Missing right index finger

[davidallison]

Hey. Great site.

I am a newbie. Bought my first guitar one year ago and have been
rambling around to learn on my own. I found this site and
it really seems to fit. I have started with the beginner lessons
and I enjoy the style and level of the teachings.

I have a question about strumming. I am missing my right index
finger. I would prefer to strum with my fingers but I am having
trouble finding a good strategy. Does anyone have some advice or
should I just abandon and always use a pick?

In the evening quiet of my bedroom, I enjoy the sound of strumming
with my thumb on the down stroke and the pad on my second finger
on the up stroke. However, this has a very muted sound in the
light of day and is probably not a good long term strategy.

Thanks in advance.

David

[BobR]

David,

I am missing the end of my right index finger so I have a bit of trouble finger picking. I mostly use the pick. I would try to use my middle, ring and little, but I can't seem to teach an old dog new tricks. Maybe that would work for you. Just a thought.

Good luck

Bob

[davidallison]

Bob. Thanks. I am with you that I think that I can
get comfortable finger picking with the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th
fingers. I am trying to figure out if it is worth the
effort to learn to strum with fingers instead of a pick.
I prefer using fingers to strum but I haven't come up with
a really good strategy yet.

Thanks.
David

[tovo]

David did you check out Neil's beginner's lesson on strumming? I reckon you could substitute your middle finger for your index. Check it out. Using a pick is fine, but you don't really want to be in a situation where you can't play unless you have a pick. I have approximately 500 scattered around my house, but apparently not where I can find them so there's not always a pick handy. I will be interested in how you get on with finger picking. Hope you have some success.

[Lavallee]

David I do not see why you could not hold the pick with your thumb and your second finger. I would suggest that you drill some holes in your pick as some people have suggested in a previuos post to help with the friction and limit the pick movement (maybe somebody remember the thread and could post it for David).

Actually you could also do the Neil's invisible pick (thumb and second finger like if you were holding a pick, but no pick). I just tried it and it requires a bit of wrist adjustment, but it works.

Marc

[davidallison]

Tovo, you have hit the nail on the head so to speak. The question
is a result of Neil's lesson in which the downstroke is with the
nails of the fingers and the upstroke is with the pad of the
1st finger. After messing with it for a while, I was not able to
get comfortable using the pad of the 2nd finger on the upstroke if
I use the nail of the 2nd finger on the downstroke. That is the
delimna.

You have also gotten right to the point about picks. For your
reasons, I would like to come up with a strategy to strum without
a pick.

Thanks.
David

[willem]

I think that when you want to fingerpick has well that you can devolop your middle,,ring and pinky,,and most the pinky but it needs time,, or don't use that pinky but do the bas and one melodystring with your thumb and the other's with your middle and ring...hope it works..

[RicksPick]

Hi David

I always strummed with my thumb and index held together as in the invisible pick, but use my index for the down and thumb for the up,
guess you would just swap index for middle,
Hope this helps

RicksPick

[davidallison]

All, I really like the invisible pick idea. I think that I
can visualize what you are describing. I have already gotten my
money's worth from this site. The rest is gravy.

Thanks. David

[heatndude]

Hi David, I have a freind who is a carpenter and is missing fingers and tips of others on his left hand. He actually re taught himself to play left handed and figured out how to strum and finger pick. It took him six years to do it but he got it done. At this point you would never know he is somewhat disabled. He actually uses his Pinky for down strokes and thumb on the way up, he has no thumb nail ! Just gows to show that if you really want to do something you can make it happen. Keep practicing and it will work itself out.


Mark