Subject: RE: Is Prissy Fingerpicking a Turnoff?
From: Don Firth - PM
Date: 19 Jan 09 - 02:51 PM

"Some people seem to be referring to playing with the fingers as contrasted with "thumb-strumming" or playing with a pick. This would, of course, cover everything from "Burl Ives Basic" to Andrés Segovia playing the Bach Chaconne.

Others seem to be referring to Travis picking and it's clones and variations ("alternating bass").

Could folks pin down what they're really talking about? I think that might help."

This is pretty much what I mean when I talk about finger-picking. It's picking with the fingers, with or without fingerpicks and a thumb pick rather than strumming or using a flat pick.

I've never bothered too much about this style, that style, what Merle Travis did, what Joseph Spence did, etc. I just don't care. Other people do, and it's great if someone wants to really study the different styles and techniques.   I like to listen to all of these different guitarists, but I prefer to practice other things. The idea is the same whether it's _Freight Train_ or _Flow My Tears_.