I have a few questions about stringed instruments. I've never played one or been around anyone who plays, so I hope these are not stupidly obvious questions. 
Does a guitar sound different when the player uses a pick versus when he uses his fingers to pluck the strings? This is for a fantasy book, so the instrument in question here is actually a lap harp; I know you don't use picks for a harp (well, I assume), but one of my characters has claws and will use them to pluck the strings. I'm guessing the difference in sound (if any) between claws and fingertips would be roughly the difference between a pick and fingertips.
Also, how long does it typically take to build up calluses on the fingertips to play a harp comfortably? Or is that really an issue with harps? And lastly--and I know, I should probably just Google this, sorry for being lazy here--do people play tunes on harps? I've only ever heard sort of chord-like harp playing with lots of dreamy-sounding sweeps of sound, but without a tune like a guitarist would play.
Thanks! Any interesting tidbits you musicians have about playing/learning to play a stringed instrument would be helpful. The clawed character actually ordinarily plays a cello-like instrument (except that instead of a bow, the stringed are always plucked), so if any cellists want to weigh in, that would be helpful too!
Does a guitar sound different when the player uses a pick versus when he uses his fingers to pluck the strings? This is for a fantasy book, so the instrument in question here is actually a lap harp; I know you don't use picks for a harp (well, I assume), but one of my characters has claws and will use them to pluck the strings. I'm guessing the difference in sound (if any) between claws and fingertips would be roughly the difference between a pick and fingertips.
Also, how long does it typically take to build up calluses on the fingertips to play a harp comfortably? Or is that really an issue with harps? And lastly--and I know, I should probably just Google this, sorry for being lazy here--do people play tunes on harps? I've only ever heard sort of chord-like harp playing with lots of dreamy-sounding sweeps of sound, but without a tune like a guitarist would play.
Thanks! Any interesting tidbits you musicians have about playing/learning to play a stringed instrument would be helpful. The clawed character actually ordinarily plays a cello-like instrument (except that instead of a bow, the stringed are always plucked), so if any cellists want to weigh in, that would be helpful too!
