Tips When Buying and Using a Guitar Pick

The guitar pick is one useful tool that offers a lot of benefits. Using one produces a more vibrant sound as compared to playing the guitar with just your fingertips. You'll also enjoy a better contrast between plucking near the bridge and near the neck with a pick. And depending on the thickness of the pick, you can easily vary the softness and loudness of your guitar's sound.

Picking the Right Pick

When choosing a pick, keep in mind your playing style and the type of strings you use on your guitar. If you're into heavy metal and rock, you'll produce more controlled tones if you use a thicker pick when plucking or strumming an electric guitar. You can use a thinner pick when playing these kinds of music but expect the tones to be muddier and less sharp.

Guitar picks are usually made of plastic, metal, and wood, although rare pieces can be made of glass, agate, or materials similar to the tortoise shell. Thin picks are mostly made of nylon because this material can be cut into very thin sheets. However, nylon picks lose their flexibility only after one to two months of regular use, so you need to buy extra picks if you frequently play the guitar.

Metal picks produce brighter guitar music compared to those made of plastic, but they easily wear out the strings. If you use a metal pick when strumming, you'll quickly damage the guitar's finish. Despite these disadvantages, many top guitarists prefer to use a metal pick including Vivian Campbell, Vernon Reid, and Frank Zappa.

Compared to metal and plastic picks, those made of wood create warmer tones. Creating your signature guitar music is easier with a wooden pick because each one has a different hardness, structure, and density. Hardwoods such as zebrawood, rosewood, and African blackwood are popular materials because a pick should be able to withstand frequent strumming and plucking.

Using a Guitar Pick

To properly hold the pick, create a loose fist with your thumb touching the side of your index finger. Place the pick between the thumb and the index finger and grip it in place. Use just the right amount of pressure when gripping the pick. Holding it too tight will strain your fingers and arm, while gripping it loosely will cause you to drop it when strumming or plucking the strings fast. To avoid straining your strumming hand, use only your wrist when stroking the strings. Using a pick for the first time might feel awkward but with enough practice, you'll be able to play the guitar smoothly.

If you're just starting to learn how to play the guitar, make sure to get a pick that matches your playing style. You don't have to spend a lot because the cheapest picks can cost less than $5. But before you pay for one, take a look at its material, thickness, and shape. By getting the right pick for your guitar and playing style, sweet guitar music is just a few strokes away.

Cindee Daniel, who has a degree in Journalism, has been a casual yet big fan of music since she first listened to The Beatles when she was 10. She then came to discover other bands, most specifically from the punk, grunge, and post-grunge movements, and has since been interested in the scene. Her exposure to music saw him writing music reviews for various websites and founding his own band, with him composing songs and performing drumming duties.