In the guitar community there are many different philosophies on how to hold the pick the correct way. The theories are many ranging from “if it works for you, its good” to “my way is the only way to hold the pick” and for an aspiring guitar player it can be difficult to know, what is right and what is wrong. If you are like me you don’t wanna waste a lot of time learning the wrong things on guitar and then having to spend even more time on unlearning them again. This article will give you some pointers on how to approach the philosophy of holding the pick and find a way, that is right for you.
It is important to note, that even though there are as many ways of holding the pick as there are guitar players, this does not mean that all ways to pick are equally valid or that its impossible to make some general guidelines for a “correct” and efficient picking technique
The generel guideline for holding the pick is this: Your pick is the tool you use to produce a specific sound on the guitar. If your picking technique does not allow you to do this, then you are doing something wrong.
Guideline one: Hold the pick in a 45 degree angle against the strings
Having the right angle between the pick and the string is very important and it is the most common “bad habid” that I see among aspiring guitar players. There are different ways to achieve this angle and different ways might work for different people, and that is totally fine. But it is crucial to know that this is what you are striving for, when working on your picking technique. Having this angle between your pick and the strings allows for maximum playability and great tone at the same time. In the video below you will see the two most common ways of holding the pick to achieve the desired angle of 45 degrees.
Guideling number two: Your picking technique should align with your muting technique.
There are many ways to mute and many ways to pick. The important thing here is that you don’t have conflicting techniques in the two areas. In the video below you will see the two most common ways of holding the pick and the different muting techniques that these two ways of picking demands.
Guideline number three: Have a firm grib on your pick.
You need to grib your pick tight. You cannot hold your pick in a loose way, and expect to be precise in your picking. Having a tight grib demands that you have a great picking technique otherwise your pick will “get stuck” in the strings or fall out of your hands. It is very common to compensate a bad picking technique with holding the pick loosely. This is it extremely bad for your guitar playing progress. Insist on holding the pick in a tight grib without straining your arms or hands in the process. That way you force yourself into the habit of playing with the right picking technique simple because you have to.
Watch the video below for a more in-depth explanation of the subject.
By implementing these guidlines for holding the pick, you will be able to significantly improve you ability to play freely and at greater speeds than it is the case right now.
About the author
Janus Buch is a professional guitar teacher, teaching locally in Vejle, Denmark. He is also the founder of Bredballe Guitarskole where he offers the absolute best value for money Guitar Lessons Horsens. If you are serious about your guitar progress, the guitar academy is the place to go.
