My (limited) experience with finger picks 

Realy grateful and thanks a lot to point out this extremely important issue with wonderful solution presented، as also started playing again after 15 years, but couldn't find same ring plectrum in Karachi, Pakistan.

I enjoyed your video, thanks. The search for the perfect finger picks is like the search for the perfect capo. Whatever you get you have to get used to it. I've been playing since 1966 and I learned finger style with metal picks. Started with Ernie Ball, the standard. I got that scratching sound like you showed in the video - but then it dawned on me to take a look at the angle of the picks striking the string. If they don't hit flat then they scrape. So I would twist them on my fingers until the striking surface was corrected, and the adjust the crimp on my finger so they would stay aligned that way. Problem solved. I loved the sound of the metal on metal, just didn't like the scrape. Then in the 90s I started to experiment. I tried Alaska Picks but they felt like they were going pull out my nails. Very uncomfortable. Then I found Pro Pik. They have a very comfortable design that hugs your fingers - and they make a design that's open to your finger pad. You have to change your right hand posture just a little but the exposed pad gives a softness missing the solid metal variety. So that's what I use now when I do finger style, which isn't often. I mostly use a flat pick these days. Anyway, carry on...

Thanks for sharing your struggles. I'm in the same boat, switching to picks after playing for years w/o and found your video very helpful. I just ordered some plastic Dunlap picks, it should be a challenge.

I want to give an update on these finger picks. I really like them. However they break pretty easily. I am going to buy super glue and see if I can reinforce the places that they tend to crack , before they actually crack. Between yesterday and today three picks broke, however one is still usable. I feel that if you don't play too hard they will probably last a week but that's just a guess. For a time, they weren't selling these pics. I see that they started selling them again. I bought a new pack and I'm hoping that the material will be longer lasting.

Good useful video. If you look after them, natural nails are pretty resilient, but steel strings of course wear them down more than nylon. An alternative is acrylic nails and superglue, but that can totally bugger up (technical term!) the surface of your natural nails. I find Alaska picks take a little while to get used to, especially with finger attack on the string, but being able to shape them is great. Remember to identify each pick with each finger, as the strike angles will be different: subtle but important. I have brass steel picks as well , those which curve under the pad of the finger behind the nail which I use for my National. Trick here is to turn the angle of the picks on your fingers so they face the fretboard. It's subtle, but the ragged metallic attack diminishes hugely. Hope this is of use!

Thanks for posting this. I was told having no nails was best but the sound is pathetic and I can’t reliably pluck the strings. Those finger picks look good to me so I’ll give them a try

Make Dunlop medium shorter. File it down and its morse versatile. Thanks for sharing!

Ur videos are so good thank you

This is exactly the video I was looking for!!! Thanks for sharing!

I definitely have to look into these. Thanks for the vid. Shalom u' berakha :)

This might be my Godsend. I wanted to start picking up Jujitsu and learned I need to cut my nails. Thank God you made this video. I think the Kalena fingerpicks are probably the same as the Amazon Basics one so I'm going with that. Great vid!

I bought the metal ones too, and hated them! Not only did it sound terrible, but the metal cuts into my fingers. I'm gonna try out these!

I know the struggle. The thumbpick really only works great if you're picking aggressively. The finger picks are loose and slide all over the place. Natural nails are weak as fuck. No nails sounds soft and wimpy. I finally settled with artificial (acrylic) nails. It does take a lot of effort to shape and maintain them, and it might get awkward when you're around people who don't know what they're for, but sweet jesus the sound and playability is amazing, nothing beats it. The nail on the index finger can be used as though you're playing with a pick too.

Shalom Rebbe! I actually like the crisp metallic sound that you frowned upon, so I guess that's just another instance of what makes this meshugganah world go 'round! I did watch another video where it discussed modifying the AlaskaPik till it suited her. Thanks for your video. Dan

Thanks for sharing. Looks like they are available again. Just ordered a set. I have been looking for picks to suit playing a wire harp, these look perfect.

great video!

Hi, I just found your channel. I've always played guitar with a pick, but recently decided I wanted to learn fingerpicking guitar. I had a bag of asst. metal fingerpicks from playing banjo. I found the Dunlop metal fingerpicks do scrape on the wound G string like you said. But, I do have a set of Perfect Touch fingerpicks that I found don't scrape on the strings. They sound great! IDK what kind of metal they are made from, but I seem to remember they are made in Tennessee. I play a lot of niggunim (backup rhythm). I'll check out your other vids for fingerstyle. Thanks.

Thanks for posting, wish I had of watched this earlier as I bought steel picks and having the same issue as yourself.

Thanks for the video! Very helpful :-)

Your video really helped me out for my fingerstyle journey!

💯 without 👎🏿, Awesome! 🔥

Enjoyed the video. Thanks for taking the time to upload this. I just can't get used to the metal finger picks. I'm still searching.

Thanks man great vodeo

i like a thumb pick but i hate "finger picks : index middle ring pinky"- I haven't had an issue with chewed up nails but i know of some people who have used brush-on acrylic on their nails to strengthen them. It typically is for the ladies but It is clear and inconspicuous to anyone without a magnifying glass. You might want to try that option

Thanks. I just bought a lap steel, which hasn’t come yet, and I’m terrified of having totes metal picks cause I hate them, so it’s good to have options and opinions.

For me, finger picks are like trying to trap dance with snow shoes on. I'm trying gel nail extensions next.

God bless you sir! I am looking for the same thing... I do not like the other picks... they get in the way!

Excelente rabino siempre he cuidado mis uñas para ragueo y arpegeos sobre todo el pulgar . Pero esas uñas son increibles para guitarras de cuerdas de aceros. Gracias por la informacion.

I use to pluck with my nails. But as time goes by, there are many disadvantages and setbacks on keeping long nails. As age rises the nails gets torn and splits easier. Finger picks are not very comfortable to play with.

Love the Alaskan Finger picks, but the best thumb pick I’ve found is made by Black Mountain, They are great, it’s basically a flat pick mounted on a hinged collar! Love it

I noticed The plastic ones doesn't have that scrapping sound

Wow amazing sir

thank you so much for this video

Thank you for idea on how to use guitar finger picks 👍💪

Thank you & תודה רבה

One more👍🏿 to go for 💯

I use the Alaskan finger picks with black mountain thumb pick. I like the conbo because I can switch from finger style to flat picking and back again. Before a friend gave me a black mountain thumb pick, I was using the

I couldn’t find the Amazon Basics Finger-style pick on Amazon ???? It says not available anymore

Thanks! Very helpful! The metal on metal screeching sounds awful.

I want them

I am beginner, learning finger style, I believe beginners should start playing with flesh (no nails) to feel strings better & to have muscle memory, then “upgrade” to nails / picks if they want… because with either nails or picks you still need a touch with flesh.

I can't find them can you please put in a link to these finger picks please

Sir what is the name of that finger pick ?

I would love to try these out but I cannot find them anywhere. Can you help? I cannot find them on Amazon

Update. I haven't used the fingerpicks too much as I play mostly nylon. As per last comment I made, about how they cracked pretty easily. It is possible because I filed them down that it put strain on the point it cracked, , but I don't think so. I tried using super glue to reinforce the part of the plastic that's more prone for breakage, but I haven't really used them since. If you do buy them please let me know what you think!

I like that guitar very much, could you tell me the model number it is? Has a great sound. We enjoyed your informative video. Thank you.

Thanks!

Hello, thank you for showing these finger picks. Do they need my own fingernail or do they fit tight without any other fixation? There are similiar finger picks - Alaska Pik, but they need that you have at least some of your own nail and you fix these picks under your own nail. Which I don't like.

Thank you! \

I have been unable to find these picks on Amazon.

for the steel fingerpicks, you need to change the pitch/angle of your hand to be more perpendicular to the strings to not get the scratchy sound, it's pretty simply mechanics. See Townes Van Zandt for more information. It's not about finding the right fingerpick, it's your technique. If you really want it, you'll make it work. Perfectly legit if it doesn't work for you, and I'm not saying it should, but you haven't optimized your technique, and in some sense aren't using them correctly.

Sir please suggest me which fingerpick model is best ? Cz there are thousands of models on online shopping platforms

I have to have my nails really short at my job, but when I use my fingertips the sound is too soft so I picked up some of these picks that mimic fingernails as a happy medium. But for the life of me, they don't feel like fingernails and I'm trying to figure them out haha

Same problem to me. Thanks for your help. Let me ask, does it work out well with the fake product. Hard to find the real ones.

What are they called? Where can you buy them?

What a nice video. Question: I notice you don't have a fingerpick on the smallest finger. I'm happy with bare fingers on my nylon string guitar. But I'm experimenting with plastic finger picks on my steel-string guitar. Do we normally leave the smallest finger bare, anyway? Or do people use finger picks on all 4 fingers? Btw, just subscribed! Thanks!

We’re can I get them

When I play with my nail, plucking on the low e causes a metal scraping sound, is there any way to fix that? I like the volume playing with nails gives but the scraping bothers me

What is it called?

What about plastic picks

What are the names of the String your pics you did that say? And where can I buy them?

Please send the link to the Finger pics did not find them through Google

What the name of the second one fingerpick?

👏👏👏👏

scusa il mio inglese. Ho scritto col traduttore google

Hello and congratulations on your video. the materials that are used for the artificial fingerpicks are absolutely not good. the only material that gives a perfect touch very similar to the touch of the real nail is celluloid. Alaska pik and Dunlop Pick are fine in shape but not good in sonic response. unfortunately there is no real celluloid fingerpick. if Alaska pik were made of celluloid celluloid instead of derlin Then we will have achieved the goal

sir i need to know what's the brand of it and where can i buy those.. thank you

You're wearing the alaska piks backwards.

🤘

👍

Thx for this but finger picks are horrible.

I bet you have to practice with them first

Where can I get the finger picks you used Sir?Who sells them?