Are All ABGU Lessons Using Pick & Fingers Combo?

[Stephanie-NoelDodt]

I agree. Having fun is the most important part of this. That is made easier with the All Access Pass because of the Webinars and the Forum. They lend a unique sense of "connectedness" to the pursuit of "guitar goodness"!

 

[Stephanie-NoelDodt]

You have something there Stephanie. Welcome!!!
I was enjoying my morning time with the acoustics, bare fingers. After considerable time and effort, my thumb started feeling like it had a "hot spot" right on the tip of the thumb bone (no "burny skin", bad hoodoo). This only got worse until I (once again) grabbed my thumb pick. For a few weeks I have not allowed my thumb to touch a string. My thumb feels great and I may finally have bonded with the pick. I just put one in my pocket in the morning and use it consistently (I'll admit to being silly, I just wear the thing around the house to get used to it). I much prefer the sound balance of the strings using a thumbpick and fingers for most (acoustic, finger picky) stuff. You can sneak that thumbpick around and do some treble work with it too, then you have some flexibility. Of course you need flat pick skills too. See if you can find Tommy Emmanual talking about Chet Atkins. That thumb pick can be like a Swiss Army Knife. The other thing (watch Chet or Tommy) is being able to just "play" the guitar. You can use a fingerstyle passage to lead into a more raucous chorus, and then back into the quiet...without worrying about your right hand, yes! It seems like if you become deft with that thumbpick, you can do what you want with it....I'll get back on that one.
Looking forward to hearing you when you feel like sharing some of your work! If you are like me you will find that Griff's teaching is fun and provides a good solid path. Learning with him makes it so much easier when you want to tackle something not right in his courses, and what is in his courses is great!!! Works for me.

 

[Stephanie-NoelDodt]

One thing I like about the Dunlop thumbpicks is that you can tailor the length of the "spur". I use a toenail clipper and a bit of fine sandpaper for this. I don't like hearing the spur of the pick hitting the soundboard of the guitar above the low E string because that will eventually cause wear. A bit of experimentation lead to a pick shape that is just right. You can also "resize" by dipping the pick in hot water. I just tried the Ultex thumbpicks and like them.

 

[Stephanie-NoelDodt]

You have something there Stephanie. Welcome!!!
I was enjoying my morning time with the acoustics, bare fingers. After considerable time and effort, my thumb started feeling like it had a "hot spot" right on the tip of the thumb bone (no "burny skin", bad hoodoo). This only got worse until I (once again) grabbed my thumb pick. For a few weeks I have not allowed my thumb to touch a string. My thumb feels great and I may finally have bonded with the pick. I just put one in my pocket in the morning and use it consistently (I'll admit to being silly, I just wear the thing around the house to get used to it). I much prefer the sound balance of the strings using a thumbpick and fingers for most (acoustic, finger picky) stuff. You can sneak that thumbpick around and do some treble work with it too, then you have some flexibility. Of course you need flat pick skills too. See if you can find Tommy Emmanual talking about Chet Atkins. That thumb pick can be like a Swiss Army Knife. The other thing (watch Chet or Tommy) is being able to just "play" the guitar. You can use a fingerstyle passage to lead into a more raucous chorus, and then back into the quiet...without worrying about your right hand, yes! It seems like if you become deft with that thumbpick, you can do what you want with it....I'll get back on that one.
Looking forward to hearing you when you feel like sharing some of your work! If you are like me you will find that Griff's teaching is fun and provides a good solid path. Learning with him makes it so much easier when you want to tackle something not right in his courses, and what is in his courses is great!!! Works for me.

Thanks for the Tommy Emmanuel tip, Elwood. Just Googled and found a YouTube video By Tommy Emmanuel called `Thumbpicking Master Class' presented by Guitarist in 2018. (Their magazine has another article in May 2019 about Chet Atkins thumbpicking). The video takes you through the steps required to eventually become proficient with the thumbpick and fingers starting with `Freight Train'. He really presents some good tips.
Right now I am busy working on technique and I will eventually be "worth" listening to! I am absolutely totally enjoying everything about the Blues Guitar Unleased experience, from the course materials to All Access and Griff's webinars. I'm having a lot of fun with it. I knew after looking at several of his presentations that he was definitely the best choice for me and the first thing I did when the pandemic hit was to order his very beginning courses (Beginning Blues Guitar and How To Read Music on Guitar) and, even though much of that was review for me, I studied both courses completely. I am now studying Acoustic Blues Guitar Unleashed, Strumming And Rhythm Mastery and Guitar Theory Made Useful and taking my time with them. I am in awe at the number and scope of the courses he has created. He is truly a master teacher with a beautiful and encouraging teaching style.