playing with pick question

Twang

I really like the sound when I play with the side of my pick for rhythm but can't get on with it for lead. It also helps with my tremolo which I struggle with.

I know one answer is to learn how to rotate your pick and I just wondered how other players got on with that. Maybe I should just persevere with the point or play with a blunter point? I have a very old Wegen with a worn out blunt point but I prefer a newer one.

I notice that a lot of vintage picks look very blunt and judging from copies of Django's pick I've seen , he played with very little tip on his pick. Experience has taught me you can get used to anything and maybe that's an indication to use a blunt pick. I very much admire how regular jazz playing manage how to hold their pick in-between their fingers when playing finger style. An example I suppose that anything goes and anything is possible.

Any thoughts?

Buco

I doubt the side of Wegen will work for solo playing, too thick (assuming it's the 3mm), wide and unbeveled. I remember myself liking the side of Wegen for rhythm, back when I used them. And likewise realized that it doesn't work for soloing. I prefer round tip. But seems like most of the Gypsy masters use a sharper tip and still get a tone that's never harsh.

One thing to experiment with is when using a sharper tip, to curve your hand more into the guitar top for rhythm and tremolo. This way you'll move the tip away from the strings and start using more of a side of the pick.

Twang

I'll try that many thanks Buco.

It's interesting what you say about the gypsy masters using a sharper tip, I'm assuming you mean for rhythm too?

pdg

I think most players who play rhythm and lead in the same song don't rotate their pick between rhythm and lead duty (but I'm not sure).

Playing lead with a rounded tip might require a flatter pick angle on the strings, which may translate to a wrist that's lower to the floor and your hand higher, possibly holding the pick with less of it protruding, maybe a thinner pick.

With a pointier pick, you can maybe get decent tremolo and rhythm, as well as leads where the pick doesn't hang up with the upstrokes, if you have a greater pick angle toward the strings (wrist up higher) and consciously hold the pick more loosely; maybe the pick should be thicker than rounder pick.

The action and string stiffness might be a factor, too. Pointy picks with low action or floppy strings may be a bad combination, at least as far as soloing goes.

Buco

It's interesting what you say about the gypsy masters using a sharper tip, I'm assuming you mean for rhythm too?

Yes, from I could see at Django in June and also from the signature shapes from Jokko at Manouche picks. Their tone may not be warm (when soloing) but it's thick and nice sounding.

JTK

I've read, here and there, that "in the old days" Django and others weren't that demanding...that they sometimes played with buttons.

Twang

I'm sure I read somewhere that Django once used teeth from a comb. Now you can't get pointier than that! Maybe someone could confirm if there was any truth in that.

It wouldn't surprise me if you consider:

He worked a summer season with half the strings missing on his guitar.

He recorded a session with the back missing on his guitar.

In the early days he used to wrap his guitar in newspaper cos he didn't have a case.

I hope I'm not gonna get shot down for spreading false stories, I only half remember the above ?

billyshakes

He worked a summer season with half the strings missing on his guitar.

He recorded a session with the back missing on his guitar.

In the early days he used to wrap his guitar in newspaper cos he didn't have a case.

This seems tailor-made for a Chuck Norris type meme....Django was so hard he....

Buco

That tooth of a comb story sounds totally unlikely to me. I mean how? Snapping the whole end of the comb, that I can see being used as a pick. It actually has a nice tip to it. Specially when you consider it might've been a genuine tortoise shell.