How to Hold a Guitar Pick & Best Guitar Picks

I'm beginner but it's like a game of twist, I feel like screaming 😢

Bro I bought the thickest picks and then I watch this video

At 60yo and played all my life I still find a pick clumsy. The problem being nails can break so I try but much prefer nails. I am gonna try a wooden one next

Doo me too all my picks are wrong

The "best" guitar pick is the one you have with you. As you progress with guitar playing, you'll find what works best for YOU. Once you're comfortable with your playing, you'll find different things to improve your playing or sound. My first pick was a small piece of tree branch (maybe as thick as a toothpick) that my grandfather would use, then I moved on to toothpicks, coins, borrowed picks from friends, guitar center picks, credit card pieces, etc. Eventually I started buying and trying different picks until I found one I was comfortable with, played with it for many years, then found a different one that I liked better.

Don't stress about what the "perfect" piece of gear is, the important thing is that you PLAY and try to keep getting better.

I only have medium picks and can’t afford to get any more help

I've been teaching myself guitar for over a year now and just recently decided to start learning how to use a pick. It definitely does work to use a simple fingerpicking pattern just to learn concepts and be able to play basic songs. When it comes time to learn the more technical stuff, though, it seems like picks are the best way to go.

whenever I pick a string my index finger touches the string and if, I let a bit more of the pick outside my hand just shoves the pick even deeper inside the guitar 💀

I learnt without a pick its been hard to learn to change all six strings using a pick.and the pick brings out a more crispy sound .ive had to learn how to play with a pic n im enjoyed it

it sounds crazy to pay $40 for a pice of plactic of postage stamp size. Why not to cut it yourself of size and shape to suit you? And you can tune its flexibility (thickness) with a piece of sandpaper. Suitable plactic is around. For example a bank card, milk can etc

Hey @justinguitar can you please clarify how should I keep other three fingers while holding the pick? Should they be curled into my palm or should keep them extended? I have seen lots of different opinions on your website and over the internet. Is there a right or wrong way to do it? Is there any advantage of doing it one way over the other?

My pick always turns in my fingers, and I find if I grip it tighter so this doesn't happen my upstrokes sound horrible because they're way too hard. Not sure if this is something that will just come in time or not.

very helpful short precise well done

i recommend you learn Both finger picking and a guitar pick i started with a pick but then found i couldnt play nothing else matters so i tried fingerstyle it works much better for this particular song, of course the pick is handy when strumming open chords

Hello I wish someone will help me. I'm a beginner. Like really a beginner.. When I first started learning I only use my fingers I can hit the correct string without looking.. but now I Want to use a pick the problem is I find it hard I miss the correct string if I'm not looking and It's just feels wrong.. I play acoustic.. should I stick to just using my finger or it's wrong?

Ive been playing for 3 years and only ever used it once

Whenever I'm out of picks, cut out picks from ice cream containers. Its not that bad..i like the flexibility; it thins out eventually plus save heaps of cash🙂

Looking back to when I took lessons, neither my teacher nor the shop folks thought to mention this…

I tried that and they told me that was a misconception for beginners you want the thick expect you can never get enough what they got me they said the thinnest pick will break and they don't recommend it for a beginner because they don't really know how to hold it

I bought the thickest picks I gotta buy new ones now ☠️

I use thumb and finger style but find it difficult doing higher speed alternate picking. I must try and use a pick.

Me, having played fingerstyle guitar for 8 years: “Oh, THAT’S how you’re supposed to hold a pick???”

Well, i should have watched that befor buying my pick's. I didn't think it makes much differenc, cause it' just the thing you hit the strings with. So i bought the once that look the best, think 1,6mm not sure anymore xD

Anyone ever use a thinner gift card?

I bought the thickiest one:(

Heyy, I'm like in the middle of a begginer-intermadiate and I just begun strumming with pricks (fingers were a lot better confortable for me personally, until... I begun some less popular chords.) and I have a question. I have a thick pick and it makes a vlicky sound when I strum chords, how can i fix that? Also, if've been trying to use fingers for single & two notes is it really possible for more complex songs?

My day 2

Justin is a great teacher because he doesn't give you absolutes. There is no "right" pick. Use whatever feels best for you and gets the job done.

Thanks

FICK THAT MF PICK

There is nothing more humbling than making decent progress in your guitar journey without a pick and everything being fine and dandy, then picking up a pick for the first time and trying to strum.

I find flexible picks the worst. Im a bass and never use picks. Been playing bass for 13 years and now just starting playing guitar a few weeks ago. Im a great guitar player already but picks are a nightmare for me 😂

I got pick printed from 3D printer

I am a beginner and i prefer a thicker pick. I don't like the clicky sound from thinner ones. When strumming you keep your wrist loose and also a different angle on the pick, experiment with how you'd like it yourself, i like to keep it a bit outwards. With a jazz 3 or similar it makes it easily roll off the strings. Fun skill to learn from the start too.

Been playing off and on for 25 years and I still can’t hold a pick like that. After a couple strums it moves

My pick always just moves out of my hand somehow 😢

You are the freaking best ur videos is helping me improve my technique

You would not believe how I struggled (as a fingerstyle bassist learning guitar) with my plectrum grip until I found this video. Thanks, Justin!

Nice !

I've played guitar for 10 years and am trying to use a pick for the first time at the moment


It sucks! Sounds like I've never played before, like a totally different skill!

That was useful thanks 👍🏻

Nice guitar! Strat with humbucker, single coil, and filtertron! Wow!

I use Dunlop jazz 3s max grip personally, I've experimented with lots of picks and I've settled on these. Side note I think I hold my pick slightly differently to everyone else, I hold it with my thumb, index and middle finger, been doing it that long that just using thumb and index feels wrong and I can't play well like that.

i've bean using a heavy pick since i bought my new guitar it was so hard thank you so much for recommending a light one it's so much easier now

My pick makes a very loud noise on the strings! It stands out so much almost as if the strings were muted. Is that normal my pick 1.5 mm its the only on I have rn

pep talk.. 🤭😆😎