This is LITERALLY the best pick holding video I've come across on UA-cam, most people don't show it from this angle so it's still hard to tell how the pick should be positioned! Thank you, short and sweet but detailed!!
I have such large hands I can't even play a strat. Don't tell me "the proper way" to hold a pick when your hands are so much smaller than mine. Or maybe just say "if you have hands the same exact size as mine this is the proper way to hold a pick." 😂
MY thumb and index finger make an X, and I hold my pick with very little protruding to just tap or slap the top 1/2 of the string. I use 2.0,-2.5 black Jim Dunlop jazz picks (I play rock), and I drill 7-9 5/32 holes on the top 1/2 of the pick for grip. Works wonders.
This is how I hold it. I also find that when I strum chords that the fingernail of my thumb and index finger glides alongside the pick, this seems to add something to the sound that I can’t explain, like it sounds “richer”? Or more “full”? Idk but I’ve been doing it this way for 20 years and can hear the difference when someone else plays through my rig
its about the way u attack the string, if ur arent perpendicular to the strings the pick will rotate based on the angle the strings are pushing the pick in ur hand
Take a knife to your picks if you have smooth picks. Make a “star” pattern of cuts into the surface on both sides and you’re adding grip. Easy technique to help. Or buy picks that have grip surface. I’ve been using the Matt Heafy custom Jazz III picks for about a year and a half and they’re amazing. Dennis Sharp had incredible picks many years ago but I don’t know if they exist anymore, I haven’t seen them in well over a decade where I live. Hold the pick so that you don’t drop it. That’s more important than a “rule” that is just a suggestion. Always remember that while music has many guidelines and many incredible tricks and practices for enhancing technique and efficiency, the ultimate rule is that there are no rules. Play how you feel comfortable. Or struggle through a new way and practice it until you make it work. There is no wrong way, only different ways. All about what works for you and your style and intentions as a player and artist.
This is great for a beginner. I have evolved to hold the pick different ways in order to draw a different tone. The tinny sound is just fine. If that's what you are going for. I wouldn't suggest it for a run or any lagoto or if you are trying to learn songs. But when you decide to create songs. That can be a great thing to know. This includes variations like hybrid picking. If you get far to used to holding it "the correct way" you may struggle finding a comfortable position when you want to experiment a little. It was much easier for older guitarists to marry themselves to the craft. This day and age no one but the laziest have time to learn right. So if you are going for the standard picking and just need help holding one. This is the best advice. Just remember my advice when going outside the box, which is what music is all about. Just don't use this mentality when learning music theory. That's not a debatable or changeable reality. Learn it, though. It will increase your knowledge 10 fold.
So this is really bizarre to me how incredible I sound as a beginner after trying this tip just now. I have been dabbling on acoustic guitar on and off for a few months now, and I normally play the Baritone Uke. I thought I knew how to hold a pick after watching dozens of popular guitar experts here on YT describe how to hold a pick, and all of them have the same advice. This video was different and had us hold the pick with the index curled in more and the pick end only sticking out halfway. What a huge difference that made in the quality of my tone. Thank you for dramatically fixing my playing in only 1 minute.
I started playing metal guitar and learned to hold the pick exactly like this years ago. It gave me great control over gallup rhythm and palm muting, Years later I am trying to learn acoustic strumming and this didn't work for me. It caused my hand to be too close to the string and make contact, so it felt weird when trying to do big strums so I changed it. Now I noticed this tin sound that sounds terrible when I play. I watched this video and tried the old technique and it instantly went away. It's because this strong grip stabilizes the pick in both directions so it doesn't flex in your hand. Now I just need to learn to do this and not hit the strings with my hand, which is a different kind of battle. But strumming sound was fixed in 5 seconds. Great tip.
Also, don't hold the pick perpendicular to the strings - it can get hung up & slow you down. rotate the pick so the leading edge is about 30 degrees downward. That way the tip just rolls over the strings. Tone is smoother & a little darker, but much prettier, especially playing clean. don't move the pick more than you need to. Use only wrist & hand. Keep palm on bridge (on an electric) and slide the palm up and down when you move from string to string (the only excuse for moving from the elbow when playing lead lines) to keep your hand aligned with each string. Small movements of a pick, with it ending up ABOVE the next or previous string when changing strings. Most pickers only pick with the pick slanted a bit downward as well as rotated. There are several "right" ways to hold your plectrum - it depends on what music you are playing and which grip gives you your best feeling of control. You don't want to grip too hard, but don't hold it so lightly you keep dropping the pick. Like everything else in music, "there are horses for courses."
Life changing. Literally holding pick wrong for YEARS. Incredible speed gain tone improvement. My guitar teacher never commented on it. I’m amazed it made so much diff. Felt real weird for about a month😮
It might be a reference especially for someone new but everyone is different….their hands, fingers….it’s what works for you. There are many that don’t use picks for most of their playing. That my friend is how you hold your pick and not me.
Ive been holding the pick wrong for 45 years!! Finally started to hold it this way and it's taken me an entire year to get used to. Right off the bat it vastly improved my tone!! It sounds much more full. It took almost a year of getting used to before I could use it at gigs. Im now 97% there lol and I'm starting to work on my speed picking.
To each his own. I agree there are ways to hold the pick that are wrong, (I don't know that was he showed in the beginning), but I don't hold it like this, and doing so would significantly limit my technique.
I think its just another tool in the tool box and it could be a good tool to have if you play certain styles that would benefit from holding the pick that way, but it may not translate as well to everything else. You learned one way and you developed the muscle memory to have it work for you. I've tried to hold the pick that way, but i look and feel like a caveman when i do. The way I hold a pick works most efficiently for me with the way I play. It is amazing however, how much different you can get one guitar to sound just by changing the way you hold a pick or even what kind of pick you use. Maybe its a combination of both and each one of us is trying to find that perfect marriage. Rock on! 🎵🤘
100% Suggested good techniques are what they are but there are countless insane guitarists who hold a pick somewhat or completely unconventionally. It’s all about your desired sound, your style, and your comfort. Of course your hand and wrist health should be part of the equation, but there’s no rules to how you do it right.
I say, just play and play and play, focusing on the clarity and tone and when you find it, it will lock in naturally for you. Everyone’s pick grip will be a little bit different.
A guitar guru once told me same thing. The way you’re holding it allows for more speed and accuracy too. Less work as well you just kinda wiggle that thumb 👍
I hold it closer to the tip, because if its held on a round part of your finger, you can change the angle of the pick to get different tones. You can't change angle as far on the side of your finger. Sometimes I used two fingers or even the index finger by itself
I struggled with holding my pick correctly for like 2 years. It always felt extremely forced and uncomfortable even though I could swear I was following videos just like this one to a T. I can’t explain it, but eventually my hand just kinda settled into it over time and it became natural. Now I can change my grip on the fly while playing to produce different tones, increase speed etc. It’s incredible just how versatile and important this little piece of plastic is. Even makes a huge difference how thick the pick you’re using is. I used to play cello and it’s very much like a bow.
It’s nice to hear that it took you so long. I am five or six months into changing my grip and it’s starting to come around. I’m keeping the faith that it will pay off in the long run.
I don't either, I often find them uncomfortable and I don't get a great sound from them. But now I wonder if it's because I never learned how to use one properly. Definitely going to give this a try!
@@punchdrunkassassin could be, but some people seem to 'get' finger picking more intuitively and gravitate to it. I started out flat picking, and diligently practicing and trying to get a good grip, feel, and sound and it's still something that doesn't feel totally natural after 4 years! Fingers picking I feel at home, and stuff just happens like I want it to.
Why reason u don't use pick?... I'm ask you because before iam bass player who don't use pick.. But now iam play guitar, and my friends told me to use pick when playing guitar so i learning with pick.. I see many guitarist don't use pick..
A lot of pros use the George Benson style. Instead of creasing the index finger's first knuckle, he keeps the index finger in line with the finger pointing straight down at the point. The thumb crosses it and may or may not extend past the end of the pick - player's choice. Pat Metheny holds his pick with thumb & 2 fingertips (WRONG, beginners - don't do). But he makes beautiful music, though he'll never be a shredder with that technique. Players must have "HEAD" (musical mind) and "HANDS" (technical ability). People like Metheny and the late Wes Montgomery, who gave me lessons in octave playing when I was 15, have HEAD!!! Hands less important as long as they can play the music you hear in your head. "Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity" [Charles Mingus]. I alway favor musicality over technique. Never play a note that doesn't have a purpose (I simply call them Purpose Notes) except to show off technical virtuosity. It is a waste of a musician's time to listen to somebody doing that. Listen to Metheny and Montgomery and Kenny Burrell. They could blaze when necessary, but never played an extraneous note just to show off physical technicality.
As a mandolin player, this is the only way I hold a pick, and I think it’s very good advice, and the best technique for getting the best tone not only on guitar, but mandolin as well😊
When I first started playing guitar this was my natural way of holding it because I also play snare drum, I didn't know that this was the best way to do it!
I used this method for years. I only recently changed it because I found muting the low strings awkward with the angle. I now point the finger down towards the top of the pick and it solved everything. I have huge hands. This might not be the case for everyone
I learned the correct way to hold the pick but now the problem I’m having is when I’m trying to do something intense like rapid tremolo picking, the pick slowly slips from the right position and the picking gradually becomes worse ofc
Well he is wrong because if someone held it from the narrow tip end then it wouldn’t even be close to right and that’s how my friend did when I gave him a pick
Someone said to point the index finger straight down and hold the pick as if you’re pointing at the strings. This way was infuriating, unnatural and was quickly abandoned
Remember: everyone holds their pick differently, this grip is very versatile but may not be the best for what you are doing. I personally don't use this grip as it isn't very good for stuff like noise rock where I'm less focused on single string picking however, this grip is a good all-rounder.
Truthfully, this should be used when doing speed licks. There is minimum control for rhythm and the pick tends to scrape the strings. I’m not sure why people are advocating this when this is mainly for 1 style of playing. Most modern rock or blues players don’t use the pick like this. But definitely the virtuoso players for the sweeps and economy.
@@THRASHMETALFUNRIFFS look at players like Yngwie, Eric Johnson, Hendrix, Clapton, EVH, and tell me if they’re holding the pick like this? Unless someone was taught this was at the very early stage of playing, then stick with it if it works. But to anyone trying to change it to this will find difficulty.
There is no right way of holding the pick, but changing it can effect how you attack the strings. People like tosin abasi, paul gilbert use the dart thrower technique, ive noticed tosin switches to this specifically for aggressive attack on fast tremolo gallops and bursts. Learn to play with multiple techniques and switch between them.
This one has got to be the best video. Its that curl of the index finger that does it and holy shit it immediately made my strumming feel much more relaxed
The correct way to play is to hold the pick between my thumb and press it onto my index finger. But every time play, my index finger falls on the strings. After that the sound came out really badass. It is very difficult to keep the index finger from falling on the strings.😢
@@acousticidaho i had three teachers all trying to convince me to hold it in a different way. i just started to hold the pick sideways- playing with one of the upper corners - this way i have more grip and a less pointy point. it gives it a different sound as well. i use my index and even more my middle finger (and of course thumb) to hold it. biggest problem is how to hold it / where to put it if i change to using no pick at all. i keep loosing it. it usually ends up in my mouth 🤓
i just watched your video . that’s how my teacher Ira Chris from the Swiss Jazz School taught me, using very small and very hard picks on heavy flatwound strings. i don’t fold my finger like that at all, my fingers are almost straight - more like Pat Metheny. how you hold your pick becomes part of your own sound and style.
i dont use the bottom point of the " triangle" of the pick, i use one of the smaller sides and i barely let it peek through.basically hitting string and thumb every time, so i can control the muting of strings with each hit
It just seems like a bit too much curl on the index finger and a little far back on the thumb. Like it takes away some ability to manipulate the pick with finger and thumb tips. Looks like it'd be good for muted chugging. A guy once told me not everyone's hands are identical, wait no, I said that 😛
Don’t feel forced to listen to this you don’t have to a little thing about being a guitar player is we all do things differently and if it works for you then don’t feel forced to do something someone else’s way. So hold the puck how ever you want to and how ever feels most comfortable and right
If this helps my thumb pain (yes, my picking hand thumb) which was injured and has stunted my guitar growth i will 100% give you a shoutout on my album. Ive been playing guitar for almost 11 years and have always held the pick outwards and my picking thumb hurts more than the fretting one which should not happen. Has anyone else had an experience like this, where your thumb joint pivots backwards, causing weakness and swelling therefore impacting a hobby, such as an instrument?
I only agree to an extent. I spent so many years playing the first way he showed and it hindered me badly. When I changed it to the proper way he showed, I began achieving everything I had wanted. It was uncomfortable at first, but the more I worked at it the more natural it started to feel. Small changes like that make a huge difference, but it all depends on what your goals are.
@@blueorpheus5693This is so true. I exactly feel the same. If you are at a certain level and you start incorporating, it’s a game changer. As early as possible proper technique for the win 🤘🏻
Being a professional guitar is recommended this trick to you it is the perfect way of holding a platform I also hold it just like this in the starting I also face some problem but now I have started to adapt this new way of holding a platform this will help you to fasten up your strumming and also you will be really nice lead player
I’m total beginner and practicing electric guitar and bass for 8 months. I hold the pick exact like this and I feel comfortable even with very high bpm chromatic exercises by alternate picking. However it keeps slipping when I play songs, especially the thick picks. I change the position easily if the song gives me a break but if there is a very long phrase, It starts to become a nightmare. I really don’t know the problem is me or the picks. I hope it will be fixed by the time.
i use a very small 3 mil pick i put it at the tip of my thumb and bend my main finger slightly i got them both so they can move freely together so they can counter my wrist movement for greater speed...my hand posture is similar to your but my index finger comes straight down rather than bend over the pick
This grip did not work for me at all. Every stroke was harsh and hard. I used this pick grip to play a metal song. It worked fine for that but playing with this grip was really stressful. It made me stiff and robotic. I had no control over picking. So i changed to normal picking, yngwie malmsteen style. Its very relaxed and i have far more control. But it requires far more practice to get used to.
I switched to this technique a few weeks ago after a decade of holding it like you showed at the beginning. For anyone who wants to try it: it works, and it's much more comfortable and precise in the long run, just don't get discouraged if you don't get it right at first.
Put it on your middle finger, then thumb over crease and index in top, giving you ultimate control, you don't drop it, and it doesn't roll in your fingers.
Maybe there is no thumb rule. Holding the way suggested in this video makes muting and chucks difficult.. Atleast for me.. I used to hold the pick like this but not anymore.. I bought picks with anti slip surface and it helps a lot
I somehow taught myself to do this exact method, and I teach this method myself. People always act like its weird, but they wonder why they keep dropping the pick all the time using the other method. They also wonder why they can't play faster. This is part of the equation.
I don't like hold the pick with my pointer finger bent all the way. I like my pointer finger pointed towards the strings with the pick on the side of my finger.
I hold the pick kind like that but more out away from my hand, kinda like the okay 👌 sign but with my fingers closed and only like 2 mm of the tip of the pick sticking out, i also use a jazz3
Naw man. I been studing this. True its faster being closer to the pivot point of the wrist but you cant angle the pick naturally with that grip. Youll get sore and tired. I cant feel without my finger tips involved. So ima stay 3 fingered hettfieldish. Edit. I just did it I noticed, I do both. I can't palmate as good 3 fingered so I notice I slip into the 2 finger style to palmate.
Two fingers, and the thumb using a medium Fender triangular Dorito pick, like the one Carlos used at Woodstock during " Soul Sacrifice" ! Gives you great control, and has never flown off accidentally into the crowd!🤦
@travislee9662 yeah it's odd, when I've held it like that it doest feel like I'm going through the strings, just feels like I'm plucking beside it, I cant really describe it well but it's odd
Nope, that thumb muscle is very important for fast chugging galloped riffs and string skipping. This lets you take tension off the wrist or forearm and share the muscles between them to keep going longer and faster and more accurate. If you play any deicide for 30 minutes straight, you'll know.
This is LITERALLY the best pick holding video I've come across on UA-cam, most people don't show it from this angle so it's still hard to tell how the pick should be positioned! Thank you, short and sweet but detailed!!
Thanks! :-)
I think it doesn't work for everyone....coz everyone has different fingers...it depends on the person comfort zone
Agreed! Thank you so much!!!!
@@acousticidahoI've always held the pick like this
I have such large hands I can't even play a strat. Don't tell me "the proper way" to hold a pick when your hands are so much smaller than mine. Or maybe just say "if you have hands the same exact size as mine this is the proper way to hold a pick." 😂
That instantly changed the way it sounds. Now the strings are evenly hit, the sound is much more smooth. Thanks for the advice! 😊
Great! Happy to help! 🙂
Umm...100th like to your comment 👍
Yes absolutely ❤❤💯
This nigga a bio boi
Placebo effect
I tried this and my picking speed and consistency improved immediately.... just wow...
Thanks, Keith!
Crazy how much of a difference this made in accuracy for picking too thanks for the tip man made power chords a lot easier
MY thumb and index finger make an X, and I hold my pick with very little protruding to just tap or slap the top 1/2 of the string. I use 2.0,-2.5 black Jim Dunlop jazz picks (I play rock), and I drill 7-9 5/32 holes on the top 1/2 of the pick for grip. Works wonders.
That's awesome!
@@acousticidaho
Try it.
This is how I hold it. I also find that when I strum chords that the fingernail of my thumb and index finger glides alongside the pick, this seems to add something to the sound that I can’t explain, like it sounds “richer”? Or more “full”? Idk but I’ve been doing it this way for 20 years and can hear the difference when someone else plays through my rig
My pick keeps slipping through my fingers that way lol
just need to hold it tighter or, you can get a pick with some type of grip on it!
its about the way u attack the string, if ur arent perpendicular to the strings the pick will rotate based on the angle the strings are pushing the pick in ur hand
I recommend cat tongue picks they have a small amount of stippling to make the grip on the pick more grippy
Take a knife to your picks if you have smooth picks. Make a “star” pattern of cuts into the surface on both sides and you’re adding grip. Easy technique to help. Or buy picks that have grip surface. I’ve been using the Matt Heafy custom Jazz III picks for about a year and a half and they’re amazing. Dennis Sharp had incredible picks many years ago but I don’t know if they exist anymore, I haven’t seen them in well over a decade where I live.
Hold the pick so that you don’t drop it. That’s more important than a “rule” that is just a suggestion. Always remember that while music has many guidelines and many incredible tricks and practices for enhancing technique and efficiency, the ultimate rule is that there are no rules. Play how you feel comfortable. Or struggle through a new way and practice it until you make it work. There is no wrong way, only different ways. All about what works for you and your style and intentions as a player and artist.
I think you should hold a pick how you feel most comfortable
This is great for a beginner. I have evolved to hold the pick different ways in order to draw a different tone. The tinny sound is just fine. If that's what you are going for. I wouldn't suggest it for a run or any lagoto or if you are trying to learn songs. But when you decide to create songs. That can be a great thing to know. This includes variations like hybrid picking. If you get far to used to holding it "the correct way" you may struggle finding a comfortable position when you want to experiment a little. It was much easier for older guitarists to marry themselves to the craft. This day and age no one but the laziest have time to learn right. So if you are going for the standard picking and just need help holding one. This is the best advice. Just remember my advice when going outside the box, which is what music is all about. Just don't use this mentality when learning music theory. That's not a debatable or changeable reality. Learn it, though. It will increase your knowledge 10 fold.
Picks are vital. I recently got the most gorgeous sounds using a thumb pick and two metal finger picks, but I’m used to using a flat pick.
That's awesome, Greg!
I'm used to a flat chick 😉
@@acousticidaho
This is how I've always held the pick
It's your preference I don't hold like that but I can play just fine.
Do what makes u comfortable.
Yeah, I don't think I can do it that way. It would end up too stiff. No control.
So this is really bizarre to me how incredible I sound as a beginner after trying this tip just now. I have been dabbling on acoustic guitar on and off for a few months now, and I normally play the Baritone Uke. I thought I knew how to hold a pick after watching dozens of popular guitar experts here on YT describe how to hold a pick, and all of them have the same advice. This video was different and had us hold the pick with the index curled in more and the pick end only sticking out halfway. What a huge difference that made in the quality of my tone. Thank you for dramatically fixing my playing in only 1 minute.
As someone who is just starting out, thank you!
Omg instantly better tone 😮❤😊 thank you!
You're welcome!!
I started playing metal guitar and learned to hold the pick exactly like this years ago. It gave me great control over gallup rhythm and palm muting, Years later I am trying to learn acoustic strumming and this didn't work for me. It caused my hand to be too close to the string and make contact, so it felt weird when trying to do big strums so I changed it. Now I noticed this tin sound that sounds terrible when I play. I watched this video and tried the old technique and it instantly went away. It's because this strong grip stabilizes the pick in both directions so it doesn't flex in your hand. Now I just need to learn to do this and not hit the strings with my hand, which is a different kind of battle. But strumming sound was fixed in 5 seconds. Great tip.
Also, don't hold the pick perpendicular to the strings - it can get hung up & slow you down. rotate the pick so the leading edge is about 30 degrees downward. That way the tip just rolls over the strings. Tone is smoother & a little darker, but much prettier, especially playing clean. don't move the pick more than you need to. Use only wrist & hand. Keep palm on bridge (on an electric) and slide the palm up and down when you move from string to string (the only excuse for moving from the elbow when playing lead lines) to keep your hand aligned with each string. Small movements of a pick, with it ending up ABOVE the next or previous string when changing strings. Most pickers only pick with the pick slanted a bit downward as well as rotated. There are several "right" ways to hold your plectrum - it depends on what music you are playing and which grip gives you your best feeling of control. You don't want to grip too hard, but don't hold it so lightly you keep dropping the pick. Like everything else in music, "there are horses for courses."
No , hold the pick short like you say, however... between thumb and Middle Finger ( far, far more accuracy and control);
Each to their own, I think it depends what your playing. I hold it various ways depending on the style.
Adjusting how you hold the pick is a great way to change your tone mid song. It's something that will come in time.
Brooo it just completely changed the way they sound! Thanks a lot man
Happy to help!
Life changing. Literally holding pick wrong for YEARS. Incredible speed gain tone improvement. My guitar teacher never commented on it. I’m amazed it made so much diff. Felt real weird for about a month😮
It might be a reference especially for someone new but everyone is different….their hands, fingers….it’s what works for you. There are many that don’t use picks for most of their playing. That my friend is how you hold your pick and not me.
Ive been holding the pick wrong for 45 years!! Finally started to hold it this way and it's taken me an entire year to get used to. Right off the bat it vastly improved my tone!! It sounds much more full. It took almost a year of getting used to before I could use it at gigs. Im now 97% there lol and I'm starting to work on my speed picking.
Same with me.
Right on!
To each his own. I agree there are ways to hold the pick that are wrong, (I don't know that was he showed in the beginning), but I don't hold it like this, and doing so would significantly limit my technique.
I think its just another tool in the tool box and it could be a good tool to have if you play certain styles that would benefit from holding the pick that way, but it may not translate as well to everything else. You learned one way and you developed the muscle memory to have it work for you. I've tried to hold the pick that way, but i look and feel like a caveman when i do. The way I hold a pick works most efficiently for me with the way I play. It is amazing however, how much different you can get one guitar to sound just by changing the way you hold a pick or even what kind of pick you use. Maybe its a combination of both and each one of us is trying to find that perfect marriage. Rock on! 🎵🤘
you hold your pick the way it works for U! Pick technique can change song by song.
100% Suggested good techniques are what they are but there are countless insane guitarists who hold a pick somewhat or completely unconventionally. It’s all about your desired sound, your style, and your comfort. Of course your hand and wrist health should be part of the equation, but there’s no rules to how you do it right.
This was the most natural hold to me from the beginning
Your method is the best! Bless you!
Kick ass clear instruction that explained more than you might need. That is a quality break down and exactly what I was looking for ty my friend
Thank you!!
I say, just play and play and play, focusing on the clarity and tone and when you find it, it will lock in naturally for you. Everyone’s pick grip will be a little bit different.
Good advice!
A guitar guru once told me same thing. The way you’re holding it allows for more speed and accuracy too. Less work as well you just kinda wiggle that thumb 👍
I hold it closer to the tip, because if its held on a round part of your finger, you can change the angle of the pick to get different tones. You can't change angle as far on the side of your finger. Sometimes I used two fingers or even the index finger by itself
Nice!
Exactly how I was shown 53 years ago from my teacher, a jazz guitarist.
Right on!
I struggled with holding my pick correctly for like 2 years. It always felt extremely forced and uncomfortable even though I could swear I was following videos just like this one to a T. I can’t explain it, but eventually my hand just kinda settled into it over time and it became natural. Now I can change my grip on the fly while playing to produce different tones, increase speed etc. It’s incredible just how versatile and important this little piece of plastic is. Even makes a huge difference how thick the pick you’re using is. I used to play cello and it’s very much like a bow.
This is great! I totally agree!
It’s nice to hear that it took you so long. I am five or six months into changing my grip and it’s starting to come around. I’m keeping the faith that it will pay off in the long run.
I don’t use a pick, but this is good content for those that do. Respect
Thanks, Logan!
I don't either, I often find them uncomfortable and I don't get a great sound from them. But now I wonder if it's because I never learned how to use one properly. Definitely going to give this a try!
@@punchdrunkassassin could be, but some people seem to 'get' finger picking more intuitively and gravitate to it. I started out flat picking, and diligently practicing and trying to get a good grip, feel, and sound and it's still something that doesn't feel totally natural after 4 years! Fingers picking I feel at home, and stuff just happens like I want it to.
Why reason u don't use pick?... I'm ask you because before iam bass player who don't use pick.. But now iam play guitar, and my friends told me to use pick when playing guitar so i learning with pick.. I see many guitarist don't use pick..
I dont use pick either, I’m not sure but I got more beautiful dynamics without using pick. But I will try thise. Thank you for this tip
Great video, thanks for the advice 🔥
Thanks!
Unbelivable has fixed my strumming after 20 years better tone and much mor conrol also has loosend my wrist Thank you so much
This seems to help me pick the right strings a lot easier.
A lot of pros use the George Benson style. Instead of creasing the index finger's first knuckle, he keeps the index finger in line with the finger pointing straight down at the point. The thumb crosses it and may or may not extend past the end of the pick - player's choice. Pat Metheny holds his pick with thumb & 2 fingertips (WRONG, beginners - don't do). But he makes beautiful music, though he'll never be a shredder with that technique. Players must have "HEAD" (musical mind) and "HANDS" (technical ability). People like Metheny and the late Wes Montgomery, who gave me lessons in octave playing when I was 15, have HEAD!!! Hands less important as long as they can play the music you hear in your head. "Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity" [Charles Mingus]. I alway favor musicality over technique. Never play a note that doesn't have a purpose (I simply call them Purpose Notes) except to show off technical virtuosity. It is a waste of a musician's time to listen to somebody doing that. Listen to Metheny and Montgomery and Kenny Burrell. They could blaze when necessary, but never played an extraneous note just to show off physical technicality.
Crazy good lesson. So simple and effective.
Thanks!
As a mandolin player, this is the only way I hold a pick, and I think it’s very good advice, and the best technique for getting the best tone not only on guitar, but mandolin as well😊
Absolutely!
When I first started playing guitar this was my natural way of holding it because I also play snare drum, I didn't know that this was the best way to do it!
I used this method for years. I only recently changed it because I found muting the low strings awkward with the angle. I now point the finger down towards the top of the pick and it solved everything. I have huge hands. This might not be the case for everyone
I learned the correct way to hold the pick but now the problem I’m having is when I’m trying to do something intense like rapid tremolo picking, the pick slowly slips from the right position and the picking gradually becomes worse ofc
Steve Vai once said: "put the pick on a table. Pick it up. The way you hold it now is the right way for you
Well he is wrong because if someone held it from the narrow tip end then it wouldn’t even be close to right and that’s how my friend did when I gave him a pick
@@ayod0011you're saying Vai is wrong....yeah right 👍
@@Ric_1985 You’re saying if someone picks up a pick from the wrong end that is still right because Steve vai said it…. yeah right👍
i guess ive been doing it wrong for 20years. but i must admit the sound is much fuller and more controlled when i hold the pick like in the vid
Someone said to point the index finger straight down and hold the pick as if you’re pointing at the strings. This way was infuriating, unnatural and was quickly abandoned
Agreed!
Remember: everyone holds their pick differently, this grip is very versatile but may not be the best for what you are doing. I personally don't use this grip as it isn't very good for stuff like noise rock where I'm less focused on single string picking however, this grip is a good all-rounder.
Truthfully, this should be used when doing speed licks.
There is minimum control for rhythm and the pick tends to scrape the strings.
I’m not sure why people are advocating this when this is mainly for 1 style of playing.
Most modern rock or blues players don’t use the pick like this. But definitely the virtuoso players for the sweeps and economy.
@@THRASHMETALFUNRIFFS look at players like Yngwie, Eric Johnson, Hendrix, Clapton, EVH, and tell me if they’re holding the pick like this?
Unless someone was taught this was at the very early stage of playing, then stick with it if it works.
But to anyone trying to change it to this will find difficulty.
There is no right way of holding the pick, but changing it can effect how you attack the strings. People like tosin abasi, paul gilbert use the dart thrower technique, ive noticed tosin switches to this specifically for aggressive attack on fast tremolo gallops and bursts. Learn to play with multiple techniques and switch between them.
I always hold the pick with three fingers and I continue doing it
If it works for you it works 👍
Depends on what I’m doing and what tonal properties I want, but I use three fingers sometimes too. Especially if I want a real staccato sound.
@@whyis45stillalive nice 👍 Staccato is also a great brand of guns,….. that Donald J Trump wants to protect 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻
@@patriotmaine1851
Don't let him fool you. 45 is only out to protect himself.
Learn to hold it differently for different play styles. No set ways
Most beautiful song on the high e string
9-11-11-11-9-11-11-11-9-11-11-11-9-11-12-12-12-12
The instant change in sounds was amazing !!! Thank you so much!!!
Sure thing!
I never paid much attention to this detail before. Thank God I'm already doing pretty close to this grip.
This one has got to be the best video. Its that curl of the index finger that does it and holy shit it immediately made my strumming feel much more relaxed
Wonderful!
The correct way to play is to hold the pick between my thumb and press it onto my index finger. But every time play, my index finger falls on the strings. After that the sound came out really badass. It is very difficult to keep the index finger from falling on the strings.😢
Thanks friend ❤ Lots of love from 🇮🇳
You are very welcome!
hold the pick how ever you want it as part of your style
Right on! How do you hold yours, Oliver?
@@acousticidaho i had three teachers all trying to convince me to hold it in a different way. i just started to hold the pick sideways- playing with one of the upper corners - this way i have more grip and a less pointy point. it gives it a different sound as well. i use my index and even more my middle finger (and of course thumb) to hold it. biggest problem is how to hold it / where to put it if i change to using no pick at all. i keep loosing it. it usually ends up in my mouth 🤓
i just watched your video . that’s how my teacher Ira Chris from the Swiss Jazz School taught me, using very small and very hard picks on heavy flatwound strings. i don’t fold my finger like that at all, my fingers are almost straight - more like Pat Metheny. how you hold your pick becomes part of your own sound and style.
@@oliverkraft1621 Dunlop has pointy picker picks now 🤣 you can pick your point from sharp like tack to sharp like tiddie nip 👌
@@oliverkraft1621 you do not play guitar, you sound like a girl, they don't fart or play guitar my friend say me
No. You lack control of the pick if it isn’t seated right above the pad of your pointer finger. This looks somewhat awkward. But to each their own.
i dont use the bottom point of the " triangle" of the pick, i use one of the smaller sides and i barely let it peek through.basically hitting string and thumb every time, so i can control the muting of strings with each hit
It just seems like a bit too much curl on the index finger and a little far back on the thumb. Like it takes away some ability to manipulate the pick with finger and thumb tips. Looks like it'd be good for muted chugging. A guy once told me not everyone's hands are identical, wait no, I said that 😛
Thanks you saved so much of my time
Awesome!
Don’t feel forced to listen to this you don’t have to a little thing about being a guitar player is we all do things differently and if it works for you then don’t feel forced to do something someone else’s way. So hold the puck how ever you want to and how ever feels most comfortable and right
The reason techniques are shown is because it works. If you want to get better you have to practice good technique.
If this helps my thumb pain (yes, my picking hand thumb) which was injured and has stunted my guitar growth i will 100% give you a shoutout on my album. Ive been playing guitar for almost 11 years and have always held the pick outwards and my picking thumb hurts more than the fretting one which should not happen. Has anyone else had an experience like this, where your thumb joint pivots backwards, causing weakness and swelling therefore impacting a hobby, such as an instrument?
Thanks, Count! Has it helped with your thumb pain?
Play however your comfortable. Most of the greats hold the pick weird.
I only agree to an extent. I spent so many years playing the first way he showed and it hindered me badly. When I changed it to the proper way he showed, I began achieving everything I had wanted. It was uncomfortable at first, but the more I worked at it the more natural it started to feel. Small changes like that make a huge difference, but it all depends on what your goals are.
This is true!!
Marty Friedman enters the chat
@@blueorpheus5693This is so true. I exactly feel the same. If you are at a certain level and you start incorporating, it’s a game changer. As early as possible proper technique for the win 🤘🏻
Perhaps that weird could be the real normal...
I use a quarter for a pick
Id say just use a position or whatev that is comfortable while playing. There is a correct way to hold a pick, but really its jus personal preference
WOW man that completely changed the game!!
Being a professional guitar is recommended this trick to you it is the perfect way of holding a platform I also hold it just like this in the starting I also face some problem but now I have started to adapt this new way of holding a platform this will help you to fasten up your strumming and also you will be really nice lead player
I believe you're indicating plectrum. That dam spell check likes to mess up our words.
I’m total beginner and practicing electric guitar and bass for 8 months. I hold the pick exact like this and I feel comfortable even with very high bpm chromatic exercises by alternate picking. However it keeps slipping when I play songs, especially the thick picks. I change the position easily if the song gives me a break but if there is a very long phrase, It starts to become a nightmare. I really don’t know the problem is me or the picks. I hope it will be fixed by the time.
Makes Pinch Harmonics soooo much easier too .......
i use a very small 3 mil pick i put it at the tip of my thumb and bend my main finger slightly i got them both so they can move freely together so they can counter my wrist movement for greater speed...my hand posture is similar to your but my index finger comes straight down rather than bend over the pick
This grip did not work for me at all. Every stroke was harsh and hard. I used this pick grip to play a metal song. It worked fine for that but playing with this grip was really stressful. It made me stiff and robotic. I had no control over picking. So i changed to normal picking, yngwie malmsteen style. Its very relaxed and i have far more control. But it requires far more practice to get used to.
I switched to this technique a few weeks ago after a decade of holding it like you showed at the beginning.
For anyone who wants to try it: it works, and it's much more comfortable and precise in the long run, just don't get discouraged if you don't get it right at first.
Put it on your middle finger, then thumb over crease and index in top, giving you ultimate control, you don't drop it, and it doesn't roll in your fingers.
I'll give it a try! Thanks!
😮After watching this video I can now sweep pick.Thanks man.🙏
Sure thing!
Maybe there is no thumb rule. Holding the way suggested in this video makes muting and chucks difficult.. Atleast for me.. I used to hold the pick like this but not anymore..
I bought picks with anti slip surface and it helps a lot
I somehow taught myself to do this exact method, and I teach this method myself. People always act like its weird, but they wonder why they keep dropping the pick all the time using the other method. They also wonder why they can't play faster. This is part of the equation.
Exactly!
I don't like hold the pick with my pointer finger bent all the way. I like my pointer finger pointed towards the strings with the pick on the side of my finger.
much better explanation than other videos, helps a lot thanks 👍
You are very welcome!
thanks for the breakthrough
You're very welcome!
I have the same pick and I use it everyday 😂
Give this man an Oscar 🎉🎉
I hold the pick kind like that but more out away from my hand, kinda like the okay 👌 sign but with my fingers closed and only like 2 mm of the tip of the pick sticking out, i also use a jazz3
I was holding it exactly the same way, just leaving out a smaller portion of the tip of the pick.
It’s also in line with your palm so you can palm mute 😀
Where were you 40 years ago?!!!
Wasn't born yet :-)
Naw man. I been studing this. True its faster being closer to the pivot point of the wrist but you cant angle the pick naturally with that grip. Youll get sore and tired. I cant feel without my finger tips involved. So ima stay 3 fingered hettfieldish. Edit. I just did it I noticed, I do both. I can't palmate as good 3 fingered so I notice I slip into the 2 finger style to palmate.
Thanks bro no one EVER explained it to me.
This is the best pick holding technique.
Why does it seem like no matter how hard I grip the pick it seems to rotate the more I play?
Now, show me playing speed metal for two hours like that...
Ok, no prob, check it out...
Thank you!! It sounds better with this position 😊👍
Thanks! Happy to help! 🙂
Two fingers, and the thumb using a medium Fender triangular Dorito pick, like the one Carlos used at Woodstock during " Soul Sacrifice" !
Gives you great control, and has never flown off accidentally
into the crowd!🤦
Aaaaand you saved me hours of headache. Thanks for the demonstration man!
Sure thing!
or you can have you index parallel to the direction of the pick
No it's not from how you hold the pick it's from how thic the pick is thicker the pick more actually tone you get
Oooo this instantly made my guitar sound the way I wanted ☺️☺️ thank you so much ☺️
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing! :-)
@acousticidaho it helped me for solos but strumming feels weird. Hold it like this when strumming too?
Only for solos but not for strumming
I've never gotten and never will get how people can play guitar while holding a pick like that
Yeah me neither. Feels way too weird and I can’t hit pinched harmonics gripping that way.
@travislee9662 yeah it's odd, when I've held it like that it doest feel like I'm going through the strings, just feels like I'm plucking beside it, I cant really describe it well but it's odd
Theres no control if you hold like that this freaking super weird position
@@TheSpeedyr6 yeah agreed
Lol, this guy said can't hit pinch harmonics? Really bro, I'll show you how.
The only thing that big muscle should be doing is holding the pick, the movement should all come from the wrist.
Nope, that thumb muscle is very important for fast chugging galloped riffs and string skipping. This lets you take tension off the wrist or forearm and share the muscles between them to keep going longer and faster and more accurate. If you play any deicide for 30 minutes straight, you'll know.
What beautiful hands! Thanks! I was holding the pick incorrectly.
Thanks! 😀 Happy to help!!
Hello 😉