Mark Knopfler Picking Technique

[Glennwillow]

I agree that Mark Knopfler uses the flesh of his thumb and first two fingers when he finger picks. Part of what makes that technique sound good is the development of calluses on the playing part of the thumb and fingers. Without those calluses, it's hard to get good volume playing that way. But if a player hangs in there and keeps after it, eventually calluses do build up and they really help.

I use a thumb pick and short fingernails combined with the tips of my fingers. That approach produces good volume and a clear tone with decent trebles. But many adult players do not have tough, strong, durable fingernails. I really like to hear someone play with bare fingers because it's a different sound, a little softer.

Tommy Emmanuel plays with bare fingers, sometimes with a bare thumb, sometimes with a thumb pick. And then sometimes he plays with a flat pick and uses hybrid picking.

- Glenn

[Jim Owen]

I see a bit of Richard Thomson in MK's playing: Thomson is also a fingerstyle player on electric guitar.

To answer an earlier query, was it Hank Marvin of the Shadows who MK brought out on stage with him some years back?

[Kip Carter]

I really enjoyed his video to illustrate his method was pleasantly shocked to learn that I have been progressing down a similar path and that gives me incentive to try and move on with more gusto.

Thanks for sharing!

[Jim Owen]

Watch the master play "Sleepwalk." Here's Hank Marvin using his finger picking and his tremolo bar technique together.

[The Growler]

Chet did use thumb picks.

Another great player who uses flesh only (no nails) is Laurence Juber.

[SprintBob]

Originally Posted by Kip Carter

I really enjoyed his video to illustrate his method was pleasantly shocked to learn that I have been progressing down a similar path and that gives me incentive to try and move on with more gusto.

Thanks for sharing!

While that MK video is only 6.5 minutes long, I get some insight from it every time I watch it.