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using a pick
I’m finding it easier to play without a pick. should I use a pick . I find it slows me down and I make more mistakes hitting the wrong strings.
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2 Replies
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I think you should do whatever feels best for you. I didn’t use a pick for many years and just strummed with my fingers/nails. It is certainly a little easier and it hides some of the mistakes.
I’ve only recently started to use a pick because I feel like it is another “tool” in the tool belt of playing guitar. It challenges me because it does require a little more string awareness and technique to hit the exact strings you need to play, but that’s why I’m in this program.
A pick will give a cleaner sound, but it certainly isn’t a requirement for something to still sound good. I think a lot of my playing (depending on the type of song) sounds better without a pick cause I’ve created my own finger/hand strumming style.
My advice… play around with both techniques as I think you’ll appreciate having the pick in your tool belt as you continue to progress. But yeah, play without a pick if it makes you more comfortable and you feel like you are progressing quicker without it. Maybe you spend 80% of your time without a pick, and one day a week you mess around practicing with a pick. I think in the long run it will help you become a better player if you don’t completely ignore it.
Also, I’d recommend purchasing a variety bag of guitar picks (any music store or Amazon would carry them). There are thinner ones (.4 – .6 width range) that I started with that are more on the flimsy side which are much easier to strum with. Medium ones (.6-.8) are not too thick or thin, and the heavy ones (.9+) are better for picking notes. I’m not sure what kind of pick you are using, but playing around with various sizes/shapes might help you find something that feels better for you.
Most of all, have fun!
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I’m not a huge fan of picks. However I’ve been pretty diligent using one for the past year or so. I just don’t want to limit myself, and do feel a pick is very useful. I still finger strum a lot. I am getting better with the pick. One thing I’ve done to improve my pick use is, try to have as little of the pick material exposed as possible. I try to have only 1/8 to 1/4 of the tip exposed. It may be difficult in the beginning, and you will hit your knuckles on the strings sometimes, but that’s OK. It will improve. The type and thickness of the pick is also important.
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