Anybody here who (also) picks with the thumb?

[yaclaus]

Hi there!!

I've been experimenting with different kind of dynamics on the guitar and utilizing the thumb is a great way to give the guitar a soft, smooth sound. Now I just have a technical question for you who pick with your thumb:

How do you do single note picking? Up-down motion or just a down motion?(down seems most accurate and articulate)

other than that I thought what experiences you have with using your thumb instead of a pick?

regards
Claus

[Maarten]

Cons: Not as fast as picking

Pros: Fatter sound than any pick there is, way more expressive. Listen to Wes Montgomery!

When I played with my thumb I only picked down, up felt awquard.

[phantom]

i sometimes do that as well.
For down i use the thumb for ups i use the index finger.
I saw Mark Knopfler and Jeff Beck doing it that way and it really is an alternative.
I you get used to do faster stuff in a legato way, then that shouldn't be a prob as well.
As Marten stated: the sound is way better, and you even have more possibilities to control it by using more or less of the fleshy part, getting the nails involved etc.
One thing i can't do only with fingers is playing really strong rock stuff like fat'n'chunky 8th notes and stuff like that. :rolleyes:

[CaptainCarma]

I sometimes use my thumb the way phantom describes, too.

one other thing I do as well, is picking the strings w/ thumb and indexfinger away from the guitar to let ´em snap back onto the fretboard.
this way I´m able to add some more dramatic expression to cliché blues licks.

[schematics]

You can also alternate with thumb and middle finger (like Kevin Eubanks).
It's also a matter of someone's hand/finger shape.

[curiousgeorge]

I often do slap lines similar to bass with the thumb, or I use the thumb for the bass notes while my other fingers pluck a melody. Once I learned to Travis pick by learning all of Dust In The Wind (Kansas) and Street Spirit (Radiohead), I was hooked..... ;)

[Joe Pass Jr]

Generally i use thumb for downstrokes on E and a. But in some cases you can do a quick up down up with your thumb on either string for some added zing.

I read about Robert Johnston using his thumb as easily as a pick in this regard, gave it a go and it came in rather handy.