

Can someone help me here please!? 

Edited by - Texasbanjo on 07/14/2011 15:34:30

Alex Z - Posted - 07/14/2011:  15:05:14

Just to avoid the possibility of a common mistake, the fingerpicks should be worn such that the pick portion is on the flesh side of the finger tip, not the nail side.

Also, most stock metal picks stick out fairly straight.  Many players bend them -- a little, not a lot -- up toward the nail so that their curvature matches better the curvature of the fingertip.

Don't worry, you're going to get plenty of advice about fingerpicks!  

Edited by - Alex Z on 07/14/2011 15:07:17

thecirclebroke - Posted - 07/14/2011:  15:06:54

Are you trying to play Bluegrass Style banjo or Clawhammer (Frailing)? For bluegrass you will want to have picks as the sound will be much more crisp, loud and distinct.



The finger picks should be placed on your index and middle fingers like so

2.bp.blogspot.com/-v9x27ANd0A8...picks.jpg

 

Edited by - thecirclebroke on 07/14/2011 15:07:11

BluegrassEnglishman - Posted - 07/14/2011:  15:11:05

I'd like to play bluegrass style. I have a book here called banjo primer by geoff hohwald, im reading that and getting familiar with things. I can see the diagrams in here anyway regarding the positions the picks should be on your fingers, but they make a slight scraping noise when I hit the strings, am I moving down or up with them generally?

vintagewells - Posted - 07/14/2011:  15:24:34

You may have to adjust the angle of the picks on your finger, Ideally they should  Hit the strings flat on, parallel to the string. The scrapping sound is generated when the edge of the pick scrapes across the string. 

Look at the way you hold your hand, the banjo, and how you play. If you are just learning, now is the time to get these things right so they don't interfere with your playing.

thecirclebroke - Posted - 07/14/2011:  15:26:28

YOu want to pick Upwards with your index and middle finger, you want to scrap the beveled outwards part against the string. The thumb pick moves down, however.

SWCooper - Posted - 07/14/2011:  15:45:21

Also, new picks often have a bit of burr on the metal. I always strop them hard against a strap or my jeans until they burnish up nice and smooth.

Getting used to the picks is the first high hurdle, but it's essential to the bluegrass sound.

BluegrassEnglishman - Posted - 07/14/2011:  15:49:18

Cheers for this guys, and I agree with you vintage, it's a good idea to start off playing correctly, so these things don't mess my pickin up in the future.

Yep I knew the thumb pick moved down, was just a bit confused about the 2 fingers, but I would've guessed they move upwards.

When doing chords though, playing the C chord it says in the book that your index finger should be on the 2nd string of the 1st fret and your ring finger should be on the 1st string of the 2nd fret, is this correct? And to play chords, should your fingers be touching the string completely and against each fret too?

Forgive me if I sound stupid but i'm a total beginner here.

Granada 22 - Posted - 07/14/2011:  15:58:12

Yes they touch down completely inside the frets

Dave Magram - Posted - 07/14/2011:  16:34:10

Hi BluegrassEnglishman, 

If you have not played a fretted instrument (like guitar or mandolin) before,  it will be very difficult to learn the play the banjo on your own.

I'd strongly recommend  that you find a teacher for at least the first few months. If you can't find one locally, there are a number of instructors that teach classes over the Web or even 1 to 1 with Skype. John Boulding (Banjophobic) is one who I would highly recommend. He has a whole bunch of free video-clips called LOTW (Lick of The Week) you could check out to get an idea of his teaching style.

Good luck,

Dave

kmwaters - Posted - 07/14/2011:  17:37:58

No doubt you will find tons of wisdom on the web. But players of all levels have different preferences on how much of the pick extends off of the flesh of the finger (just talking about the two on the index and middle of course). If you ever have a chance to look at pictures from Masters of the 5 String Banjo you will see the whole gamut from all great players. Most common is the pick as pictured above. Not too curved so that some of the pick still moves away from the flesh. But as I said, you will see every configuration imaginable. Like the earlier thread thoug, no matter how you shape your pick, you still have to make contact with the surface of the pick and not with the edge - that's where you get that bad sound. And a couple of lessons if at all possible - if not, online things are great. Some are even freebies. Youtube will show you some things if you just go there and type banjo lesson in the search field you will find some goodies at no charge. Hohwald, Evans, Janet Davis to name a few. And you may even pick up some Bourassa or Trishka or the like. Hang in there. It is slow going especially at the outset. But fun as you see yourself make progress.

Joe Larson - Posted - 07/15/2011:  09:04:48

Fingers of the left hand should be close to the fret but not over the fret. Your palm should be open and away from the neck not grasping the neck in your fist (monkey fist) thumb should be on the back of the neck or slightly on the side but not curled over the neck. If your picks are still making a scraping sound they may be hitting the strings on their edges - check your hand position - you may have to twist the picks slightly so the hit the strings squarely. Good luck

j

Dan-O - Posted - 07/15/2011:  21:29:24

Bill Evans has some really useful instructional tools concerning the right hand. There's a DVD that's good for this sort of thing by him, called "Bluegrass Banjo Masterclass." And he wrote one of those yellow books for beginners; his is called "Banjo for Dummies" I think. I think they both have some good stuff about right hand position, if I recall. Also, the Ron Stewart video has a brief discussion of right hand position.

Ken_in_IN - Posted - 07/16/2011:  02:05:05

As David said, I firmly believe in finding a good instructor. They will get you on the right track, and prevent you from developing habits that sometimes become very hard to break. A good one can also see small things to adjust or tweek that you might not even notice you are doing - I know this one from experience over the year I've bee taking lessons! Good picking and glad to have you on the hangout!

BluegrassEnglishman - Posted - 07/18/2011:  13:10:31

Thanks for all the help and advice guys. I can play the C, D7 and E chords easily now, off by heart, switching from chord to chord, I'm getting quite fluent/quick in that now. I have been watching videos on how to play chords on youtube and playing along with Geoff Hohwald with some of his videos on youtube.

rhutson - Posted - 07/21/2011:  06:42:59

May I make a suggestion to try? I have been playing a LONG time and used national picks for years then Dunlop. But after trying the split band Pro Picks, I can't go back, they are real comfortable and you can buy them angled to help with that annoying scratchy sound, it will never go away completely but these are great picks and not very expensive so get a set and try them. I use the #3 angled but everyone has to decide for themselves. Also if you rub the picks on the inside of your leather strap a little every now and then, it reduces the scratch, especially on the thumb pick also you can run the tip of the thumb pick on the side of your nose real quick, it picks up the oil from your skin and will be good for a couple songs.  Just my 2 cents now lets go PICK!

rhutson in NC

wbalsam1 - Posted - 07/21/2011:  07:24:29

quote:

---

Originally posted by rhutson

May I make a suggestion to try? I have been playing a LONG time and used national picks for years then Dunlop. But after trying the split band Pro Picks, I can't go back, they are real comfortable and you can buy them angled to help with that annoying scratchy sound, it will never go away completely but these are great picks and not very expensive so get a set and try them. I use the #3 angled but everyone has to decide for themselves. Also if you rub the picks on the inside of your leather strap a little every now and then, it reduces the scratch, especially on the thumb pick also you can run the tip of the thumb pick on the side of your nose real quick, it picks up the oil from your skin and will be good for a couple songs.  Just my 2 cents now lets go PICK!

 

rhutson in NC

 

 

---

 I have played using pretty much every style of pick out there and I swear by the Pro-Pick thumb pick. Since I purchased it, I have not snagged my thumb even once in hundreds of hours of playing. The angled finger picks look like a great idea, but I haven't tried them.

Jim Yates - Posted - 07/21/2011:  08:45:15

Are you playing in open G tuning (gDGBD) or low C tuning (gCGBD).  Your description of a C chord (0012) is correct for the C tuning, but most players would advise you to begin with the open G tuning if you wish to play bluegrass.  In that case, to play a C chord you'd also place your middle finger on the second fret of the fourth string (2012).