Take Your Pick!

Aah, the lowly and seldom-noticed plectrum--better known as your pick!  In actuality, pick technique is not only a critically important part of your guitar/bass education, but it is also one of the best sonic treasures in your arsenal of music weaponry.

In the video below, I will explain some of this more fully, but a few important things you need to know about your picks:

1) It is important early on to learn proper pick technique, because not only will it save you from wear and tear on your fingers (including bleeding, if you are Pete Townsend!),  but the pick will also greatly help you in negotiating between the strings of your guitar.

















2)  Secondly, choosing a pick thickness is both a matter of personal preference, and the style of music you are playing.  For acoustic strumming, I prefer a much thinner, flexible pick that will produce smooth sounding chords, and also add the percussive effect that happens when a thin pick glides across the guitar strings.  For lead type guitar, and 1980's eighth-note style bass guitar, I prefer a thicker pick.  Several manufacturers now make picks that are multi-thickness, depending upon where you place your gripping fingers.

3)  Speaking of gripping the pick, it is super-important early on to work only on holding the pick only between your thumb and index finger.  Resist the temptation to use your second finger to grip the pick, because you'll want to keep that guy free for possible other duties!

4) Picks are manufactured from all sorts of materials, including plastic, nylon, and other synthetic material.  Some are even made of metal!  I generally prefer the nylon picks, as they are virtually indestructible, and will withstand not only aggressive playing, but they will also survive the laundry cycle (this happens to every guitarist....)  I also use picks that have a rough or rubberized edge to grip.  Smooth picks tend to fly out of my hands at a sweaty gig.

5) Work with your music teacher on the various up and down-stroke techniques for playing both quick notes and chord strumming techniques.  If you've always wanted to play those fast licks, you will need to work hard on these techniques.  And in case you were wondering, I will be covering finger picking in a future blog entry.

6) Picks are also a source of varying TONES for your playing.  The difference between the sound a thin pick makes and a thicker one is both dramatic and useful.  One little hint I do is that in a song where I am both strumming and playing a lead, I will turn my pick upside down for the lead part so that the thicker part of the pick can help my lead playing jump out a bit.

7) Finally, yes--you will occasionally drop a pick down the sound-hole of your acoustic guitar.  It happens to EVERYBODY! There is a way to fetch them out by turning your guitar upside down, and doing both an up and down and side to side motion.  Your teacher can demonstrate that as well!

So have fun, keep on practicing, watch the video below, and Happy Pickin'!

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO ON GUITAR PICKS!