Conference napalm::guitar

    
    RE: 'pick attack'
    
    I tend to think angle between the pick and the string...
    
    RE:  pick rotating
    
    Hmmm.  Are you holding the pick with just the tip of your fingers?
    I use the Dunlop 72 (I think-it's yellow) and hold it in such way that
    the side opposite to the picking part rests in the first joint of my
    index finger...  My most recent instructor told me that only 1/8" 
    of the tip should be poking out when playing and that's what I've
    been following...FWIW.
    
    FWIW, I've seen some people wet the pick much like a quarter back does
    with his finger tips.  I don't know if wetting the pick with salava 
    helps....Care to comment, Will?  FWIW of course! ;-)
    
    J-Dot
    

    Yo J.<-- (dot),
    
    I use the hard plastic Gibson Heavies.  And I do have to keep my finger
    tips moist to get the right grip.  I also like the embossed side to my
    thumb.  The hard slick plastic slides off the strings easily for me,
    the rougher nylon ones seem to hang up a little more.  And yep, try to
    pick with just the very tip.
    
    I notice that when I'm out of the groove, I pick with more of the
    pick than is good.
    
    I find I have to pay attention to the angle etc.  The idea is to get
    even sound (attack, etc...) on the up as well as the down stroke.
    
    And, for me, the motion is from the wrist, not the elbow, although I've
    heard it recommended to keep the wrist stiff, and flex from the elbow,
    but I can't do it.
    
    Lots of ways that it'll work, I think.
    
    Will

    
    RE: -.1
    
    >Yo J.<-- (dot),
    
    Yo, Nick! ;^)
    
    >I use the hard plastic Gibson Heavies.  And I do have to keep my finger
    >tips moist to get the right grip.  I also like the embossed side to my
    >thumb.  
    
    Like I said before, I use the Dunlops, and I, too like to keep the 
    "embossed"(why doesn't it suprise me Will should use such a fancy word?
    ;-)  ) side to my thumb.  
    
    >The hard slick plastic slides off the strings easily for me,
    >the rougher nylon ones seem to hang up a little more.  
    
    I agree about the plastic kinds being too slick.  I don't like the hard 
    plastic ones.  One pick slide and it's a goner.  Used to like the Heavy
    Metal picks a lot; catches the string in the groove for pick slide from 
    h*ll!
    
    >And yep, try to pick with just the very tip. 
    >And, for me, the motion is from the wrist, not the elbow, although I've
    >heard it recommended to keep the wrist stiff, and flex from the elbow,
    >but I can't do it.
    
    Yeah, in "Live Without A Net" Eddie does some incredible fast picking
    by keeping his wrist bent but stiff and flexing from the elbow.  It
    looked like he was holding the pick by his finger tips, tho.  I've 
    tried that; no luck!  ;^(
    
    
    J-Dot

    
    	Rotating picks :
    
    	Tricky business - picks. I was always happy with a 'medium' gauge
    of varying makes.
    
    	I then came across 'Pro-Grip' picks (can't remember who makes them
    exactly) which were made of a special kind of plastic that had a rough
    surface. I found that this made for a better grip and stopped the pick
    moving about so much.
    
    	They then went bad - the latest batch of them fell to pieces. Just 
    doing one slide and chips would be flying off left right and center.
    Fortunateley I was tipped off in time before I bought a load - the
    bloke who told me had bought 250 of them!
    
    	It turned out that they were based on an idea from Dunlop who made 
    picks called 'TORTEX' picks. You can't mistake them - they've got the word 
    'tortex' written in the shape of a tortoise on them. So far they are
    very good. They're not my favourate size but the gauges are good and they 
    are very strong.
    
    	Definately worth checking out,
    
    		Nick. 
    		(England)
    

I've been using 88mm tortex "shark fins" for quite a while...like 6 years.
I think I'm too old to change.

Also, I like Stainless Steel picks, but not for Clapton covers...

;)

    
         
    The Pro-Grip picks are made by RotoSound, and since I've started
    using them, they are THE ONLY picks I'll ever touch. They have a
    slightly rough surface so they grip well, and they are a good shape
    - easy to change from a strum to a fast picking phrase, with a minimum
    of pick re-positioning.
           
    The thin Pro-Grip picks tend to last about 30 seconds, but the medium
    gauge (which is what I run) last ages, providing you don't go silly
    with stuff like pick slides and stuff.
                                          
    Cheers,                               
    -Tony