How Do You Hold A Pick?, Pictures welcome |
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How Do You Hold A Pick?, Pictures welcome |
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Sep 5 2007, 05:29 AM |
It's best if you start and get used to one certain style. Than you won't have to relearn later! It's not good to plan on changing picking style or any part of technique. Every change is a pain in the ass and a waste of time so better learn it one way and stick to it for the rest of your life. Yes, but how do you know the style you choose to get used to is the style that's right for you in the long run? You have to develop experience with the (right or wrong) technique before you can realize it can be changed/improved. -------------------- My bands homepage
All time favourites: B. Streisand - Woman in Love, M. Hopkin - Those were the days, L. Richie - Hello |
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Sep 5 2007, 10:41 AM
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Well I've just checked out Pavel's Ionian Scale Speedpicking lesson, and I already hold the pick the same way he does.
Here is a quick link to the video I'm talking about. http://guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guitar/i...cking/index.htm In Video 2, at about 1:18, Pavel shows his picking hand. |
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Sep 5 2007, 11:13 AM |
Well I've just checked out Pavel's Ionian Scale Speedpicking lesson, and I already hold the pick the same way he does. Here is a quick link to the video I'm talking about. http://guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guitar/i...cking/index.htm In Video 2, at about 1:18, Pavel shows his picking hand. same here |
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Sep 5 2007, 11:16 AM
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Glad to have that cleared up, I was dreading the idea of having to get used to a different picking style.
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Sep 6 2007, 02:27 AM
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If the pick is slipping in your hand, try out some Clayton Picks.
I use the .50 MM here: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Cla...icks?sku=110419 |
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Sep 7 2007, 12:00 AM |
I've been thinking about this subject a lot lately in the past few weeks. Since originally, I moved to the guitar from the piano and woodwind instruments many years ago I've always been struck by how when it comes to how to hold a pick -THE critical core component of picking hand technique-, answers are all over the place when you compare this to how standardized basic elements of technique is on the other instruments. Many 'major' guitar books that I've seen devote no more than one paragraph to holding the pick and often they offer basically no more than "do what's comfortable for you" and other advice that's so lacking in detail that it was useless for me.
Ask a few experienced violinists to show you the correct way to hold the bow, and you'll find little variation in the responses (certainly when compared to the pick question I think). Over hundreds of years, masters of the violin perfected every fine detail of the technique, and now it's standardized- either you follow the method that is so refined that only an even greater genius could hope to improve it -or you're just making things harder for yourself. The guitar doesn't have quite the same formal history as the violin and piano, and there are techniques that have been widely known for as little as 20 years. We are still in the process of defining the pick grip and when we're done, I predict that there will be multiple pick grip techniques just like there are multiple stick grips for drummers. When I watch my playing closely, I've noticed that I don't change my grip very often (I grip between side of the index finger and the 'fingerprint' area of thumb, index finger in a neutral position as if holding a pencil rather than curled inward to the palm). I noticed I will curl the index finger inward toward the palm depending on the situation (speedpicking vs. a strum etc.). There are things other than the actual grip that I change a lot though- closed vs. open fist, how much pick is 'showing', angle of the pointed end of the pick in relation to my hand, and then all kinds of things that have more to do with the picking motion rather than grip. I found this article on the web, and it's the most detailed one I've found yet about his subject: Pick and Finger Technique Article I think some of you will find it interesting even though it includes fingerstyle information also. I'm sorry this post was too long, but I think that this is a fascinating subject and that moving from where we are right now with many books failing to define much of anything at all when it comes to picking technique to the point where there are entire books on the subject and standardized techniques is going to be a key step in the growth of guitar playing as a whole. |
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Jan 29 2008, 10:18 PM |
So anyway, I'm using Jazz III pick last night and suddenly my speed almost doubled! It was like a whole new world. I noticed I was holding the pick VERY lightly but the attack still had some punch. I was soooo happy - it felt like I was flying! That's funny - I picked up a Jazz III pick last night as wll (usually use a much thinner one) and I was liking it too! -------------------- Check out my Instructor profile
Live long and prosper ... My Stuff: Electric Guitars : Ibanez Jem7v, Line6 Variax 700, Fender Plus Strat with 57/62 Pickups, Line6 Variax 705 Bass Acoustic Guitars : Taylor 816ce, Martin D-15, Line6 Variax Acoustic 300 Nylon Effects : Line6 Helix, Keeley Modded Boss DS1, Keeley Modded Boss BD2, Keeley 4 knob compressor, Keeley OxBlood Amps : Epiphone Valve Jnr & Head, Cockburn A.C.1, Cockburn A.C.2, Blackstar Club 50 Head & 4x12 Cab |
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Jan 29 2008, 10:32 PM |
I never thought on how I hold a pick I just hold it
It has to stay firmly between fingers, and to feel comfortable that way, nothing else -------------------- |
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Jan 30 2008, 12:34 AM |
Funny that you all should write. I've also recently discovered the Jazz III. Been playing with them for a week now and it's a major improvement compared to the dunlop Gator 1.5mm I was using for a year now. I think I've found my pick.
-------------------- Roland Cube 30; Toneport GX; Cort kx1; Ibanez RG1570; Ibanez EW35ABE-NT http://www.last.fm/user/Mr_T83 |
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Jan 30 2008, 09:02 AM
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If the pick is slipping in your hand, try out some Clayton Picks. I use the .50 MM here: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Cla...icks?sku=110419 .50 mm really!? wow! thats must feel like a limp chicken. i use 3 mm big stubbies, and think they are too thin. to each his own i guess. after countless experiments with different pick sizes and shapes, and ways of holding them, this is what i found out. if you are going for speed, and articulation, the thicker, and stiffer, the better. pointy picks are better then rounded ones. better for cutting through the string, fewer snags. how you hold it is of great importance. there really is a right way, and all the rest are simply wrong. again, i underscore, strictly for speed, holding the pick between thumb and first knuckle of the index finger, angled slightly to the plane of the strings, is the right way. also, the rest of the fingers should be curled gently under (ala pavel). the reason for that is simple physics. the smaller the fulcrum (ie the distance between the wrist, the pivot point, and the tip of your hand), the less torque you need to apply to achieve the same angular velocity. the faster you can play. also pivoting with the wrist is a lot better, faster, and more controllable, and accurate then pivoting from the elbow. and the most important thing i learned is, the more relaxed the hand is, the faster you can play. that comes only through countless hours of playing slow to build up muscle memory. boris |
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