How do you hold a pick?

[karl_em_all]

Practice keeping your hand as relaxed as you can when you play. Tensing up will make you cramp and make you slower in your attack.

I've found that to be true for both pick and finger playing.

 

[KickingBass]

I think I pick it the incorrect way, but it seems to work for me. I dont pick much though so I dont think itll do any long term damage.

 

[madbass6]

Ok.. I've heard a of alot of hard technical questions on TB but i must admit, this one is by far the hardest!
Ok so lets break it down for you..
No worrys It's not a science project !

1.first you need to figure out how to pick it up & how to take out of the gig bag! got it ? Ok, good !! You're already half way there! !

2. Now Squeeze it in between your thumb and your index finger !

3.pluck the strings with the pick not fingers and there you go! Congratulations you managed not only hold a pick but to use it too !

if left handed do the same except with your left hand. hope this helps. gd luck.

 

[timocharis]

When I use a pick I use the "correct" grip. Definitely best for me. But usually I don't use a pick.

Early on I realized I wanted to use one-finger, two-finger, three-finger and four-finger plucking both straight finger and curved, and I wanted to pick. Often using all nine approaches in the same song. So I started using the tip of my index finger (with a carefully tended fingernail) as the pick simply because there often wasn't time to grab the pick out of my mouth or put it back in. Bad hygiene anyway.

This opened up technique 10: picking with the fleshy part of the finger rather than the nail. This can be traded back and forth on up and/or down strokes to generate quite a range of tones. I also found (both with a pick and fingernail) that altering the angle of attack in various ways gave even more tonal range. This is all to the good because I never mastered the trick of flicking my finger down to adjust the tone dial between notes.

Oops. Oversharing.

 

[TerribleLiar23]

I hold it between my thumb and index, with my other three fingers loosely extended. I used to have my hand closed like in the OP pics, but I was gripping way too tightly and found relaxing the other three fingers alleviated that. However, I hold the pick with point inward, so I strike the string with the rounded portion of the pick, as MCS4 stated earlier. Not sure how that started but it works for me. I use very small picks, typically Dunlop carbon fiber jazz III.

 

[mikew31]

Those that hold the pick the "correct" way, how do you palm mute with your fingers tucked in like that? That picture looks very unnatural to me. While I hold the pick like the "correct" picture between the thumb and index finger, my fingers are out and relaxed so I have a lot more control. Makes it easy to palm mute, easy to move from the wrist, promotes a loose grip without tension, and allows me to use my pinky as an anchor. It would seem keeping the fingers tucked in would make it too easy to move the forearm from the elbow.

It's weird to me to even think about something like this. I was a guitar player first and never really thought about it. I just hold the pick how I see others do it and adjust to what feels the best and allows me to play how I want.

 

[PaulJSmith]

I play both finger and pick. That picture of what you've called the "correct" method is making my hand cramp just looking at it. You cannot play for any length of time with that much tension in your hand and not expect it to cramp eventually. You may even do permanent damage over time. Relax your hand, and hold the pick in whichever fingers you find comfortable. There is no right or wrong way to do it, except to say that whatever works best for you is right.

I, personally, hold mine between the end of my thumb and side of my middle finger, with my index finger resting on the edge. I also use those doritos (tri-corner elipticals).

 

[Biggbass]

securely pinched between the thumb, forefinger, and middle finger. and sometimes I add a bit
of Gorilla Snot if things get slippery. I also use a thumb pick occasionally.

 

[Gigio Toots]

I like med picks(.72-.75mm) vs 1mm and it's very important to relax the picking hand and hold your pick gently as well, this will avoid cramping.
Also start jamming to some AC/DC tunes Cliif is a pick player and has the most solid eight notes out there

 

[Jamvan]

I haven't read everything yet so I don't know if this is covered but the best way to hold a pick for metal is obviously the George Lynch method with middle, ring, and pinky fully extended. It helps if you have your foot properly placed on a monitor for full effect.

 

[gln1955]

I use a pick maybe 10% of the time and was having problems with my thumb muscles cramping too. I did two things that might help you. First, don't grip it so hard. If you cramp up, you are simply holding too tight for too long. Relax, don't slam the strings, pick with a light tounch and let the amp do the heavy lifting. Maybe that doesn't look right for metal, but you decide. Secondly, I started using a very thick pick, called a Wedgie. Specifcally, the 3 mm hard one. I can hold it more easily with a light gripand not have it fly across the room.

 

[Fergie Fulton]

Many great players use a pick, in a variety of styles and genres, so here are some basics to consider....


Your Pick


and some not so basics...

Why pick one...

 

[shawshank72]

Im a pick player and i hold it how it makes me feel comfortable.
Hell with whats considered right or wrong.

 

[EarnestTBass]

I hold the pick between my thumb, index and middle fingers, all three, with the edge of the pick sticking out slightly beyond flesh. I may use the point or I may use the thicker edge of the pick. I use different gauge picks for different tunes and different purposes. I rarely strike the string with just the pick. I use the pick kinda like its another fingernail. I use the flesh on my fingertips and/or the side of my thumb in varying degrees to mute the thwack of the pick for varying degrees of attack. Even though I use a pick 90% of the time, I still have thick calluses and grind my fingernails on roundwounds while using the pick. I have not contemplated what might be "the correct way to hold the pick" I use the pick on faster eighths and sixteenths utilizing both up strokes AND down strokes. For slower passages I might hold the pick between index and middle fingers while I do fingerstyle. I don't know if my technique would work for anyone else but it seems to serve my purposes.

I quietly enjoy listening to theory from the "never use a pick" purists, but then I ignore such advice in practice.

 

[SonnyBassPlayer]

I know it's not canonic or anything else, but this is the only way I can play both sounding good, feeling relaxed, not overexhausting my elbow, and keeping the bass at a reasonably "good looking" low position (not exagerated of course). I hame small hands, kinda short arms, no large shoulders; I need to play keeping my arm almost straight or my elbow just can't hold the fatigue (I have so little stamina) my damn thumbs don't bend like many other people's (like in the video) so I can't physically hold the pick that way. Damn me.

 

[BahamasSteve]

Here is how one the the most iconic bass pick players does it. See tip #26 :

The Official Carol Kaye Web Site

Based on her description. My pick is too thin, I'm holding too tight, my thumb is straight (not bent) and using too much arm.

 

[BahamasSteve]

When I use a pick, I hold it exactly the way I did when I played guitar. I play over the bridge pickup, and use my wrist.

I had been playing closer to the bridge and noticed that I would cramp more, ended up playing over my forward split pickup.

 

[BahamasSteve]

Those that hold the pick the "correct" way, how do you palm mute with your fingers tucked in like that? That picture looks very unnatural to me. While I hold the pick like the "correct" picture between the thumb and index finger, my fingers are out and relaxed so I have a lot more control. Makes it easy to palm mute, easy to move from the wrist, promotes a loose grip without tension, and allows me to use my pinky as an anchor. It would seem keeping the fingers tucked in would make it too easy to move the forearm from the elbow.

It's weird to me to even think about something like this. I was a guitar player first and never really thought about it. I just hold the pick how I see others do it and adjust to what feels the best and allows me to play how I want.

I was wondering the same thing. I found it easier to palm mute with fingers extended and then read on JimmyMs thread that palm muting is asking for injury and Carol recommends that you don't anchor. Sounds like I have several different variations to try out.

 

[BahamasSteve]

I like med picks(.72-.75mm) vs 1mm and it's very important to relax the picking hand and hold your pick gently as well, this will avoid cramping.
Also start jamming to some AC/DC tunes Cliif is a pick player and has the most solid eight notes out there

From what everyone has been saying, I appear to be holding the pick too tight and have my hand too tense.

 

[BahamasSteve]

I haven't read everything yet so I don't know if this is covered but the best way to hold a pick for metal is obviously the George Lynch method with middle, ring, and pinky fully extended. It helps if you have your foot properly placed on a monitor for full effect.

I'll need to get a monitor for my practice space.