How to Hold a Pick

Co-authored by Aaron Asghari

Last Updated: March 6, 2021 References

Hold a guitar pick (or "plectrum") between your thumb and index finger. Grasp it firmly enough to strike the strings, but not so firmly that it's rigid. Let the pick brush the string, but do not try to "scoop" the string. Choose a pick size that works for you, practice the correct way to place your hands on the guitar, and practice strumming and plucking until you can generate a clean sound.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Holding a Pick

1
Grasp the pick in your strumming hand. Most people are most comfortable strumming and plucking a guitar with their dominant hand, while fingering specific notes and chords with their non-dominant hand. Hold the guitar, interact with it, and work out a grip that feels comfortable.
- Place your non-dominant "fingering hand" along the neck of the guitar, with your thumb holding the back of the neck and your fingers resting on the strings. The strings should face away from you, roughly perpendicular to the ground. Rest the body of the guitar on your knee, or use a shoulder strap to play standing up.
- Rest your arm on the top of the guitar--the curved ridge along the narrowest edge of the body--and swing your hand down to rest on the strings. If you're using an acoustic guitar, rest your fingers on the strings over the hold; if you're using an electric guitar, rest your fingers on the strings between the last fret and the pickup bar.
2
Hold your pick between your thumb and index finger. Cover roughly half of the pick with your your fingers--some picks are molded with a groove to indicate where your thumb and forefinger should fit. Use a firm grip, but loose enough that you can allow the tip of the pick to bend .Don't hold the pick too loosely, or it might fly out of your hand.

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3
Find a grip that works for you. There is no "right" or "wrong" way to hold a guitar pick, but you there are certain grips that emphasize control, tone, and comfort. Consider the "O" method, the "pinch" method, and the "fist" method.
- Use the "O" method. Hold the pick between the pad of your thumb and the side of your index finger, and form your fingers into an elongated "O" shape. This grip balances control and tone.
- Use the "pinch" method. Hold the pick between the pad of your thumb and the pad of your index finger. This method may be best for those who use thinner-gauge picks and spend most of their time strumming.
- Use the "fist" method. Hold the pick between the first joint of your thumb (below the pad) and the side of your curled index finger, near the first joint. This method is often favored by bluegrass players, and it may be best for heavy picks.^{[1]
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4
Pivot your wrist toward your guitar. The flat tip of your pick should rest gently on a string, and the long side of the pick should be as perpendicular to the string as possible. The angle of your wrist is essential to the picking process: when playing guitar, you are not really picking with your fingers, but your wrist. Flick your wrist up and down to strum and pick riffs, solos, and strings.
5
Brush the strings, don't scoop them. Use the pick to brush the surface of the strings: not so gently that the sound is weak, but not so roughly that you're catching the string on the pick. Be firm, but gentle. Try to work with the instrument rather than imposing your will upon it.
- Be fluid, and don't grip your pick too hard. You need to be loose and flexible with all of your motions. If you are too rigid, your picking will sound rigid and off rhythm, too.^{[2]
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- When you strum, you may keep your wrist fairly rigid as you brush the pick across the strings. Ultimately, finger-and-wrist technique is only a tool to enable you to play fluidly. When you find a method that feels comfortable, build upon it.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Picking Techniques

1
Strum your guitar with a loose wrist and elbow. Strums are full, multi-string sounds that form an integral part of most guitar rhythms. Hold the pick between your thumb and index finger, and rest the tip of the pick gently atop the thickest, uppermost string (usually tuned to E). Brush the tip of the pick along the strings, from thickest to thinnest, and make sure to hit every string along the way. Strum quickly to blur the notes together, and slowly to enunciate each tone; strum gently for a quieter chord, and apply more pressure for a louder sound.
- You can strum up-down (high, thin strings to low, thick strings) or down-up (low, thick strings to high, thin). You can strum any section of strings (say, 2-4, or open G to open E) for the desired effect.
- Try holding certain strings to form chords when you strum. The strum is a versatile part of any guitar player's repertoire, and the better you get, the cleaner your strums will get. Make sure to hold down strings tightly when you finger notes and chords, and don't be discouraged if your chords come out muted and sloppy at first. Build your finger strength and keep practicing.
- Again: thinner picks generally make for a gentler, quieter strum, and thicker picks generally generate a heavier, more powerful strum.
2
Pluck your guitar. Sometimes, you'll want to pluck just one string at a time, whether you're playing a simple melody or just emphasizing a single note from a longer chord. Rest the tip of your pick on the string as if you were strumming, but only hit the single string. Strike the string with the pick, but sharply pull the pick away from the neck of the guitar so that you don't accidentally strike any other strings.
- You can keep a chord formed with your non-dominant hand on the neck of the guitar, then pick a single note--or several notes in succession--from that chord. Try maintaining chord "forms" when transitioning between strums and plucks so that you don't need to shift your non-dominant hand so dramatically.
- Plucking a note makes it more distinct. Especially on acoustic instruments, you may not be able to achieve the same volume or "weight" with a pluck that you can on an electric instrument. Use plucks to make space between your strums.
3
Alternate picking up and down to gain speed, precision, and accuracy. As with strumming, you can pluck upward or downward. Try to create a flow between strokes: pluck down, strum up, strum down, pluck up. Make your playing efficient--it takes more time to strum down twice (returning up in between) than to strum down and then back up.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Choosing a Pick

1
Pick your sound. Most brands of pick are sold by thickness: they are often labeled "thin", "medium", or "thick", accompanied by a millimeter measurement. Most plastic guitar picks are available in sizes ranging anywhere from 0.4 millimeters (mm) to 3 mm. Try starting out with a medium pick, between 0.60 and 0.80 millimeters thick.^{[3]
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- Thin picks usually range from 0.40 to 0.60 mm. They are best-suited for acoustic strumming, and other situations when you want a treble-heavy tone. Thin picks are often used to fill in the rhythms and mid-range in rock, pop, and country songs; however, they lack the heft for rock rhythm and lead.
- Medium picks range from 0.60 to 0.80 mm. This is the most popular pick thickness: it's a good combination of stiffness and flexibility that works equally well for acoustic rhythms and powerful leads. Medium picks aren't ideal for zingy strumming nor powerful lead lines, but they are versatile.
- Heavier picks--really, anything thicker than 0.80 mm--generate a heavier sound. At the lower end of this range, you’ll still have enough flexibility for crunchy rhythms, but you’ll also have the firmness you need for full-bodied chord arpeggios and fat lead lines. At the thicker end of this range, above 1.5 mm, you'll get increasingly cleaner, mellower, warmer tones. Your sound will become deeper more bottom-heavy: the thickest picks, from 1.5 to 3 mm, are used by jazz and metal guitarists.
2
Consider pick materials. Most cheap guitar picks are made from plastic, and this should suit your purposes at first while you pin down the basics. Don't worry if you wear down the edges of a plastic pick; just use another pick.^{[4]
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- You may also find heavier rubber or metal picks that are designed for practicing or for specific styles of playing. Consider using a metal pick for a higher-pitched sound, or a rubber pick for a thicker, heavier sound.
- If you aren't sure, try out a few styles of pick before you commit. You can find guitar picks at most music stores, certain music-culture boutiques, and online. Try out friends' picks and note the thickness, brand, and material. Figure out what works for you: a pick is a personal choice.
3
Use specialized picks for certain instruments. Banjo players don't use traditional guitar picks--they use finger-picks (different from plucking with bare fingers) that clip to your fingertips to facilitate plucking. If you're using banjo finger-picks, consider visiting a banjo technique website or asking around at a music store. In general, banjo finger-picks slip over the tips of your index, middle, and ring fingers, with a sharp fingernail-like "pick" curving backward from the pad of your finger over your fingernail.
4
Consider learning to pick with your bare fingers. Many guitarists find it easier, at first, to use a plastic pick. The tips of your fingers may grow raw if you try to pluck or strum without a pick, but you may find that finger-picking greatly improves your range and speed when playing complex melodies.
- If you try to play with a pick and then switch over to finger-picking later on, it may take you anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to regain the level of dexterity that you're used to. Consider starting out with finger-picking if you think that you'll switch at some point.
- Use the pads of your fingers to pick upward (high strings to low), and use the nails of your fingers to pick down (low strings to high). Use several fingers to strum for a fuller sound.
- Practice, practice, practice. If you are committed to learning to finger-pick, don't "cheat" and use a plastic pick. Take every opportunity that you can to improve your technique. Play riffs and songs slowly, all the way through, and build your speed.
- When you become quicker and more confident in your finger-picking practice, try plucking two strings at once--or even three. Use your fingers to develop complex melodies.

Expert Q&A
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Question

What can I make a guitar pick out of?

Aaron Asghari
Professional Guitarist & Instructor
Aaron Asghari is a Professional Guitarist and the lead guitarist of The Ghost Next Door. He received his degree in Guitar Performance from the Guitar Institute of Technology program in Los Angeles. In addition to writing and performing with The Ghost Next Door, he is the founder and primary guitar instructor of Asghari Guitar Lessons.

Aaron Asghari

Professional Guitarist & Instructor

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Guitar picks are most often made out of plastic or cellulose. Some fancy picks are made out of stone, wood, metal, or shell. You can use any of these materials to make a pick.
Question

I learned plucking with my hands first, and now I am trying to switch to picks (as I really like the sound of it), but I can't seem to control the pick and which strings to hit. What do I do?

Jelke de Jong

Community Answer

Practice, practice, practice. That's what did it for me.