Guitar Picking - Know Your Options

Guitar picking, sweep, alternate, economy, string skipping, scale sequencing, sweep arpeggios all relate to methods of how to use a pick to play the strings on a guitar. Eddie Van Halen for example, holds the pick between his thumb and middle finger. The most common way to hold the pick is between the thumb and the index finger. However, some players hold it differently and the way they hold the pick works for them. Since Eddie Van Halen is a world class guitarist, "Should you hold the pick the way he does?" Ultimately that depends on you. You should use the method that allows you to play at your best.

Many players will find the common way to hold the pick for their guitar picking as the most natural and productive method for their playing ability. However, you will have to be the ultimate judge of that. For example, if you are trying to play Van Halen solos you may find yourself able to play them better holding the pick differently from the way he holds the pick.

This is very important to understand in regards to your guitar picking. You will run into some various approaches to holding a pick, even if they are simply nuances in how some players hold the pick with the common method. You may try some adjustments and find either they improve your playing or they don't. It shouldn't take very long with some practice with a particular method to see what guitar picking feels right to you for your best playing or not.

Along with how you hold your guitar pick, again there is much more to guitar picking. What method are you interested in developing and do you really know about alternate picking, sweep picking, or economy picking? This is completely covered in our guitar learning software.