How To Hold a Pick

[nitram]

I think that one factor that is paramount in this discussion is dryness or wetness of the players hands. I have very dry hands and that prevents me from getting any solid grip on a plastic (or what-have-you) pick. If your hands are a bit moist you are well on your way to a no-problem picking scenario. It's really hard to find a stable grip when you don't have a grip. Hence the Fred Biletnikoff stickum solution put forward by some. Whatever works I guess.

[LSemmens]

Dirty Daiper for me and I am unlikely to change for some time, unless there is a pressing need.

[magnawing]

I've tried holding picks in every way suggested here and have never been able to master any. So, for me, it's fingerpicking and strumming with the side of my thumb (started out by learning slap bass in a Philly string band years ago)...I have a callous on the outside of my right thumb that matches the ones on my left fingertips.


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[HHP]

Originally Posted by magnawing

I've tried holding picks in every way suggested here and have never been able to master any. So, for me, it's fingerpicking and strumming with the side of my thumb (started out by learning slap bass in a Philly string band years ago)...I have a callous on the outside of my right thumb that matches the ones on my left fingertips.


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Have no suggestions for proper use of a "air pick"

[magnawing]

Originally Posted by HHP

Have no suggestions for proper use of a "air pick"

I guess the callous sort of works like a pick when I need it to.


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[Cabarone]

I've never really thought about it before, so I grabbed one to see. I guess I've always kinda placed it as you suggested...who knew?

[Gitarre]

I, too, had to pick up the guitar to see how I hold the plectrum and thankfully, I'm in with the cool crowd.

[HHP]

"Jonboy" would not be the nomme de guitarre of any manly flat picker.

[oxygenman]

I have several bad habits developed over fifty years, and this exchange has made me realize my way of holding the pick is one of them. I am going to try what HHP suggests. Another problem for me is that the little finger on my fret hand always pops into the air when it isn't being used, which I know is ergonomically incorrect. I have tried everything I can think of to stop it. If anyone has a suggestion about that, I welcome it.

[Gitarre]

Uh, yeah. Oh, touché, I guess.

[vindibona1]

Good subject to discuss. I'm with you guys and have only held my pick on the side of my finger as illustrated. I don't see how you can have full control with the "dirty diaper pinch".

[numb fingertips]

I'm still fairly new to guitar, so it was an easier change for me. Tried it yesterday and it seems more stable. The pick at times would spin with my previous hold. It felt kind of odd at first, like my hand was closer to the guitar. I also noticed a difference in wrist movement. I don't know if that's good or bad. Seems with the old hold I moved my my wrists more. Moving my arms more now when strumming.

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by chitz

I share this with folks...

This seems to simplify the whole thing. Don't really see how it could be anything else.

The important variation not yet discussed (did I miss something) is that some fold the 2,3,4th fingers into the palm, whereas others (like me) have them relaxed and trailing.
I don't use them for hybrid picking....no-one taught me how to use a pick....it just evolved.

[TConnelly]

This is a timely thread for me. Just yesterday I decided to basically start over from scratch, to hopefully eliminate a few bad habits.

The first is the dirty diaper hold on the pick. I've had a terrible time with picking accuracy. Especially in single note things that involve skipping strings. And also bass notes mixed in with strumming. My pick just refuses to find the right string. It's been a problem for ever. And it's just not getting any better. Another problem it's causing is it makes palm muting very awkward. It feels much more natural with the "proper" hold on the pick. I think the transition for single note stuff won't be too hard but strumming this way is another matter entirely. That's gonna be hard!

The second thing is that I always play seated with the guitar on my left leg and use a strap. So as a result of this and the way I'm built the guitar has always wound Up tilted up with the fretboard facing me. As you guys all know this causes all sorts of problems from an awkward wrist angle with eventual carpal tunnel problems to a reliance on the visual and staring at the fretboard. This also means I can't play standing. Because when I stand the fretboard is facing away from me.

So basically I have a lot of work ahead of me. I may suspend lessons for a couple months while I struggle with this.

Cheers...............Todd

[midirons]

Chipped a tooth doing this in my high school years (late 60's). LOL!