Holding/playing with a pick

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Tom

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I must admit that I've always had the toughest time holding a pick while playing a guitar or banjo. I tend to use my fingernails (as I do on ukulele), which doesn't give anywhere near the volume on the larger instruments. I've resolved to fix this problem by practicing, slowly at first, then hopefully increasing speed. I've watched countless You Tube videos, all with different suggestions. Anyone have a special/magic tip? TIA.
 
I don't have any suggestions because I have been using a pick for over 50 years. It is just the way I have always played except for a little finger picking and classical stuff. I tried to play the uke with my fingers but I did not like it so I have been using a pick ever since then. Most beginners use a pick that is way too thin. Much better control with a stiff pick (gotta be careful typing that) and hold it so that only about a quarter of an inch is sticking out between the thumb and index finger.
 
I use a pick when I need to.  I prefer thin to medium ones because they make a little bit less noise than thicker ones.  (Better be careful with that statement too!)

Some of my jazz buds make their own.  They take a normal thumb pick and grind down the point and glue a normal light to medium pick to it.  It kind of ends up looking like these, but the actual pick portion is shorter and more rounded.
 

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One of the guitar players in our uke band makes (cuts) his picks out of old credit cards. I may need to glue a pick to my forefinger/thumb  :(
 
Thanks Russ. Looks like just what I need.
 
Well since everyone is showing off their picks I will too. I have one drawer of my guitar parts cabinet that I dedicate just to picks. I have a box of 100 that is opened up. They come in all thicknesses, but I almost always use very heavy. I bought a collection of Beatles picks that I still have a few of. Each one of the Beatles is featured with a line drawing of their head. The last time I was in a group I had a 144 custom picks made that had 'Sierra Express - Tom Seiler' printed on each one. I used to give them away to everyone I met while I was in the band. Kinda like business cards. I don't have any of them left. I forget how much they cost but it was not very much. Now you can buy them with your own photo on the pick.

https://www.personalizationmall.com/Guitar-Picks-c190.lp?fitemid=49447&did=312183&wordid=49447&utm_source=GoogleBase&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=CjwKCAjwwbHWBRBWEiwAMIV7E14YNvkFHPcHKbZ5UM4fUPD-z3-x01GigL_Neu3DpvJsDkPyoGkPmxoCzg4QAvD_BwE

https://www.amazon.com/Planet-Waves-Beatles-Signature-Peppers/dp/B003AJVKDO/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1523351445&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=beatles+guitar+picks&psc=1

My favorite picks that I have not bought yet (I don't really need any right now) is the Van Gogh picks collection:

https://www.amazon.com/Vincent-Guitar-Complete-Guitarist-Celluloid/dp/B01D21K4F4/ref=sr_1_11?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1523351497&sr=1-11&keywords=custom+guitar+picks
 

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The last time we played for an elementary school, one of the guitar players tossed a couple of hundred picks into the audience (actually, tossed them in the air so they "rained down"). I thought that was a neat take-away for the kids. Unfortunately, not all the kids got a pick, and he was asked not to do that for the second group of kids.
 
Tom said:
The last time we played for an elementary school, one of the guitar players tossed a couple of hundred picks into the audience (actually, tossed them in the air so they "rained down"). I thought that was a neat take-away for the kids. Unfortunately, not all the kids got a pick, and he was asked not to do that for the second group of kids.
I went to a G3 concert ten years ago (Vai, Satriani and Malmsteen) and Yngwie loved to throw picks into the audience. I was in the front row and he threw one my way. I missed it and got down on my hands and knees looking for it on the floor. While I was searching it dawned on me I was a 55 year old man grovelling for a guitar pick on the floor at a rock concert. I was proud. Never did find the pick. :-[
 
I should mention my guitar parts cabinet. I bought a small three drawer cabinet at Walmart for under $10 and I keep all my guitar related stuff in it. I used to keep most of the stuff in my guitar case but now that I have so many cases I needed a central spot to keep everything. One drawer has cleaning cloths and cleaning spray, one has picks and parts and the top drawer has my Rogue guitar tool kit. I bought it many years ago and love it. I looked online and cannot find it for sale any more. It has a winder, small screwdrivers, many Allen wrenches, side cutters and I also keep very fine sandpaper for repairing the bridge when a string breaks (most all strings break because of a burr on the bridge). When a string breaks I do a light sanding job on the bridge and never again will it break a string there. I haven't broken a string in many years but I am prepared.

I also bought a five pack of guitar pick holders and put an assortment of picks in each one and then I put one in each case.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N3OWDV3/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 

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I've tried using thumb picks, and they seem to work OK for picking, but not for strumming. Wish I'd learned to do this stuff when I was a kid.
 
Amazon has Eric Johnson picks, but says they're (Jim) Dunlop  ???
 
Lots of info on the 'net about choosing and using a pick. Essentially, what works fine for one may not be so good for another. A trip to the music store with your instrument(s) may be in order. Just start trying different picks to see what works for you.
 

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