Here's a question based on the plectrum thread. How does Damo alternate between picking and strumming so well? Does he ever use a plectrum? If not does he strum with his thumb or with the backs of the other fingers. How does he do the upstroke when strumming?

sometimes he rests his pick on the side of his guitar (where a preamp would be on most acoustic electrics) when he's playing a song where he alternates between fingerpicking and picking

sometimes when he alternates between using a plec and gently strumming and/or finger-picking.


when he's not using the plec he holds it against the palm of his hand with his index finger (or maybe middle finger) and uses the other fingers for picking/strumming.Edited by: Banjaxed

OK, take the version of Cannonball he does on Letterman (which is probably my favourite song he's ever done live). I think he only uses a plec when it gets loud near the end for the "stones taught me to fly..." bit.


For the rest of the song, how does he strum and pick? It seems like he uses his thumb for everything!

yeah for Cannonball on Letterman 13th Jun 2003, he strums with his thumb for most of the song. if you look closely at his right hand you can see his index finger is curled up (to hold a plec).


he changes to use the plec near the end, at the "stones taught me to fly" bit, then he changes back to using his thumb. you can seehimadjust his fingers tohold theplec out of the way againat 3m03secs.


he finishes the song strumming with just his thumb.

Its just the way he's able to pick out each individual string (or groups of strings) using his thumb for the hammer-on stages that I'm baffled by! I'm finding it very hard to do!


Maybe it just takes lots of practice.

it does take a lot of practice... also try to mute the strings you don't intend to make sound when you're doing a hammer... that way you can strum and only let that one note you want to ring out be the note that's heard... does that make sense? well, yes... just practice[img]smileys/smiley17.gif[/img]

It makes sense and it's probably what he does but I think that would take ages to master coz u have to psychologically tell some of your fingers to press lighter on the strings than usual while keeping the one u want still pressed down firmly!!! i think I'll stick to picking the required strings!


Thanks anyway.

Index finger... I've been noticing this in footage lately, he looks like a freakinamputee like he got the end of his finger chopped off! ThenI finally figured it out http://www.eskimofriends.com/forum/smileys/smiley36.gif

On that New York radio show (which can be found in the video section) u can see that he placed his plectrum on his knee and picked it up when he needed it!


Can't remember which song it was though.

possibly "I Remember". he often does that when he's sitting for that song.