| Regardless of whether you are a guitar novice or | | | | frustrated. Use this exercise to determine exactly how |
| already have some training in playing the guitar, the | | | | strong your grip on the pick is required to be and how |
| following guidelines will prove useful. You shall be told | | | | much of the pick is required to be left free. Remember: |
| how to properly hold a pick (plectrum). "That's | | | | you can acquire your own rules only with practice. |
| ridiculous!" you may say. "It's so very basic, what's | | | | As for the rest of your fingers apart from the thumb |
| there to know?" But following my instructions could | | | | and the index finger, you can position them in two |
| help you improve your guitar play quickly and easily. | | | | ways. You can either keep them in a curled grip or |
| Picks used to be earlier made from animal bone or | | | | you can leave them loose. Personally, I prefer to leave |
| tortoise shell, but nowadays they are mostly made of | | | | them loose and extended, because these can then be |
| plastic. They come in various sizes and shapes. I | | | | used for several different purposes. As you gradually |
| recommend beginners to use medium size picks | | | | acquire more advanced guitar playing skill, you could |
| because these are the easiest to play with. This is of | | | | use these free fingers to pluck the strings at the same |
| course only a suggestion, a general rule of thumb and | | | | time as you use the pick. You can also use these |
| not an absolute. You might experiment with picks of | | | | fingers to tap a beat on the body of the guitar, or to |
| different shapes, sizes and materials to find out the | | | | use the tremolo mechanism, as also to adjust the |
| one most suitable for yourself. Also because picks get | | | | volume of your electric guitar. |
| easily frayed and perhaps, as easily lost, it is a good | | | | Apart from this, there are three other ways to hold the |
| idea to keep quite a few picks with you at home. | | | | pick. Although I personally would not recommend them, |
| Having a few picks in reserve is not difficult as they | | | | you might find that those methods suit you better. |
| are fairly cheap. | | | | Some people hold the pick between the thumb and |
| Let me now tell you the proper way to hold a pick. In | | | | the middle finger. This method allows you to hold the |
| the following guidelines, I shall assume that you are a | | | | pick firmly and steadily but it makes it difficult for you |
| right handed guitar player, i.e. you hold the pick with | | | | to use your remaining fingers to strum properly when |
| your right hand. | | | | you require. Alternatively some people place the thumb |
| The first step is to hold out your right hand and stretch | | | | on the second joint of the index finger to grip the pick. |
| out the palm with its face open towards the left side | | | | Although this, once again, allows a strong grip, it |
| of your body. Now lightly clench your fingers onto your | | | | reduces the flexibility of the picking. And finally, some |
| palm and place the thumb on the upper side of the | | | | people use the thumb, the index finger and even the |
| first (the biggest) joint of your index finger. Next place | | | | middle finger all together to hold the pick. In this method, |
| the pick into this gap between your thumb and index | | | | since you take up one additional finger to hold the pick, |
| finger and hold it firm. Do not hold it very tight. Also be | | | | you have only two free fingers to pluck the strings |
| careful not to hold either too much or too little of the | | | | which could possibly handicap your style and make it |
| pick. You should leave uncovered just enough of the | | | | unsuitable for the more difficult guitar scores. |
| tip of the pick for you to strum the strings. | | | | I hope that following my guidelines for holding a pick will |
| Then try to strum the strings slowly one by one, | | | | prove effective and beneficial for you. I am sure that if |
| upwards and downwards. Your aim would be to | | | | you can practice keeping my advice in mind, you shall |
| generate clear and sharp notes. In the beginning the | | | | find playing the guitar that much easier and more |
| pick might just slip from your fingers. Do not be | | | | productive. Happy playing! |