Recently I started noticing that I regularly tap my banjo above the top string with my thumb pick. Is this bad and if so, does anyone have suggestions on how to stop?
Thumb pick hitting banjo
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Great question @Mingo_20 Lilly. Some thumb picks have a longer blade than others. What I do is cut off the point of the thumb pick and reshape it with an emery board. I use Jim Dunlop Clear Plastic Thumbpicks they are inexpensive, hardwearing and long-lasting.
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It’s most likely caused by your hand/finger angle or position, and the scratching will usually go away as you gain more control over it.
It’s not necessarily harmful, but the noise can be noticeable when you’re playing and your pick can wear down from hitting the head a lot. Keeping your hand from becoming too “flat” may help, though the best bet would be to post a pic/video of your hand position.
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