Fingers or Pick

[traveller]

ok guys, i'm talkin jazz guitar here. the question is which is better, fingers or picks?

[Caleb3221]

Depends on the situation and player preferance. In most "traditional" stuff, especially solo stuff, I think fingers tend to have a nicer tone for many situations. But especially geting into the fusiony side of things, more agressive jazz, as well as anything else where the player wants to use a pick, a pick sounds great.

Obviously if you suck at fingerpicking, you probably shouldn't fingerpick because you will sound bad no matter how good the tone sounds. Same goes for picking-if you can't hold the pick, you are going to suck no matter what.

It's all about YOUR sound-there is no better or worse. I personally know very few guitarists who do one exclusivley-they change to suit the playing situation. That's probably best.

[Joseph India]

Not the best idea for a poll, friend. Every respectable guitar player is basically going to say it depends on your abilities and what you want to sound like.
All I can say is that you can do things with fingers that you cant do with a pick and vice versa.

[Lydisk]

i like using fingers for comping and pick for lead. when playing with more fusion-like bands i tend to use hybrid picking.

[nowhesingsnowhesobs]

Fingers are by no means neccessary but, ultimately, you can do much more without a pick.

[halfdeadhippo]

I voted for fingers with the slightly illogical reasoning that I play with a pick and Charlie Hunter plays with his fingers, and he's better than me, so fingers must be better than a pick.

[Anglachel]

Fingers, you can do so much more. A pick tends to limit speed at times.

You dont use your fingers though...its your finger nails your supposed to use...

[Lydisk]

not necessarily.. just playing with the fingers can sound great without nails and for comping straight fours on smooth jazz, nothing beats the thumb.

[AmericanWeiner2]

I finger pick mostly, but I use a pick for more linear stuff.

[Samuel]

Depends on what you play, and how you play it.

The only great answer is to become competent with both, and see where they take you.

[mutant!]

Apologies for the noob question: WTH is comping?!

EDIT: Fingers, btw.

[Samuel]

Apologies for the noob question: WTH is comping?!

EDIT: Fingers, btw.
It's a slang term for accompaniment. When someone is playing chords behind a soloist.

[mutant!]

Ohhh kayyy. Fingers ftw, then.

[gazzareth]

I use my fingers all the time, even for lead.

I'm just a bit clumsy with a pick. Fingerpicking works for me.

[some jive turkey]

i'd say it depends on the instrument.

For an nylon-string, fingernails have better tone. For a steel string electric, I think a pick has better tone for lead playing, but you almost gotsta use the fingers as well for comping. I know that was dumb and incredibly oversimplified.

[Zack Uidl]

I think that it is a good idea to use both a pick and fingers. Also, I tend to use both simultainiously. If you are able to build cordination with you picking hand's pinkie, you can do anything. I often switch between fingers and pick use without putting my pick down. This allows for quick changes in texture and rhythm and lead playing. I have found it to be very benifitial.

[musicforlife]

i like using my fingers no matter what the genre

[Krabsworth]

Bah I use a combo of my pick and the tip of my thumb when playing chords.

[StrangelyBrewed13]

who the **** you think you are wes montgomery....no but seriously i use a pick in most cases unless its really traditional.

[Crumbumonkey5]

Fingers are by no means neccessary but, ultimately, you can do much more without a pick.

A pick is not much good without fingers! lol :)