What kind of picks do I need?

You will need two fingerpicks and one thumb pick. The fingerpicks should be made of metal. The thumbpick usually is plastic, but metal ones do exist. My feeling is that they are more difficult to control. Also, the sound they make can overshadow the note played with the fingerpicks. Normally notes played with the thumb are hit more strongly than those played with the fingers. This can be a good thing, but they shouldn't always stand out.

There are many styles and brands of picks available. In fingerpicks the most popular over time have been made by National and Jim Dunlop. The Nationals were just about the only ones for many years and every body from Earl Scruggs on down used them. The Dunlops came later and were successful because they fit better and also came in a variety of gauges. Gauge refers to the thickness of the metal in the picks. Dunlops also come in nickel or brass versions. The National are all nickel.

The choice became less important when National started making them different (and REALLY badly) and then stopped all together. Just recently Black Diamond started making and selling Nationals that are supposed to be made just like the old ones. This issue is complicated by the fact that old Nationals were made slightly different than those made after the mid 50's. The really old ones are very rare and sell for unbelievable prices for a small piece of metal, but they do sound and feel different and were the type used in the Golden Age of bluegrass in the late 40's and early 50's. In recent years Showcase has been making picks the are supposed to be just like the old ones. I can't say because I don't have any really old ones, but they are very nice picks in the traditional style.

Dunlop picks are available at most music stores. They have blades that are more rounded than the Nationals and the part that wraps around your fingers are wider and more comfortable. My personal recommendation is the start with the nickel ones. Brass picks are softer than the other type which makes them feel lighter and easier to bend. The tradeoff is that they don't make as much sound when you play a string. Because they are lighter they also tend to move around more easily on your fingers which makes them harder to control.

You will also need a thumbpick. There are several different types of thumbpicks on the market. Most people use thumbpicks made from some type of plastic. Most come in three sizes, small medium, and large to fit different size thumbs. They are not made to be adjustable, though some people do bend them to fit using heat. The important thing is to have one that fits snugly so it won't move when you play or going flying off in the middle of a hot solo.

To complicate matters, the blade or part that hits the string usually matches the rest of the pick in terms of size. A large thumbpick, for example, has a larger blade than a medium or small one. There are many theories about how long, or wide, or rounded, or pointed the a thumbpick should be. This is one of those things that really depends on personal preference. If people find the blade too long or too pointed, they often file them down with sandpaper or an emory board. Unfortunately there's no way way to make one bigger if, like me, you have a small thumb and would like a bigger blade. Try several different brands, sizes, colors, or materials until you find something you're comforable with.

Finally, there are also metal thumb picks. These have never been widely used since they tend to be uncomfortable and often have a sound that doesn't fit with the other picks. Some newer ones use a combination of metal for the part that goes around your thumb and plastic for the blade. These seem to work fine. Give them a try and see for your self.