How Do You Hold A Pick?, Pictures welcome
Ayen
Aug 31 2007, 02:23 PM
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I was wondering how everyone here holds their picks. I hold mine in my own way, but that might not be the best for speed. Could anyone show me a different way to hold it?

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Ayen
Aug 31 2007, 02:52 PM
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QUOTE (fkalich @ Aug 31 2007, 02:45 PM) *
look on some older threads. most here I think hold it with the index finger and thumb nearly horizontal to the strings, the pick tucked in with only the bare tip exposed. actually my index finger points up a bit. it feels uncomfortable at first, but you get used to it, I can't imagine holding any other way now. I used to hold it in similar fashion shown above. Ryan will remember the discussions we had on this.


Thanks, I'll start looking through the pages now, I've got hours of time ahead of me. Oddly enough, the idea of looking around never even occured to me laugh.gif .


QUOTE
Cool
Glad it helped.You know some actually play with a closed hand aswell,meaning that they do not let there fingers hand out .You can see this in some of pavel's lessons.It is said that its the fastest way to be able to pick,but i have did this way so long very hard to play closed fist and im more accurate this way.Also Kirk Hammet holds his pick this exact way.


Cool, I'll try with the closed fist as well. Thanks!

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fkalich
Aug 31 2007, 03:03 PM
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QUOTE (Ayen @ Aug 31 2007, 08:52 AM) *
Thanks, I'll start looking through the pages now, I've got hours of time ahead of me. Oddly enough, the idea of looking around never even occured to me laugh.gif .
Cool, I'll try with the closed fist as well. Thanks!


this may sound narrow minded to you, but I think there is really only one basic way for a shredder to hold a pick. the need really shows up when you start pushing 200bpm 16th AP notes. You can get by holding in other fashions on sweeps, and other things, but it will be easier to get to high speed alternating picking if you hold it the way I am describing.

I was stubborn about doing so myself, but gave in, and it was a very good decision. look at articles about pinch harmonics. those usually describe this method. as I said, it feels uncomfortable at first, and you may not want to hold it that way. but you will get used to it, i assure you. and you will be able to play faster.

Andrew (the theory guy) held it in a different way for 20 years prior to coming to this site, but he change to the described method.

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This post has been edited by fkalich: Aug 31 2007, 03:05 PM
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Andrew Cockburn
Aug 31 2007, 08:49 PM
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QUOTE (fkalich @ Aug 31 2007, 10:03 AM) *
Andrew (the theory guy) held it in a different way for 20 years prior to coming to this site, but he change to the described method.


Yes, I agree totally with fkalich - I got a lot more control and eventually a much more relaxed way of picking by changing to this method. Relaxation is incredibly important in high speed playing, so if you are even slightly tense it will impede your progress.

Now I thought I was totally fine with the way I held the pick until others convinced me to try this way. Your mileage may vary, and it may not suit everyone, but if I hadn't tried it I would still be limiting myself, so you owe it to yourself to be aware of different ways out there and to try a few. If you then go back to your old way then fine at least you tried. For me, even after 30 years of playing, changing the way I held the pick wasn't a huge deal, I was used to it in a week or two. Then a little while after that I suddenly got a huge relaxation in my playing that helped me a lot.

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Posts in this topic
- Ayen   How Do You Hold A Pick?   Aug 31 2007, 02:23 PM
- - shredmandan   I hold a pick like this. My thumb leaves about 20...   Aug 31 2007, 02:31 PM
- - Ayen   Sure does, thanks for the picture. I usually held ...   Aug 31 2007, 02:43 PM
|- - shredmandan   QUOTE (Ayen @ Aug 31 2007, 09:43 AM) Sure...   Aug 31 2007, 02:46 PM
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- - fkalich   QUOTE (Ayen @ Aug 31 2007, 08:23 AM) I wa...   Aug 31 2007, 02:45 PM
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- - Ayen   It doesn't sound narrow-minded at all, fkalich...   Aug 31 2007, 03:22 PM
|- - fkalich   QUOTE (Ayen @ Aug 31 2007, 09:22 AM) It d...   Aug 31 2007, 03:58 PM
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- - Ayen   Oh, I think I see what you mean here. I was way of...   Aug 31 2007, 04:09 PM
- - Juan M. Valero   It's not really important how you hold the pic...   Aug 31 2007, 04:19 PM
|- - fkalich   QUOTE (Juan M. Valero @ Aug 31 2007, 10:1...   Aug 31 2007, 04:42 PM
|- - MickeM   QUOTE (Juan M. Valero @ Aug 31 2007, 05:1...   Aug 31 2007, 04:55 PM
|- - SLASH91   QUOTE (Juan M. Valero @ Aug 31 2007, 10:1...   Sep 3 2007, 04:41 AM
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- - Juan M. Valero   Ok, wait a moment please XD I want to explain tha...   Aug 31 2007, 06:04 PM
- - KRmachine   I've changed my picking hand twice, and i thin...   Sep 1 2007, 09:40 AM
- - Jared   For someone just starting out, is it a good idea t...   Sep 2 2007, 03:57 AM
|- - MickeM   QUOTE (Jared @ Sep 2 2007, 04:57 AM) For ...   Sep 2 2007, 05:32 AM
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- - Pavel   It's best if you start and get used to one cer...   Sep 2 2007, 06:04 AM
|- - shredmandan   QUOTE (Pavel @ Sep 2 2007, 01:04 AM) It...   Sep 2 2007, 06:12 AM
|- - fkalich   QUOTE (Pavel @ Sep 2 2007, 12:04 AM) It...   Sep 2 2007, 06:21 AM
||- - Juan M. Valero   QUOTE (fkalich @ Sep 2 2007, 07:21 AM) Wo...   Sep 5 2007, 04:46 AM
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|- - MickeM   QUOTE (Pavel @ Sep 2 2007, 07:04 AM) It...   Sep 5 2007, 05:29 AM
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- - Ayen   Well I've just checked out Pavel's Ionian ...   Sep 5 2007, 10:41 AM
|- - fkalich   QUOTE (Ayen @ Sep 5 2007, 04:41 AM) Well ...   Sep 5 2007, 11:13 AM
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- - Ayen   Glad to have that cleared up, I was dreading the i...   Sep 5 2007, 11:16 AM
- - buttmonk   Hi all, Any thoughts on pick size? I use a normal...   Sep 6 2007, 02:17 AM
- - Ayen   If the pick is slipping in your hand, try out some...   Sep 6 2007, 02:27 AM
|- - ch00ch00man   QUOTE (Ayen @ Sep 5 2007, 09:27 PM) If th...   Jan 30 2008, 09:02 AM
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- - Evan   I've been thinking about this subject a lot la...   Sep 7 2007, 12:00 AM
- - Bulletproof   Interesting topic. to be honest...I usually hold m...   Oct 19 2007, 06:57 AM
- - PlayAllDay   I hold my pick with side of finger and thumb - no ...   Oct 19 2007, 07:18 AM
|- - Andrew Cockburn   QUOTE (PlayAllDay @ Oct 19 2007, 01:18 AM...   Jan 29 2008, 10:18 PM
|- - Henkka   QUOTE (Andrew Cockburn @ Jan 29 2008, 11...   Jan 29 2008, 10:51 PM
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- - Melvyn   My picking is wierd, i use my Middle finger and th...   Jan 29 2008, 02:59 PM
- - Dejan   I never thought on how I hold a pick I just hol...   Jan 29 2008, 10:32 PM
- - Bali   I've been through the most amazing changes t...   Jan 29 2008, 10:45 PM
- - Mr T   Funny that you all should write. I've also rec...   Jan 30 2008, 12:34 AM
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