Hello,
In the alternate picking for C scale lesson, I dont use a pick and dont really want to atm.
Do I just use thumb for down and first finger for up or is this lesson only appropriate when using a pick.
Hi Linda, good to see you here.
I’ve been playin me some scales here lately too.
I’ve also going back and forth w/pick vs finger pickin.
I would say I play pretty loose with Justin’s how to finger pick. I move my fingers 1,2,3 from playing the top three strings to the D,G,B strings.
I try to do my thumb on the E,A,D string. Again, I’m kinda loose with my D string as sometimes I’ll do index finger, sometimes thumb.
All that said. When I’ve been playing scales, them low strings I’ve been using a up stroke with the back side of my thumb. I suppose more like the edge of my thumb. The outside edge. I’ll also just play all down strokes with my thumb too. But as tempo increases, it leads me to using the back side of my thumb.
Reason I do this is when I’m playing a tune, sometimes I want to up pick a low string with no way to do it other than using the outside edge, back side of my thumb.
I’ve no idea if this is the way I’m supposed to be doing this. But it seems to work for me. I’m thinking if it works, why not do it. Unless someone tells me different, and has a good reason for me to not do it this way. I’d guess I’ll continue doing this.
I’ve not seen Justin tell me in a lesson this is something I shouldn’t do, unless I missed it. Which I could have and would be open to enlightenment.
I’ve also not seen a lesson on playing a scale w/o a pick and which fingers I should be using. So I’m just doing what feels a natural to me as possible.
Good luck. Hope someone comes by and lets ya in on the facts. Not something that feels good to me.
I’m just thinking outside the box and coming up with my own way of approach since I’ve not seen a lesson as to how to do what your asking about.
Welcome to ‘the’ forum!
Now, maybe that knows your answer will come by and get us both hip… 
This makes sense, it’s sort of the idea of alternate picking: you can go twice as fast.
But, how do you alternate on the treble strings? You said you generally use fingers 1, 2, 3 on strings G, B and E. Do you play the down picks with the back of the nail? That would seem pretty awkward with the ring finger, for sure!
Ok thank you.
Well, that’s a harder question John.
I think your correct. I use the back side of the nail for down. For up I’m thinking I use the end of my fingertip. Not so much the pad of the fingertip, but the tip, right underneath the nail. About where my fretting hand callouses appear, but on my pickin hand, not my fretting hand.
Agreed about the ring finger difficulty. I’m thinking I use mostly only 1st and middle finger and make a shift over to the top strings.
Or.
I resort to playing the top strings w/my index finger.
When I do this, if you were watching me, ya’d think I had a pick in my hand. That’s how I hold my fingers only when strumming much while playing. If I want to play individual strings while strumming, this is when I may employ other digits.
I suppose it’s not real finger pickin really. But I for sure ain’t using a pick.
I use various digits depending on what is working for a specific application I suppose.
I will have to think about my approach to finger picking scales since you’ve brought this to light. The thumb I had thought about, the remaining fingers, perhaps not as much.
I’m not sure if having a general way to do it is what I think will work for me. Or, my loose way of interpretation of finger pickin…
Here’s my advice @treespirit (fwiw!): learn it with a pick. I know you said you didn’t want to, but why? Many beginners don’t like the pick, mostly because it’s more difficult than playing with the fingers. Most teachers (I am not one) recommend sticking with it, for a variety of reasons.
However … if you really don’t want to use a pick, I would suggest using the nail of your index finger as if it were a pick. Put your thumb and index finger together (as if you were holding a pick) and pluck up and down with the nail.
If you have dreams of playing like Mark Knopfler or Jeff Beck one day, then you could try using the thumb for downstrokes and index finger for upstrokes. That’s more difficult, but it’s the technique you would eventually use for playing fast lead lines with your fingers.
Good luck!
Thanks. Atm I really dont like the sound with a pick or with my nails. That may change as I get more confidence but I doubt it.
So down with thumb and up with first finger would be ok in the practice.
I will have another ho with the pick but as I dont intend to use one it may be a waste of energy.
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Hi Linda,
welcome to the forum. Perhaps you could take a minute to introduce yourself to the community?
As a fingerpicking alternative to alternate picking with a plectrum, you could try i-m-i-m, at least on the treble strings. But that’s just the opinion of another beginner.
Justin has covered a wide range of topics in order to teach the basics in as many areas as possible, so that beginners can get a taste of many different areas and find their way. You tried alternate picking and realised you don’t like it, which is perfectly fine; I don’t think it’s a mandatory skill. You can come back to the plectrum techniques later when curiosity catches you.
There are many fingerpicking styles that you can study and refine, such as ragtime, Travis picking, flamenco and so on. I wish you the courage to follow your curiosity and to go your own path through the course.
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Ok I will go and introduce myself. Im just trying to follow Justin’s teaching in this module but without the pick.
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Theres probably a few ways to play scales without a pick, I read a few replies but, Im not going to say don’t do certain things rather show you this.
The style for the right hand is more how a Bassist would play it I think.
R.
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Thanks, this is the i-m-i-m alternating i mentioned