Lesson 4: How to Hold a Guitar Pick

Knowing the proper way to hold a guitar pick can make a big difference in how you play the guitar. While there are many different ways to hold a pick, Thomas will show you what many believe is the most common and effective method. Learn the basics of commanding a pick and you'll be one step closer to rocking out like a pro!

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How to Hold a Guitar Pick (Lesson 4...

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How to Hold a Guitar Pick

Step 1: Hold out your picking hand. Turn your hand over gently and let your fingers curl over naturally.

Step 2: Touch your thumb to the side of your index finger.

Step 3: Place your pick in between your thumb and index finger, and leave your thumb loose and slightly bent. See and follow along with the picture on the left.

The key is to keep your picking hand loose, without getting too lax that you let the pick fly out of your hand while strumming. The only fingers you need to hold a pick are your thumb and index finger.

Note that there are other ways to hold a pick. Remember that your comfort is important, so try to find an effective, comfortable way to hold your pick without sacrificing sound quality. For example, Eric Clapton holds his pick very loosely with the tips of two fingers, while Eddie Van Halen hold hist pick between his thumb and middle finger. For a beginner, these seem like ineffective ways to use a pick, but it varies for each guitarist.

Different Styles of Guitar Picks

Since each guitar player has their own style and sound, there are many different types of guitar picks available to musicians. There are soft picks for lighter, acoustic songs, as well as hard picks for heavier, electric songs. Each player is different, however, and each has their own preferences.

Each player also has a different size hand and comfort level when playing, so there exist both larger and small picks, as well. Picks are made of acrylic, nylon and celluloid, among other materials such as metal or even rock.

Depending on the style of music, the shapes of the picks can vary. There are squared picks, as well as the equilateral triangle pointed, shark's fin and studded to name a few. There is also a thumb pick for classical style picking. Note that the lighter the string, the lighter the pick should be. A hard pick on light acoustic strings might break your strings more frequently.