How’s Your Pick Grip?

[Tim]

How’s Your Pick Grip?

How does everybody hold there picks? Do you really hold it tight for screaming solos, or do you hold it lightly. Or does the pressure or tension on the pick depend on the type of music or song being played?

I have been told I am a heavy player. That could be because I held on to my pick with a very strong grip. Over the months I have let up on the pressure and now strum with less fret buzz. Now I am finding that the pick turns between my fingers and I end up playing with the side of the pick or at times I end up dropping it on the floor.

 

[SuperSwede]

Interesting question... I guess my pick grip varies somewhat, but I´m probably more of a heavy grip player.

 

[Spudman]

I find that with Strats and Tele's my grip is more firm and I dig in a lot harder on the strings. On the Ibanez guitars I tend to play lighter probably because they don't sound the same as Fenders when I dig in so on them I tend to let the guitar do a lot of the work.

Thumb and index finger grip with the index finger bent or curled .

 

[Cranium]

Depends how I'm playing, I keep my thumb straight or curved back a little and my index curved (obviously) I just grip hard enough so it doesn't turn in my fingers which is not good, especialy if you try to pick fast.

 

[Tone2TheBone]

I grip mine enough to keep it from dropping but it moves a lot while I pick. The angle changes and I am constantly using my fingers to move the tip back in "place" as I play. For years I used to play from the sides of the pick using the fatter ends (sideways like Neal Schon used to) but I switched back to playing with the pointy end.

 

[jpfeifer]

Hi Tim,

Interesting question. I used to hold my pick really tight. But over the years I've started to loosen up on it a bit. Part of the secret to playing faster with a pick is to loosen up on your grip a little keep your wrist loose. If you hold onto your pick too tight it works against you when you're trying to play faster runs.

Several years ago I started using the "fat" side of the pick instead of the "pointy" side. I use one of the corners of the pick on the fat end, and I find that it gives you a much better tone. It tends to make the tone less trebly sounding and a little darker. For strumming though, I usually rotate the pick around and use the pointy end.

-- Jim

 

[Tim]

This really good stuff to hear from all you Fretters. I suffer the same problem Tone has about the pick turning all the time, which is what promted the question.

 

[kerc]

I use a rather tight grip, and angle the pick about 15 degrees relative to the strings...And use 1.0mm Tortex picks.

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

That brings up a related question Kerc.

How thick are your picks?

I've been gravitating toward thicker & thicker picks.

At .96 - 1.15 & climbing...

 

[kerc]

I experimented with 2.0mm and 3.0mm picks...You can so some syrupy sounding stuff since it glides over the strings...You can also strum with the 3.0mm one and basically get no attack on the strings, just make 'em ring. Pretty cool.

 

[SuperSwede]

Several years ago I started using the "fat" side of the pick instead of the "pointy" side. I use one of the corners of the pick on the fat end, and I find that it gives you a much better tone. It tends to make the tone less trebly sounding and a little darker. For strumming though, I usually rotate the pick around and use the pointy end.

-- Jim

I do that too from time to time. Its also fun to mess around with different picks. Some give you a strong attack, while others are more mellow.
I have a bucket (ok, a very small bucket) full of different picks, and when I need some extra inspiration I dig until I find one that I havent tried for a long time.... Strange? Well perhaps, but it certainly works when you need a dose of that divine plastic inspiration.

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

I have a jar/dish full of 'em too. Picks are cheap.

 

[Tone2TheBone]

I keep my picks in a little guitar shaped box made out of sea shells with red velvet hinges. Mostly White Fender heavies but a few Dunlops of varying thicknesses. I LOVE THE SMELL of new Celluloid Fender picks when you first open the package.

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

I keep my picks in a little guitar shaped box made out of sea shells with red velvet hinges.

You ol' hippie you!

 

[Tone2TheBone]

You ol' hippie you!

LMAO. Once a hippie always a hippie. R

 

[Tim]

Hmmm! Red velvet hinges. We gotta see this infamous dish. Can you make an avatar reflecting this dish ... after the camera is fixed of course.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

I grip mine enough to keep it from dropping but it moves a lot while I pick. The angle changes and I am constantly using my fingers to move the tip back in "place" as I play. For years I used to play from the sides of the pick using the fatter ends (sideways like Neal Schon used to) but I switched back to playing with the pointy end.

I have struggled with that and tried to learn from Robert's pick holding vid, though my fingers don't very naturally match exactly what he is doing. I keep trying to have less pick exposed. I have ended up going lately with the larger three point picks (typically thicker ones) and that seems to help to secure my hold and increase my control.

The picks I am currently using are shaped like this:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-346-White-Picks?sku=110542

 

[bagger78]

when i find a pick i really like out of a big baggie of picks i have, i heat up a pin and stick it in the holding edges making dimples on the other side, helps a lot with turn-itis. you can get really crazy and do both sides. works great on some picks, not so good on others.

 

[P.J.]

Generally, my thumb and first finger do all the work (like EJ or FZ) unless I am picking fast and then my arm comes into play. I usually use my other fingers to play wider intervals or chords. I am not much of a "strummer" in that regard. I find that hybrid picking lets me pretty much do anything I need to do and I use my pinky too. Just because it is little doesn't mean it needs to get left out!

=-) PJ

 

[bigG]

I really don't think much about it. After so many years, my grip just comes naturally. Pretty much standard between thumb and forefinger, w maybe 1/4" to 3/8" pokin out. Tend to hold it somewhat loosely except when playing lead, I hold it a bit tighter. That's it. I haven't thought about it in years.

 

[FrankenFretter]

(Bump)

In my first incarnation as a player, I held my pick in the normal manner, between thumb and index finger. In my more recent incarnation, I can't seem to get comfortable holding it that way, but hold it between my middle finger and thumb. I think it somewhat hinders me, but whenever I try to do it "correctly", it just doesn't feel right. I use mostly medium picks, and occasionally a steel pick for when I'm feeling brutally metal.

Any comments/suggestions? It seems that I hit the strings unintentionally with my pinkie more often than I used to when I held the pick in the more accepted position.

 

[Tig]

Pebber Brown covers pick holding and picking technique in the first half of this video.

 

[sumitomo]

Boy I missed this thread,I have always hit a wall in this area because I am a lefty plays righty,so I tend to hold the pick tighter and I really have to practice the loose wrist,it's really hard for me sometimes to strum some patterns,I feel like Steve Martian in the Jerk.Now I play with the larger ends of the picks or use a real thick pick and have to force myself to strum instead of just playing single note runs and such.Sumi

 

[otaypanky]

I vary the way I hold the pick in order to change the dynamics of the notes I am playing. By holding it very, very gently I can play a very soft passage, then gripping firmly I can dig in and get a driven sound, all without changing any volume controls or by using pedals. Some of that is due to the amount of attack you use on the strings, but simply the pressure you apply in gripping the pick can make for a huge difference. --- just my 2 cents

 

[kiteman]

I do pretty much what otaypanky said about various gipping for light touch or heavy digging. I pick rather lightly and I use .048 nylon pick. My problem is I tend to relax too much and lose my grip where the pick moved.

 

[lespaulgb]

My grip changes depending on what I'm playing and the dynamics I want; lighter for strumming and quieter blues, tighter for rock and P.H.'s and when I want to give some attittude to what I'm playing.

I find the lighter grip means I'm adjusting the pick more too. I currently use Jazz III's as I seem to grip it better and have less adjustments, plus they glide well. :happy

 

[rugbynyc]

Several years ago I started using the "fat" side of the pick instead of the "pointy" side. I use one of the corners of the pick on the fat end, and I find that it gives you a much better tone. It tends to make the tone less trebly sounding and a little darker. For strumming though, I usually rotate the pick around and use the pointy end.

-- Jim

You're in good company...I've read that Stevie Ray Vaughan held his picks this way.

 

[Zip]

"...hold it between my middle finger and thumb." "Any comments/suggestions?"

Learn to tap. You're already holding the pick correctly :AOK

 

[mainestratman]

Here's how I do it:

 

[pes_laul]

When I started I held it in a normal manner but after I learned how to do artificial harmonics I started holding the pick more sideways with my thumb sticking out a wee bit. I also have a very loose grip.