All Questions
35 questions
12
votes
11
answers
2k
views
Lots of pick movement
I have always had trouble controlling pick movement while strumming. Gripping tighter on a pick causes tension in my playing and I am wondering if anyone has some tips for me? Picks have always felt ...
- 231
62
votes
8
answers
7k
views
Why does string strummed with finger sound different from the one strummed with pick?
What is the physical reason for difference in sound when using fingers instead of pick and vice versa?
- 745
7
votes
9
answers
2k
views
Do I handicap my guitar learning by deemphasizing learning to use a pick?
Been playing guitar for a few months now and for the last month I've started trying to use a pick since most people (including the best guitarists) do and while it's useful for alternate picking, pick ...
- 101
2
votes
2
answers
525
views
Claw-like gloves to simulate pick when playing fingerstyle?
I am wondering if clawed gloves would be able to reproduce the sound of a pick when playing fingerstlye.
3
votes
5
answers
311
views
How do I hold/use a pick
Seriously. Most people say between the thumb and index coming out the side of your thumb, but I keep messing up, hitting wrong strings, bad rhythm/timing, etc. Any other ways of holding a pick or ...
- 101
8
votes
3
answers
525
views
Why are tortoise-shell picks prized?
As a mandolin player, I have discovered that the type of pick (plectrum) one uses makes a noticeable difference to the sound. I personally prefer thick (1mm) plastic picks, like Golden Gate, to get a ...
- 774
25
votes
10
answers
33k
views
Pick weight - functional difference, or just personal preference?
I'm at the very beginning of learning to play guitar, and I recently needed to buy some more picks. This was more complex than I was expecting, since there are apparently many different weights of ...
Chad Birch
3
votes
2
answers
1k
views
What are these weird Doritos picks that Daron Malakian uses?
What are these weird triangle picks? I have never seen ones like these before. You can see them on the mic stand.
- 15k
3
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Soft or hard pick for funk 16ths?
I'm trying to get into funk with my electric guitar and am currently practicing keeping the 16ths rhythm and learn keeping a loose wrist. I usually play with a thick pick ("fender heavy"), ...
- 1,817
1
vote
6
answers
1k
views
The proper right-hand picking technique for playing the electric guitar
When I was taking electric guitar lessons for a year I was told, by my former teacher, that the pick should be parallel to strings at all times and so he insisted on it.
The other thing he was very ...
- 53
9
votes
6
answers
59k
views
Is it important for a guitarist to know how to use a pick?
I've been playing guitar for almost a year and a half now and I still don't know how to use a pick. I strum very hard and I'm afraid that my guitar strings would break from the pick. Would this be ...
- 807
6
votes
2
answers
4k
views
What types of plastic and manufacturing techniques are used to make guitar picks?
Like most guitarists, I'm sure, I have both preferred thicknesses and brands of guitar pick. I have always liked using Jim Dunlop Tortex picks, for instance, as I like the way the plastic wears ...
- 21.7k
3
votes
4
answers
7k
views
Acoustic Guitar - which pick is suitable for strumming and normal play
I started to learn guitar a couple of days back.
I was told for strumming thin pick is suitable and for normal play thick.
can anybody suggest a pick which can solve both purposes (strumming and ...
- 143
6
votes
4
answers
6k
views
Playing with a pick with less pick-sound
I have two types of guitars, electric and acoustic and have been playing for over a year. How does one learn to or adjust their strum so that there's not so much sound of hitting the strings (as ...
- 63
5
votes
3
answers
2k
views
When should you change your pick?
Sometimes when I try to play a solo I feel that I can't pick the notes because the pick is too short, and when I look at it, it is about 0,5mm shorter on the end than a new one.
When should you ...
- 151
18
votes
6
answers
95k
views
How can I prevent the noise my guitar pick makes?
When I play the guitar (electric with steel strings), I can hear the noise of the pick clashing against the steel strings.
When I play a chord, after my pick triggers one string it then falls against ...
- 2,357
3
votes
4
answers
15k
views
What thickness pick should I get for lead guitar? [closed]
(I read like a batty child, so please understand that as you go through this message)
Sure, I've been playing acoustic and rhythm guitar for over 8 years. Yeah, I got strumming up and down mastered. ...
- 33
1
vote
4
answers
3k
views
Why is a plectrum banjo played with a guitar pick and not with finger picks?
I have a four string plectrum banjo, which is essentially like a five string banjo but without the short drone string.
Why is a plectrum banjo played with a guitar pick and not fingerstyle or with a ...
- 12.3k
9
votes
5
answers
10k
views
Can I use bass pick as guitar pick?
First of all, I don't really know about the difference between both picks, but as far as I know, the bass pick is slightly wider.
Can I use it (the bass pick) as a guitar pick (for guitar, of course)?...
- 4,157
9
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Why do thicker guitar picks result in a darker tone color?
I recently had a vendor send me extra-heavy picks rather than heavy picks. I like the sound so I think I'll keep them but each note picked with the heavier picks definitely has a darker timbre (tone ...
- 12.3k
3
votes
2
answers
402
views
Alternate picking speed
I've been using large triangular pick for a long time, and I'm used to it. Now, learning shredding, I once thought: "Does a regular pick have any advantages over a triangular in terms of speed?". ...
- 650
3
votes
2
answers
323
views
guitar picking noise
Quick question! When I am strumming on my acoustic guitar and I record myself playing, I can easily hear my guitar pick. It almost sounds like when you mute all the strings and just strum but not ...
- 31
1
vote
1
answer
484
views
Anyone else have a noise issue with thicker (~9mm) picks?
I watched a video from Rob Scallon on Purple Plectrums, and in his video they looked and sounded great. However, I purchased one of theirs, a 9mm model and I was very confused. I loved the feel of it, ...
- 1,125
1
vote
3
answers
5k
views
How do I play chords silently with a plectrum?
I've been playing acustic guitar fingerstyle and kind-of-"nail-strumming" all year long. Using my fingers, I can play chords in whatever loudness I desire.
Now that I've started to use picks, ...
- 225
2
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Do I pick the bass string upwards or downwards?
I'm new to guitar and have been fingerpicking some songs (e.g. playing each bar: thumb - finger 1 - finger 2 - finger 1 - finger 3 - finger 1, holding the chord) which sounds nice. Now I just got a ...
- 1,817
7
votes
1
answer
615
views
Does the plectrum you play with make a difference in your guitar sound?
Does the plectrum you play with make a difference in your guitar sound? Is it just the thickness of the pick or does materials also make a difference if at all?
What would be the science behind this?
- 15k
3
votes
5
answers
5k
views
Combining fingerpicking with guitar pick
So I've been playing acoustic guitar for years and have developed a certain fingerpicking style as well as a really good strumming technique. However, I have never used a pick and always thought it ...
- 133
1
vote
2
answers
189
views
Fingertip-covering picks for fingerstyle guitar
I've seen a couple of videos in which a fingerstyle guitar player appears to have solid white, maybe plastic, picks covering the last segment of his finger.
I haven't been able to find these at the ...
- 145
2
votes
4
answers
8k
views
How to choose the right pick?
How should I choose the right pick thickness and what are the differences between them?
I'm using a 0.5 m pick for extra light strings, but I don' t like it very much.
What is the best pick ...
user28116
4
votes
1
answer
683
views
What is the point of drilled guitar pick?
I was wondering what impact on sound and playing drilled guitar picks have. I have tried one and did not notice any kind of difference with regular flat picks. Is it supposed to make for a better grip ...
- 451
7
votes
5
answers
2k
views
Looking for a specific device to secure a pick to your hand [closed]
Some years ago, I was chatting with the gutarist in a cafe in Cape May, New Jersey, and I asked him how he switched between flatpicking and fingerstyle playing so smoothly. He had a little gadget that ...
- 4,635
6
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Why do lighter picks sound "better" on acoustic guitars?
I have a small variety of Dunlop Tortex pick sizes. Normally, the 0.73mm (green) is my favorite. When I recently picked up my first acoustic in ages, I chanced to discover that the lighter 0.56mm (I ...
- 2,659
4
votes
1
answer
278
views
How is he hiding his pick?
I've noticed that he's using his thumb to mute, so he's probably not holding his pick in between his index and thumb, which would suggest it's in his palm. Does anyone know this technique, and can ...
- 151
1
vote
1
answer
278
views
Using thumb picks instead of nails
I'm wondering if it is possible to use thumb picks instead of nails. My fingers take a fair bit of punishment when finger picking on the electric and I'm wondering if there can be some sort of ...
- 15k
0
votes
0
answers
119
views
How can one minimise the percussive strumming sound on acoustic guitar and maximise the notes? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How to prevent the noise my guitar pick makes?
When we are rehearsing with the band it seems that the main thing that one can hear of our singer's acoustic guitar is the sound ...
- 433