# How to hold the pick? (from an old newbie...)



## John Bartley (Jul 23, 2009)

Hi folks,

I'm an old guy who's just starting to relearn how to play the guitar again after many years of absence. As a kid in the '70's I taught myself to play using an old Nick Manoloff Spanish Guitar Method book that my Dad bought to teach himself back in the '40's....

As I watch videos on-line to get more ideas, I see most players are not supporting their pick hand anywhere on the guitar. The old book says that you can rest your pinky on the guitar top, but the newer information that I find on the web says to hold your pick hand in a loose fist, NOT to support that fist with your pinky on the guitar top, and to keep your wrist loose and strum/pick by moving your whole hand. I'm suspecting that players have evolved to this because of the changes in usage that the guitar has experienced with new music styles?

Ok, it's a real beginners question, but this time around I'd like to do it right...how do y'all hold the pick and support your pick hand?

cheers and thank you!

John Bartley


----------



## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

For beginners, it's a good idea to support their hand with the pinky on the guitar top. However, as most people progress, they usually find this is not as necessary as it once was. 

So, start by supporting your hand and see how it goes from there.


----------



## wkriski (Nov 18, 2008)

For rock/metal I often rest the side of my hand on the bridge and forearm near the top of the guitar. As you strum or pick and the wrist rotates it can come off the bridge (good for palm muting as you need quick on and off of muting). With distortion the hand on bridge can dampen strings as required to avoid open strings ringing.


----------



## kw_guitarguy (Apr 29, 2008)

My technique is slightly different because I use these picks...

http://www.f1pick.com/f1pickspage.html

They drastically helped my playing and picking technique...

~Andrew


----------



## Nohtanhoj (Jun 30, 2008)

I taught myself, so I hold the pick correctly between my thumb and index finger, but I have no technique with regard to actual picking. I don't rest my pinky, but I've seen many great players do it, so I've been trying to break my bad habit.


----------



## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

I hold the pick pretty much the normal way--I sometimes take my middle finger away and use it & my ring finger to pick while also using the pick (hybrid picking) If I want a little bit of finger picking in a song that's mostly flatpicked.

But then I may just play the whole song with my thumb & fingers & no pick.

As for the pinky-I sometimes rest it, sometimes don't.

Depends on the song and what I'm doing.
It's not really a conscious decision, I just do it.


----------



## John Bartley (Jul 23, 2009)

Thank you for the answers folks. They help a lot! I've also been watching videos to see what others do, and I see a great variety of methods. I'm thinking that the answer almost boils down to "hold the pick in the manner that gets the job done properly and is comfortable". 

cheers

John

ps : interesting looking picks - they look very comfortable.


----------



## WarrenG (Feb 3, 2006)

Have a read through Tuck Andress' essay on the subject: http://tuckandpatti.com/pick-finger_tech.html


----------



## whammybar (May 7, 2008)

John Bartley said:


> I'm thinking that the answer almost boils down to "hold the pick in the manner that gets the job done properly and is comfortable".


This is not entirely true. While it will work to get started, as you progress you will see that the type of pick, the part of the pick you use (tip, rounded top, or side) and whether your hand floats or not will have a big impact in where you will go, or perhaps be able to go. So maybe change things up as you learn to get comfortable with many 'feels'.

Chris Duarte's pick hand floats above the strings and you'll have a hard time pulling his music off if you can't do it. Bonamassa uses the very tip of those tiny Jazz III picks (too small for my chubby fingers) to articulate every note at blistering speeds and you won't be doing that using alternat picking with a Fender Heavy pick. One thing you can do right from the start is to involve your middle finger while still holding the pick with your thumb and index finger to pick some of the high strings and learn to palm the pick and go to all fingers. It will help a lot down the road. Hope this helps.


----------



## Were We Brave? (Oct 29, 2009)

kw_guitarguy said:


> My technique is slightly different because I use these picks...
> 
> http://www.f1pick.com/f1pickspage.html
> 
> ...


These look special... I've taught myself not to my picks with my index finger perpendicular to the strings (curling it towards the palm and holding the pick with the side of my finger rather than the tip), and this pick need to held exactly like that.

The Jazz III picks were mentioned just above. They make them in Tortex, and they're just fantastic. I didn't really like the glossy feel of the originals, they had a very sharp attack, too sharp for me. The Toxtex softens it just a bit, and they feel even better.


----------



## John Bartley (Jul 23, 2009)

Thank you for the replies folks. I'm still experimenting as I work thru' my lesson books. I do find myself resting my pinkie on the top as I pick, but sometimes when the lesson involves large movements of the pick (from a high note to low and vice versa) I find that pinkie coming off the top and curling up into a gentle fist. It's getting easier, although almost 30 years of not playing combined with hands that are stiff from years of hard work are fighting me (grin). I'm having fun regardless.

cheers and thanks again!

John


----------



## opentuner (Nov 28, 2009)

*Flat Picking Technique*

These posts have been helpful! Are there any YouTube videos that will illustrate good flatpicking rhythms and techniques? I read Tuck Andress's treatise and it's, well, very theoretical. It would be much better to watch someone in action.


----------



## Brennan (Apr 9, 2008)

I apparently pick a little differently than most ... I hold the pick between the pad of my thumb and the pad of my index finger, with the point of the pick facing the side of my thumb, and the top/point of my index finger (thumb and finger kind of form a T). Most of my picking is done by moving my index finger and thumb, instead of my wrist or arm. I do tend to keep my pinky (and sometimes my ring finger) on the pickguard, unless I am using them to pick as well.


----------

