Hello Muris!

You have probably been asked this question before, but I just have to know how you are holding the pick in alternate picking. This problem have bothered me for a long time because I can't decide which way to use. I know there are many ways to it but I would very much like to know your opinion. Angle?, What part of the pick are your fingers on (more up or down on the pick)? and so on. A detailed answer would be too kind .

Thank you in advance , Jocke

Hello Jocke.

I guess I'm holding pick in a kind of standard way,
no angle,picks is laying horizontally with strings,
and hold about half of the pick with my fingers.

I've taken few picts just for you so you can see it "closer".

Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment

This last one only shows you "the angle",I'm not holding it this way tho.
Click to view attachment

Hope this helps a bit,let me know if you need anything else.

Thank you very much, this was really perfect with pictures and everything!! very nice of you
h.jocke

You're welcome.

Hey Muris, while your at it. How "deep" do you go with your pick when your speeding?

Thanks in advance.

Hi there

Well if you are REALY shredding you are just not able to get too deep,
you don't have time to do that.
Plus it'd be unproductive I guess,too wide movements.

But when you're playing slower things and you wanna more tone
then you should go really deep into it,just don't break the string.

Thank you.

No worries, I just strung my guitar with 12's

Ok then,you're welcome

since you just mentioned strings. what guage do you prefer? any reasons why? thanx in advance.

Well lately I use 010 tho I switch back to 009 every here and there
but without any real reason, just wanna some kind of change.
010 are more fat with fat tone and everything
while 009 are maybe easier for bends, legato and stuff like that.
There is no perfect choice I'm afraid,
it comes to personal preference at the moment and sort of compromise as well.

Hello Muris,
llooking at these pictures, I ask you:
Do you rest your hand on the bridge (even if just slightly), or you rest just the arm against the guitar and leave your wrist and hand completely loose?
Also, how thick and hard is your pick ?
(I ask you all these "nic-pic" questions because I'm trying to do EXACTLY what you do, when you play)... Sorry
Thank you very much!
Tyson

Hey Tyson, I think Muris is away from GMC for some time. Not sure when he's supposed to be back.

Hello!
That's bad to hear... I hope nothing too serious had happened.
Thank you

This is a great thread on holding the pick for shredding. The good news is that even after a given instructor moves on, their posts, lessons, wiki entries and other stuff live on forever @ GMC. He has some killer tips here on holding the pick which is very important when shredding.

As far as resting your hand on the bridge. Most players will use the resting position as a mute for strings they are not playing and as a soft mute for strings that are being played to give them a crunchy sound. I tened to keep my hand right on the bridge and then adjust it slightly depending on if I'm muting unplayed strings or muting played and unplayed strings. Here is a pic of how I hold the pick and it's quite similar to what he talks about in the threed.

This technique seems very natural for playing at high speed.

Click to view attachment

Practice!
Todd