Choosing The Best Guitar Pick
Here is a simple question…
How important is a guitar pick?
The answer is….
Choosing The Best Guitar Pick Is...
VERY important…
Most guitar players grab whatever is around or at least know the thickness of the pick they prefer. In other cases, they use whatever their favorite guitar player uses. If that is what you do, you may miss out on discovering a vital aspect of playing guitar and your sound.
Considering what pick to use isn't an exciting thing to do. It is not as exciting as buying a new guitar, amp, or pedal. The results of changing your pick could be dramatically better for some guitar players or not so much for others. The point is that the possibility of having a change for the better with your guitar playing is an easy and cheap solution.
Your pick has a significant impact on your rhythm playing. The materials are different. Some materials are more percussive sounding against the string and will cut through the mix. It's very subtle, but it exists. An example of that material is acetal, which has a very percussive sound. Then there is a different material called ultex; those are even more percussive. There are many materials and variations out on the market. It is hard to know every manufacturer and the variations they make. I am not a pick expert, but I have experimented with many brands and different materials to have a general idea of the many options available.
Not only is the material used important, but also the size and shape. There seems to be an almost infinite amount of shapes. Many are marketing gimmicks, but there are a few standards. The typical 351 shape is what most people think of when referring to a pick. There is also the JazzIII size, which is very popular and smaller than the standard 351 shape. A rounded triangle is a common and popular shape if you want to try something larger.
A pick has much to do with your guitar sound. You may need to mute your brightness or attack. In that case, a less percussive-sounding pick may be the correct choice. Or, you may not need something brighter to get the clarity you want. Consider a different pick before turning the knobs on your amp and buying another pedal. Most people don't think of guitar picks as part of their signal chain. Your pick is part of your sound and should have the same consideration as an amp, pedal, or EQ setting. Guitar Players love to change their pickups. Pickup swapping is fun and can make a big difference to your tone, but you may not have to change your pickups. Try changing your pick.
Depending on the style of music that you're playing, your pick may make a huge difference. Changing your pick can make it easier if you struggle with a rhythm guitar part. Some materials feel more slippery on the strings instead of grabbing the string. If you're going for a funk R&B type of rhythm, you might want to try something where this pick will slide off the strings and not get hung up on a fast rhythm part. You may need to go the other way if you're looking for extra articulation. Use a pick where the string grabs the pick, and you can feel it to add extra clarity to your notes. A soft or thin pick is good if you're playing an acoustic guitar in the studio, even if you don't like soft picks. They seem to get a better sound in the microphone when recording.
Picks affect tone and can make things easier or harder to play. Guitar Players underestimate how much a pick can change their sound. Have some fun and experiment with picks. You may end up changing guitar picks.
Remember to always have fun with your guitar, and I’ll see you next time…
If you are looking to learn another excellent rhythm guitar skill, you can check out my FREE lesson on how to weave lead guitar melody lines to your rhythm guitar playing here: https://rhythmguitarlessons.net/Pro
Have you ever heard extra notes played between chords and wondered, "Why do THESE notes sound good?" or, "How can I do that?".
Most guitar players struggle to find the right notes to play between chords to make their songs sound better.
The fact is, it's easy to do once you learn how. And the result is your guitar playing sounds much more complex than it is...
This is good news for you:
I've created a brand new eGuide (yes, it's free), where I show you an easy way to connect chords with single-note melodies to sound like a pro.
The best part is it's 100% FREE (no strings attached)!
Download your copy instantly so you can instantly make your rhythm guitar playing sound better. https://rhythmguitarlessons.net/Pro
About Mark Turko: Mark Turko is a professional guitar player and instructor with over 30 years of experience and teaches guitar lessons online.