Vision Music

woland99 · Joined: 31 Mar 2007 Posts: 155 Location: Austin, TX

Just thought it would be useful to compare notes in picks.
I generally prefer small picks. Depending on mood, amp,
guitar and strings I use several different picks but most often:
1. Dunlop Jazz III (red)
2. Dunlop Jazz I (black)
3. Dunlop Stubbie 474 3 mm
4. Cool Pick Heavy 1.5 mm

In all cases I take emery board and file the tip of the pick off
to blunt it. I try to create a profile without any sharp edges -
ie. with crossection that is oval (no "seam"). I smooth out and
with very fine sandpaper (one that you would use for smoothing
out fingernails if you were classical guitarist).

Right now red Jazz III is my favourite - it is made from slightly
softer plastic than Jazz I and definitely gives you darker tone.
I play Tele thru amps that are not naturally very dark so I need
good pick for that. With Jazz III if you get the radius of blunted tip
right it darkens the tone but still allows for smooth release without
any "scratchy" noise.

As far as picking technique - I hold pick between my thumb and
index finger - joinging each other at about 90 degrees - ie. pick
is help by side of first segment on index finger. I tried to hold
fick "deeper" - between first segment of thumb and side of first
joint of index finger - with hand being curled in a fist shape.
That probably has advantage for speed but I cannot get enough
control over the position of the pick that way.

I attack strings with plane of the pick being at about 1-2pm angle
(headstock being 12pm).

JT

Brad Kinder · Joined: 31 Mar 2007 Posts: 62 Location: Richmond, VA

I use D'andrea heavy teardrops. Just your basic, cheap plastic ones. I had been using Jazz III's for years but found a handful of the old teardrops and liked the tone a lot better. They seemed a bit punchier to me.

As far as the "how"........I've never really payed it much mind. I just do what's comfortable for me.

Gorecki · Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 2:57 pm Post subject:

I've used J3's for a very long time! At this point if Dunlop decided to do away with them I would be lost in the woods!

They often come off as too bright for a softer jazz tone so I roll the pick to a rear corner if I'm not expecting to 'burn'.

Once upon a time, I had an exec at JD offer me some custom picks with my name on them. I told him...awesome I use J3's and he said...oh, well we can't do it on those. Sad

If I'm tracking lets say acoustic strummed parts, I'll use a pretty much standard med/light pick. Strumming with J3's just doesn't work so well. Laughing

Picking technique for me is largely stolen from Al Di Meola. But over the years I've evolved it a bit. Don't think I could teach exactly what I do beyond the basic ideas of 'alternate picking', 'flat plane' and 'economy of motion'. Guess that's okay, I haven't taught anyone on that level of concern in a long time. Laughing

_________________

Forums Admin VisionMusic.com
Do you know where all of your F'n B flats are?

woland99 · Joined: 31 Mar 2007 Posts: 155 Location: Austin, TX

woland99 · Joined: 31 Mar 2007 Posts: 155 Location: Austin, TX

Hmmm - I was not aware that Dunlop actually makes Jazz III w/ round tip:
http://www.jimdunlop.com/index.php?page=products/pip&id=3&pmh=products/picks

They are called "1.10" on their website. I could not find round tip J3s
here in Austing only sharp-tip 1.38 - but when I am done with filing
I usually end up with tip curvature very close to 1.10. On a new 1.10
I would still use sand-paper to take away the center "seam" and get
oval perpendicular crossection - not pointy one like on original pick.

JT

Mark · Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 3:29 am Post subject:

Gorecki · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 5:11 pm Post subject:

woland99 · Joined: 31 Mar 2007 Posts: 155 Location: Austin, TX

Gorecki · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 7:01 pm Post subject:

aiq · Joined: 07 Apr 2007 Posts: 8

Many years ago I had the good fortune to study for a few months with Brad Carlton (some may recognize from Truefire - he demos some of Mark's videos) in Largo, Florida at good old Breck's Music. He got me squared away on the early things like keys, the five pentatonic patterns, the relative minor relationship and what modes were.

He advised using a small, thick pick which I have done more or less since. At first, I copied Brad and glued two or three Fender picks together using white epoxy, then sanding them smooth. Looked very cool...hmmm, I haven't though of this in years. Maybe I'll glue a couple of Dunlops together! Shocked

I obtained some turtle shell from an antique source and I have made a few shell picks. I like them but they are the "go-to when boredom sets in" pick when I begin to suffer from the "I need a change in gear" illusion.

When I discovered the small thick Dunlops that's what I used pretty much since. the small stubby at first, 204's currently. I sand them a bit to remove the little edge flaws. Turtle Wax rubbing compound will smooth up a pick nicely.

As to technique I internalized the circle picking, down up thing Brad showed me lo those many years ago.

Since I've started trying to learn jazz the last couple years my goal is have softer hands that Derek Jeter! Sort of the lack of tension thing Kenny Werner writes about in Effortless Mastery.
_________________
alt. this!