Hi,
First off, I did a search but found nothing satisfactory on this odd topic (maybe I didn't look hard enough?).
My biggest problem while playing guitar has always been my picking hand positioning and how to hold my pick, it seriously holds me back from fulfilling my potential. The only answers i've got off people about this topic have been "just hold it how you feel comfortable..." but this isn't enough.
I was curious if any of you could shed some light on how to hold my pick and how to postion my hand properly, preferably with use of pictures.

(I've seen people using their wrist to pick, their elbow to pick and some not even having to move their hand, which is best? I've found that using my elbow gives uneven rythm but I can't find a good position to use my wrist.)

Thanks for your time

This is how I hold mine.. apologies for the fuzzy picture.

This is how my guitar teacher showed me to pick, back when I took lessons, and it works pretty well. My arm moves a little when I pick, but not enough to get tired.

Attached Images

pickre.jpg (34.0 KB, 217 views)

I find it a little hard to pick with a sharp pick (I love them) when it is perpendicular (90 degrees) to my thumb. (Where it points.)

However, sometimes it's easy.. it's hard to explain.

It's probably annoying to hear it again, but whatever feels comfortable. You have to experiment and see what works best for YOU, not for everyone else. However, if you hold the pick very shonky, that'll probably hold you back. It's a bit tough to tell someone how to pick.

if you're wanting to pick fast, 90 degrees perpendicular probably isnt the best method. try holding it at a 45-60 degree angle, sortof pointing it between neck and middle pickup (or where they would normally be)

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Do I hold the pick wrong or something? I set the pick on top of my thumb & then i secure it with my pointer and middle, then when I get goin' real fast I only use my thumb and middle finger.

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I'm not sure where i heard this from but I believe using your middle finger instead of your index finger is a bad habit and you should use your index and thumb only. not sure why though

tilting your pick is usually important especially if you want to play fast, you wont be able to pull off tremelo picking of your pick is perpendicular.

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ok... i'll remember that

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My picking technique isn't always consiistent, but I usually do this:

http://img110.imageshack.us/my.php?...p10001841oa.jpg

http://img110.imageshack.us/my.php?...p10001856ib.jpg

http://img110.imageshack.us/my.php?...p10001864sq.jpg

I hold it very tight using only the tips of my fingers, and a side of the pick rests on my index as you can see. That Works for everything. Strumming, ph's, solos, sweeps, very fast tremolo picking, comfy palm mutes... Whatever you do, don't use a banana thumb. That's a bad habit. For lots of ph's one after the other, hold less of the pick out.
And I always tilt the pick downwards. I don't hold the guitar perfectly parallel to the floor, so I pick the strings at a slight angle but it doesn't "scrape".

And if you want to be able to tremolo pick fast... get thick strings especially of you downtune and a thicker pick like Dunlop Tortex 1.14 mm or more. 1.14 is enough for me. I can't tremolo pick as fast with only my wrist as with my arm. The wrist is more controllable though... I'm getting better at wrist-picking now that I've been playing electric on foot for a few months.

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i use the closed fist technique.. i think that works and is very good for tremolo picking

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Yeah, I forgot to show that I pull my fingers closer in.

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I used to use my elbow a lot for trem picking, but now i've almost cut it out and only use wrist and thumb movement.

I always wondered if i was holding the pick wrong, but i just held the pick as strongly and comfortably as possible.
And now i know basically how its meant to be im slowly changing technique.

Some people will say bad habits are hard to drop, but I've found if i concentrate on what i'm changing every time i play, it isnt really that hard to change a part of your playing.

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Thats wrong.

7-string warlord, I play teh exact same way, using your middle finger actually gives you more span of movement.

When I play, I hold my pick with my thiumb and middle and use my index for extra grip. My picking movement is a combination of wrist and finger movement, no elbow at all. The way I hold my pick also comes in handy since I can easily tap with my index finger wuthout having to change the position of my pick.

Although I do use my elbow when doing sweeps.

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Jeff Loomis uses banana thumb. Karl Sanders too.


I'm in the final stages of using it, I'm now playing with 'correct' technique.

i play pretty much the ame as Soeru, but sometimes i close my hand or streatch my fingers farther

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what's banana thumb??