How To Pick A Guitar

When you play a guitar, you will have to know how tothey don't want.
pick a guitar and these are some of them.The problem with this variation is that you have to play
There is the standard style of picking a guitar. Thewith a side to side motion rather than at the wrist. This
standard style is holding the pick between the flat ofwill eventually lead to having a locked wrist and you will
the thumb and the side of the index finger with yournot be able to play faster.
fingers either anchored on or draped across the pickThere is another variation of standard style. When you
guard.play using this variation, you have the thumb side of
This style does have some disadvantages. You willyour palm raised with the opposite side of your palm
find that pressing the thumb against the side of theresting on the bridge. The only difference between this
finger to be an uncomfortable position. You will alsovariation and the regular standard style is the hand
find that if you don't press hard enough, the pick willlocation.
become unsteady when you pick the string. You willAnother variation of the standard style is called circle
find that the pick will catch on the strings.picking. You hold the pick the same way as the
There is a variation of the standard style where thestandard style. You move by flexing the first joint of
remaining fingers are in a loose or tight fist. Therethe thumb, with the index finger extending at its second
should be no contact between the hand and the guitarjoint. You slide the pick along the string before crossing
except through the pick. The advantage of thisit, turning counterclockwise on down strokes and
standard style variation is that you should have lessclockwise on upstrokes. This essentially means that
baggage to swing around. This is because the massyou are making a circular motion to play the strings
of the fingers are closer to the axis of the wrist.and the reason that it is called circle picking.
The main disadvantage of this variation is that even inThe main advantage is that you can play several
the greatest of players, they were inconsistent in thestrings with no arm or wrist motion at all. The tones
accuracy of their playing. They kept on losing on losingsound nice when using this style. It is a fun way to play
their point of reference of fingers that were touchingif you don't mind looking weird.
the pick guard.The main problem with this picking style is that your
Another variation of the standard style is that the palmfeel will suffer. You will constantly have to will yourself
rests flat on the bridge, either behind or in front,to control your timing. It is hard to do large strokes like
depending whether the strings need muting or not. Youstrumming. You will find eventually that the extra
can have other fingers open or closed.motion of the thumb and index finger are inefficient
This standard style variation is perfect for electricand limit speed.
guitar players who usually deal with feedback that