Fingerstyle Mandolin Fingerpicking vs. Flatpicking Approach

Date: Sat, 10 Jan 2004 12:44:38 EST
Subject: Thumb pick

Hi Mickey,
I was so impressed with your site! I just bought a mandolin and will be ordering your intro video. One thing I have not seen addressed.....due to surgery on my right hand I find it very hard to hold a flat pick between my finger and thumb, what are your thoughts on using a thumb pick? I hate to start off developing bad habits or damaging my instrument, but this seemed ideal for my problem.
Thanks for your insight!
Nancy

Greetings Nancy,

Thanks so much for the kind words regarding our site...

If you're having trouble holding on to the flatpick, you may have to find an alternative until your hand becomes stronger. Yes, a thumbpick will help...since the thumbpick does not require any gripping. The thumbpick resides on the thumb without any other reinforcement...however, when playing with a thumbpick, the downstrokes work out fine...only when playing the upstrokes, the thumbpick loosens up unless you're gripping it with the index finger.

I sometimes play with a thumbpick and fingerpicks myself...and approach the mandolin entirely in a fingerstyle medium. I've found it to be wide open on the possibilities...and, you might also want to try this...only, keep in mind, this approach does not fit in some of the more common approaches to the mandolin such as bluegrass. You can view some of our video samplers where I've used a thumbpick for playing:
http://www.folkofthewood.com/page2518.htm

Just look for the "fingerstyle" samplers in the Mandolin samplers section...

Best of luck to you in your research efforts, Mickey