Butterfly Finger Picks - Instructions

These instructions are for the original Butterfly Finger Picks I invented and make in the United States. Be aware that other picks being sold as Butterfly Finger Picks are not the same, and will not give you the same fit and performance these do. Thank you sincerely for buying original Butterfly Finger Picks!

Click here to download a pdf copy of the instructions below

FITTING INSTRUCTIONS: (http://www.butterflyfingerpicks.com/instructions.php)

Thank you for purchasing your new set of Butterfly Finger Picks! Worn and played properly, Butterfly Finger Picks help you bring out your instrument's purer sounds in natural finger position without longer nails.

BUTTERFLY FINGER PICK:

The images above show properly fitted finger picks. Butterfly Finger Picks must be adjusted in the following sequence to form fit them to each finger before playing them for the first time:

1. The ring of the pick should fit snugly around your finger while allowing your finger to slide through it until your finger tip touches the tip of the pick.

If needed, open or close the ring until the ring is comfortable and not cutting off any circulation.

If the wire ends of the pick along the ring are poking into your finger, you need to bend them out slightly so they don't do this.

The Adjust Picks tip from the Tips page is very helpful and reprinted at the bottom of these instructions for your convenience.

2. The ring your finger slides through needs to be perpendicular (straight up, 90 degrees) to your straightened finger. This allows the tip of the pick to sit up where it should at your nail line (image A).

If needed, hold the rest of the pick and slide the top of the ring forward or backwards until it is straight up.

3. If you have longer nails, the pick tip can be bent down and off your finger tip slightly to extend beyond your nail tip. Picks should not really rest further out and down than you see demonstrated on the second finger in image B.

4. If while playing, the tip of the pick slips up over the tip of your nail, squeeze the sides of the pick midway between the tip and the ring together slightly so the pick cannot slip up over the tip of your nail. This adjustment may cause the ring to open slightly, so if possible, hold the ring together while squeezing the sides of the pick. If the ring does open, then gently press it closed around your finger while keeping a fingertip in the bottom opening of the ring to keep that from closing.

BUTTERFLY THUMB PICK

Fit the thumb pick the same as you did your finger picks in steps 1-4 above. Note in step 1, that due to the more tapered structure of the thumb, the top of the ring may need to be pressed forward slightly toward the nail to allow the tip of the pick to rest at the nail line. Images E, F, and G show a properly fitted thumb pick.

A few guitars are very resonant and really amplify the friction sound of metal picks rubbing against metal strings, particularly the low wound metal E string. If you discover you have one of these guitars, you can at least coat the playing surface of your thumb pick with fingernail hardener temporarily until you obtain at least a coated thumb pick from the Butterfly Finger Picks website. There is more information about string noise and coating on the Tips page.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

When your Butterfly Finger Picks are fitted properly, they will be comfortable and snug against your fingers with or without a little airspace at the tips, and you will not be able to shake them off.

If a pick keeps slipping on your finger while playing, take the time to compare the images above to the fit you see on your own finger and correct any differences. Don't be discouraged if it takes several attempts to correctly fit the picks. Playing with properly fitted picks is well worth the effort.

Because each of your fingers is a different size, you should always wear the same Butterfly Finger Pick on the same finger when you play. Be sure to view the tips on matching picks to fingers on the Tips page for good ways to do this.

You should pluck the guitar strings with Butterfly Finger Picks the same as you would with longer finger nails. For individuals who like to play strings with the corner edge of their fingers and nails, the picks can be rotated around the fingers slightly so that more flesh is exposed at the corner of the nails (image C).

These picks are designed for normal fingerstyle playing in which fingers strike the strings toward the palm as opposed to plectrums (flat picks) and Flamenco which strike in both directions. Be sure to view the related tips on strumming on the tips page.

If at first the picks feel awkward to you, play with only one finger pick. When you are comfortable playing, add another finger pick. Repeat this process until you are playing comfortably with all your finger picks. Then, if you have one, add your thumbpick. Soon you will be comfortable playing with all your picks. This is a great way to learn, especially if you are new to finger picks, without feeling overwhelmed.

When you are finished playing, you should relax each finger and gently pull each Butterfly Finger Pick off by the ring taking care not to distort its fitted shape to each finger, so that it will fit well next time you play.

Because the picks can be crushed, they should be stored when not in use in their protective storage container.

Do not leave picks unattended around small children or pets who might swallow them.

Avoid running the metal edges of the picks against your instrument surfaces. Metal is harder than wood and most finishes, and can certainly dent and scratch these surfaces.

ADJUST PICKS TIP

1. Take a pen apart and use the empty end of the ink tube to slip over the wire pick ends to adjust them easily without scratching the picks. This method will open the ring to fit a larger finger, will close the ring to fit a smaller finger, and helps keep the ring looking nice.

For best results opening the ring, pry the wire ends open slightly with the tube, then pull the ring apart slightly from both sides with your fingers until the wire ends are flush again with the now larger ring. Repeat until the ring fits nicely.

For best results closing the ring, pry the wire ends closed slightly with the tube, then push the ring together slightly from both sides with your fingers until the wire ends are flush again with the now smaller ring. Repeat until the ring fits nicely.

2. Another way to open up the fingerpicks without misshaping them is to insert the nose of a wide barrel pen into the ring portion (or something similar such as the plastic tip of a turkey baster).

An alternative to the tools listed above is small needle nose pliers. If using pliers, it's a good idea to put masking tape or cloth over the pick surface first to help avoid scratching it.

If you need more help you can email any questions to: sales@butterflyfingerpicks.com.