Holding Your Pick
If you choose to use a guitar pick, which many players do, there is a technique to holding the pick correctly. It sounds trivial, but how you hold and use your pick has a tremendous impact on your guitar sound.
Use the image below and hold your pick in this manner.
Here are some tips to hold your pick in a way that will give you the best sound:
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- Hold your pick between your index finger and thumb.
- The pick should be held as an extension of your index finger with a slight downward turn.
- The pick should extend about ⅜” to ½” beyond your index finger.
- Hold the pick lightly; this will give you a nice strum tone. The harder you hold the pick, the more harsh the sound tone becomes.
- Important: keep the rest of your hand open as you strum.
How you hold the pick has a huge impact on your strumming sound
Strumming is all about a light, even ‘brushing’ of the strings. Most beginners tend to hold the pick too tight and strum too hard, making for harsh sound. Strum wide, light, and even. An instructor can really come in handy here with showing you proper strum technique.
If you are interested in learning more beginner guitar techniques, see our book “Learn to Play Guitar for Adult Absolute Beginners“.
If you are a beginner guitarist, a few lessons with a professional instructor can go a long way. If you’re not local to Manchester, New Hampshire, we offer online guitar lessons, which are fun, affordable, and can really help, especially if you’re struggling in a particular area. You can schedule an online lesson HERE. We would love to help you out, either in-studio, or online. Happy learning!
