Picking question

[Cybermax]

I seem to have 2 different ways of holding my pick! Its driving me insane, cuz i dont know which one is better. When I play muted triplets for example I hold the pick slightly different than when i play non-muted chromatics for example ....

is that bad? Should u always hold your pick the same way, no matter whether u play rythm or lead?

thx

 

[Russ]

Originally posted by Cybermax
I seem to have 2 different ways of holding my pick! Its driving me insane, cuz i dont know which one is better. When I play muted triplets for example I hold the pick slightly different than when i play non-muted chromatics for example ....

is that bad? Should u always hold your pick the same way, no matter whether u play rythm or lead?

thx

It shouldn't matter, unless it slows down your playing. ..I hold the pick closer to the tip so I can sneak a pinch harmonic in easily, when needed.

 

[U[Sic]M]

Originally posted by Cybermax
is that bad? Should u always hold your pick the same way, no matter whether u play rythm or lead?

thx

Think about how you hold your pRick instead.

Yes, well, to paraphrase that more seriously, I think you ought not think about the way you hold your pick in terms of wrong/right, but rather in terms of different. Try thinking about which way holding the pick is the most comfortable for you, or gives the most pleasing sound etc... Experiment!

Eddie van Halen (or perhaps it was "IA" Eklundh?) holds his pick in a novel way ; with his thumb and his middle finger, and look how influential he´s become.

 

[Sunbane]

Originally posted by U[Sic]M
Eddie van Halen (or perhaps it was "IA" Eklundh?) holds his pick in a novel way ; with his thumb and his middle finger, and look how influential he´s become.

I think some people do that so they can have the index finger free for tapping. I don't see why they can't tap with the middle finger instead tho'. That's what I do when I'm _forced_ to do some tapping. =)

I think I'm also holding my pick in several different ways. The trick is to be able to switch between them while playing. In soloing and just ordinary metal riffs, I expose very little of the pick (just the tip) - this allows for fast alternate picking and a bigger ease in pulling off artificial harmonics. But for chunky downpicked DM riffs where attack and clarity is more important, I expose more of the pick to avoid getting garbled notes.

Another issue is how hard you hold the pick. I haven't analyzed my playing very deeply, but I think I'm holding pick rather tightly on the muted downpicked stuff and looser on alternate picking and clean playing.

'bane

 

[Lethe78]

Just hold it however it is the most comfortable for what you are playing.

 

[xenophobe]

If you have two different ways of holding the pick.... THEN you have two different ways of holding it. Pretty much that simple...

Is there a right way or wrong way? Well, no. However you can get it to work for you is the right way for you.

 

[union9]

I use my thumb and index fingers but the pick is moved in all different positions throughout my playing. Our songs are fairly varied and see's doing tremlo picking, plain strumming, pinch's etc. all in one song. Basicly, if what your playing sounds good, it wouldn't realy matter how you hold your pick.

 

[morbid obsession]

you can hold your pick anyway comfortable to you but you shouldnt have to think about switching up .im working on picking with a lighter quieter touch so thenotes come through better when playing fast