Good morning Captain, good morning to you, away from flippancy and
back to the subject. I use my index and strike the edge of the pick to the melody string just as if you were frailing without one on. I don't try to straiten them, as you said when putting them on back to front, covering the nail, the j of the pick curl's round towards the inside of the finger/hand, you will always when starting out strike the sting to hard and it will sound hard and brash. In time you will learn to back of it. My favourite pick, and I only have one left is one of the old thick black Dunlop's, these give you a full round tone. Try to pull up Adam hurt on Utube he also uses one all the time. Hope this helps. Cheers Oombanjo