How to Hold Guitar Pick
Hey there, welcome back. This is Lesson #6 A Beginner Guitar 101 for Grownups. Glad you
made it. I hope you�re having fun. In this lesson, I�m gonna show you how to use a
guitar pick in particular for strumming. And I�ll give you some tips on getting a good
smooth strum. Two things that students often are having a hard time with. One is changing
chords on time and the other one is getting a smooth strum without the pick falling out
on the ground.
Let me mention also you don�t have to use a pick. I actually even like brand new beginners
sometimes to just start strumming chords with their thumb. They can even do up and down.
I used my fingers on a nylon string guitar and it can do quite a bit of strumming but
will get into that later. I�ll have a lesson on the nylon string guitar finger style.
It is good to learn to use a pick. At least at some point if you�re going to play a
steel string acoustic guitar. So let me show you how to place the pick in your fingers.
First of all, I�m taking the pick in my left hand. I�m gonna wrap my first finger
into itself and place the pick on top of the first knuckle. Now I�m gonna wrap my thumb
over it so that the bottom of the pick is sticking out. Now if I roll back my thumb
a little bit, I can press on the back part of the pick and it will still wabble and you
want that wabble. The wabble is what will help you get a smoother strum. Let me show
it one more time. I�m gonna curl my first finger in, place on my first knuckle and thumb
over it then roll my thumb a little bit so it looks like this when I�m strumming.
Now there is another way that I see some people used the pick and that�s kinda point it
a little more. The finger and the thumb are more pointing like this. It sounds more like
this. Generally a little lighter sound so I didn�t see which one you like best. Feel
free to experiment.
Also when the pick falls out that usually means that you�re just not tightening up
enough on the back yet and it�ll happen and it just takes practice. By the way, I�m
using here a medium pick. I usually recommend that for beginners. A lighter pick will actually
make it a little easier to strum but harder to play a base note if you�re gonna play
base note at some point.
I thick pick is great for playing melodies but not easy to strum with. Usually for beginners
a medium is a good bet or if you just gonna do strumming and your not worried about melodies
go for a thin pick.
So now the picking motion is generally just back and forth. Try this with me. Put the
pick in your finger and your thumb over it and just move up and down. A body equal distance
from the sound hole on this side. Think of it like a pendulum motions up and down. Most
of the strums you�ll be doing will involve up and down constant motion so get used to
it. And the best way to do it is just practice hand over the strings and just practice up
and down. You get used to the feel of picking your hand and how it sounds on the strings.
Here�s a little tip. Turn your wrist slightly on the way down, you (3:31) it up and then
on the way up you turn slightly the other way. So the motion is part in your elbow and
part with your wrist is going back and forth. It�s just about equal. I�d say even a
little more on the wrist. It�s definitely not this stiff wrist. Oh I�m having a hard
time getting a good smooth strum like that. Move the wrist and relax. You have to relax
the wrist to get the sound smooth.
It just takes practice. Try practicing with the pick on your hand and doing this basic
down up strumming motion. After you�ve done it, come on back for lesson number 7 and were
gonna have some fun. See you soon.