Holding Your Guitar and Using Your Pick The Correct Way

Each step of learning to play your guitar gets youBy now you will have bought yourself a few picks and
closer to your ultimate dream and that is to be aif you haven't you should, you will soon find out that
"good" guitar player. It is important that you rememberpicks have a habit of going missing. Picks come in
to practice each step over and over again until it is justdifferent thicknesses, brands and shapes you can play
second nature and you cant remember ever havingaround with them and find the type you favor but for
trouble or feeling awkward. You will feel stiff when firstnow we will use a medium pick its not to hard or to
starting and you will have to do mental checks toflimsy.
make sure you are positioning yourself properly but in1. Open your picking hand and open your palm so it is
a very short time and there is no point in learning tofacing you. Your picking hand is the one positioned
play any instrument and then skipping the parts weclosest to the bridge.
don't like if your going to learn, learn properly the first2. Close your hand and make a very loose fist making
time.sure that you thumb is next to your index finger.
Find the most comfortable armless chair you can find,3. Turn your hand so you are looking at its profile you
that will usually be a dining room chair sit with yourshould now have your thumbs knuckle facing you.
lower back against the back of the chair make a4. Use your other hand to put the pick between your
conscious effort to stay sitting with good posture don'tthumb and index finger. The pick should be behind the
slouch as this will give you sore back and shouldersknuckle of your thumb.
and bad habits.5. Make sure the point of the pick is facing away from
Hold your guitar so the back of the body is againstyour fist and is sticking out about half an inch. Hold your
your stomach while the neck is running parallel to thepick firmly.
ground. If you are holding your guitar properly the6. Put your picking hand over the sound hole of the
thickest string will be on top whilst the thinnest isacoustic guitar or if you are using an electric guitar
closest to the floor. For a left handed person ideallyover the body. With the thumb knuckles facing you
you should buy a guitar made for left handed peopleyour picking hand should be floating just above the
but this is not always necessary as I know a lot ofstrings. Don't rest your picking hand on the body of the
lefties who can play using a standard guitar perfectly.guitar or the strings.
When you are holding your guitar while sitting you will7. Use your wrist only to strum don't use your whole
notice that the body of the guitar is resting on yourarm, using a downward action strike the sixth string,
right leg (If your right handed, left leg if your leftthat is the string furthest from you. Sometimes this will
handed) the guitar will rest on the leg furthest awaycause an excessive rattle just simply hit the string a
from the headstock. Try to sit in this position for a littlelittle softer.
while taking mental notes on how your posture is and8. Now do the same but in an upward stroke. Repeat
how it should be.this exercise several times making sure to minimize the
We are going to focus on your fretting hand, that's themovement of your picking hand, one short picking
hand closest to the neck of the guitar. Your thumbstroke downwards and one short picking stroke
needs to be behind the neck of the guitar with theupwards.
remaining fingers being slightly curled held just above9. Do the same exercise on all other strings starting
the strings, it is important to keep these fingers curledwith the sixth string and moving up towards the first
at the knuckle unless you are told otherwise.strings.
The Guitar Pick