BC-107 • Picks, how to choose one and hold it

[justinguitar]

Lesson Link: http://justinguitar.com/en/BC-107-PicksHolding.php

Questions...

[MatthijsL]

Hi I've been following your lessons for about 2 months now and have progressed some, but atm I'm struggling with my picking hand

Here's some footage of some positions i use. I could really use some comments on the positions to see what's best.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gm9KeuNQfxk

Thanks in advance.


ps.

Decided not to angle the pick since that sound isn't really my thing, but I could get used to it if it really is that handy (but I think I'm not going to be needing to pick very fast since what i've seen thats only needed for very fast metal riffing, right?)

[justinguitar]

As you are moving down from the thick string, you need to let your hand move down with the pick, other wise you end up picking along the string.

It's hard to describe. I'm a bit lost as how to describe this problem!!

Watch this

http://justinguitar.com/en/TE-003-ScalePicking.php

And see how my picking hand moves toward the ground as I go up the scale.

That is what you are not doing right!

J

[MatthijsL]

Thanks, I think I get what you mean after looking at your hand and my hand side by side. As I proceed to pick towards the 1st string my pick inevitably gets angled on the strings because my anchorpoint is too fixed.

[justinguitar]

That is correct - you'll get it right now J

[wingedsheep]

Hi there,

In the video you say the best way to hold the pick is with two fingers (the thumb and the first finger).
But when i'm playing i always catch myself at putting my second finger on it as well..
I was wondering if this is a bad habit or somehow restrictive in playing, cause it feels a bit more natural and loose this way.

[cbiski]

Hello Justin,
I have the same problem. My second finger starts holding on to my pick as well. It keeps it from twisting (now that I have tried to strum with just the thumb and first finger). Is this very detrimental to playing?

[Sl8sh]

Hey Justin.

Okay first off I've never held my pick the correct way.  I hold it with my thumb, 1st finger and 2nd finger.  The reason?  I don't make as many mistakes as when I try to hold it the text book way or the way you demonstrated in your video.  I feel like I've lost control over my playing if I hold it your way.  Do I really have to fix how I hold my pick?  It'll set me back. 

[raul693]

you should hold the pick whatever way you're comfortable with, James Heftfield uses 3 fingers, SRV held it sideways, Brian May uses a coin, Mark Knopfler and Beck decided that picks where unnecessary, so in the end it's a very personal choice, the only thing you must keep in my mind is by using 3 fingers you give up on the possibility of using hybrid picking (using your fingers also) but since people rarely consider that I don't Think you'll have a problem.

[Simonovski]

Apparently I've been doing it the 'back in the old days' way ever since I started

The pick just doesn't feel as secure doing it the way you recommend.

[raul693]

when you say back in the old days do you mean fingerstyle? cause making the finger to pick transitiomnn was kind of hard for me, the only reason i stopped using my fingers was my complete disability to do tremolo fingerpicking, i'm sure for classical players it takes years before they get good at that, with a pick tremolo picking is quite easy

[Simonovski]

I meant where the pick is held between your thumb and the knuckle of your first finger, Justin mentioned it in this lesson at 5:46, that's where i got the 'back in the old days' term from . I've never really tried fingerstyle.

[Sl8sh]

I just wanted an opinion.  I can hold my pick the way Justin suggests and play fairly well, however I found that my picking hand was too close to the strings when I strummed chords.  But it did help with alternate picking a lot better.  I think I'll have to use a combination of ways to hold my pick to play.  I'll see what that does.   

[Chutzpah]

Funnily enough I too have been holding the pick with three fingers. It's a bad habit, I started learning when I was in school and it was never picked up on. Now, a good 11 years later I'm looking at learning the guitar again so I'm starting from the start and trying to unlearn bad habits..... 

[justinguitar]

The reasons for NOT using 3 fingers are:

1. It changes the angle of your hand when you play solos and makes the pick angle wrong. The angle the pick hits the strings in single note playing is very important especially for faster stuff.
2. The change of angle of the hand make it harder to mute strings (not something for beginners, but important later).
3. You restrict you ability to use your fingers as well (hybrid picking).
4. Most people I have seen using three fingers have too much tension in their hands.
5.

For strumming it doesn't matter.

Yes there are many players that do things differently than everyone else, and often what they do is brilliant. BUT what I try and do with this course is teach the techniques that will work for the majority of people. And it's my opinion that it is worth learning things the conventional way first and then exploring other techniques because you WANT to, not because you can't do it the "normal" way.

But as to if YOU should change a technique? well I just don't know. Sorry. J