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How to Choose the Right Guitar Pick for You

Pick the Right Guitar Pick!

By Andrew Berry, published May 07, 2007
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There are many guitar pick manufacturers out there today, with tons of different sizes, types, and shapes of guitar picks. But how do you know whicih one is right for you? I am here to provide some personal tips on how to pick which guitar pick is right for you.

Start Small

Starting with the more thin models of guitar picks is ideal, as they won't jump away from you when you're playing guitar. Newer guitar players seems to have less of a grip, which can be due to no callus' on their fingers. If a newer guitar player is playing, they also tend to get a little sweatier than a more experienced player, creating a sort of lubrication between their fingers, and the guitar pick itself. This is a major problem since it can mess up a your learning progression when learning a new song, chords, or scales.

The lightest and thinnest sizes of guitar picks are generally Guitar Pick Evolution

As your playing evolves your gutiar pick selection should as well. Once you can play the basic chords, the basic power chords, and some major and minor scales, I suggest that it is time for a guitar pick upgrade. Now you should be looking at mediums, or even heavy guitar picks, depending on what your preference is. By now you should have developed at least minor callus', which help grip the guitar pick. Some guitar picks, such as Jim Dunlop guitar picks, have built in grips, making it easier to grip altogether.

Medium and heavy picks are classified in size by 0.73 millimeters, which is the smallest medium guitar pick size, to 1.20 millimeters, the biggest heavy guitar pick size.

Medium and heavy guitar picks help with pinch harmonics, single note picking, pick slides, and more. The smallest guitar picks cannot really do that nearly as well as the mediums and heavy guitar picks.

The Monsters

How to Choose the Right Guitar Pick for You

An array of guitar picks.

Credit: http://www.allansmusic.com

Copyright: http://www.allansmusic.com

Takeaways
  • Start with small guitar picks to gain agility and skill.
  • Medium and heavy guitar picks make it easier to do advanced tricks like pinch harmonics.
  • Extra heavy guitar picks may be too clumsy, but that's pure preference.
Did You Know?
The first guitar pick was created by D`Andrea Picks in 1922. (Wikipedia)
Comments
Comments 1 - 4 of 4
 
 
I'm a Jim Dunlap Turtex man (the yellow ones, sometimes green on acoustic). I'ts funny because I've been using them and Daddario string for over 25 years. I can't see using anything else. guitarists are funny that way.

Posted on 08/21/2008 at 11:08:03 AM

 
I'm a Jim Dunlap Turtex man (the yellow ones, sometimes green on acoustic). I'ts funny because I've been using them and Daddario string for over 25 years. I can't see using anything else. guitarists are funny that way.

Posted on 08/21/2008 at 11:08:01 AM

 
interesting article, never thought of that, great write

Posted on 05/08/2007 at 7:05:00 AM

 
Well done!

Posted on 05/07/2007 at 6:05:00 PM

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