How to hold the plectrum

[oska]

Hi,

 

I have been playing for about 3 years. Just today i found out the my way of holding the pick is wrong. I hold it between my thumb and the index finger tip....like when you are pinching someone or taking a pinch of salt. And the pick is at a 45 degree angle pointing towards my left eye.

 

But all tutorials advise to hold the pick between the thumb and the side of the index finger with the pick at a 45 degree angle pointing towards the left foot.

 

Is it really necessary to follow the recommended grip? I am serious about the guitar and plan to develop it a lot. So do i need to practice all over again with the new grip which will supposedly help me in the long run?

 

Thanks a lot

peace

[LarryUK]

It all boils down to what you feel is right. The way you're told to hold it is a guide.

Look on You Tube and see all the various ways other players hold them.

If you're happy. Everyone's happy.

[hudsonsaul]

It all boils down to what you feel is right. The way you're told to hold it is a guide.

Look on You Tube and see all the various ways other players hold them.

If you're happy. Everyone's happy.

 

Agree with this. I hold my pick in an odd way, dunno why. Its predominately held by my thumb, index and middle finger. Noticed lately as my style has been changing a bit, or as i get more rhythmic it tends to fall into Thumb & Middle finger.

 

Looks odd, gets lolz from some of mates, but is comfortable and works. Hasn't cause any issues for me either.

[stein]

that is a very good question. it sounds like you have developed an odd technique? there is really nothing wrong with that and nothing that says if you have an odd or different technique that it is somehow illegitimate or wrong. but also, the more you know, the more options you have on which direction you want to go. you might want to at least practice a little of holding the pick the "recomended" way. if you become a little competent at it, then you know more ways of holding the pick. but also, it will give you clues and ideas of the advantages of it, and give you more knowledge and insight on the way you are holding it now.

i went and tried to hold the pick as best i can figure from your desciption. it feels to me that the action of hitting the string is mostly coming from the finger? ok. maybe try playing with no pick, just your fingers. then try the thumb. as you do this, try and concentrate on just playing your chords and single notes and let your fingers do thier thing and observe what your natural tendencies are as you do these different picking ideas. when you try different things with your right hand that are not comfortable but stick with it for a min or two, it changes your point of reference and gives a clue of what anothers point of reference may be when you try and play like someone else, which can be anything from a shredder playing power chords to a fingerpicker to a slide player. sometimes stepping out of uor box, our comfort zone, we find other comfort zones that allow us to alter our own technique and also to learn more about how we play and what advantages we have, and what we can do to learn what we don't know and want to.

[Mastodude]

Agree with this. I hold my pick in an odd way, dunno why. Its predominately held by my thumb, index and middle finger. Noticed lately as my style has been changing a bit, or as i get more rhythmic it tends to fall into Thumb & Middle finger.

 

Looks odd, gets lolz from some of mates, but is comfortable and works. Hasn't cause any issues for me either.

 

 

I've always held the plectrum with three fingers (like doing the sign of the orthodox cross). If I'm playing super fast I'll occasionally drop the index finger and use middle and thumb. If I'm playing blues, then it's the basic index thumb combo!