How to Hold a Guitar Pick

There are several technique issues that are important regarding playing the guitar. One of them involves holding a guitar pick in a way that allows the best freedom of movement for the hand holding the pick.

There's always more than one way to skin a cat. The most important thing about holding a pick is control. Make sure that your hand is relaxed instead of tense. If your hand is "tensed up" it will be hard for you to control it - and control is everything.

But let's talk about the pick itself for just a minute.

What you want is a relatively thin pick. Don't get the thinnest that you can get, but get the next thinnest. If the pick is too thin, you'll be cracking and breaking them a lot. Whatever you do, do not buy thick picks. This will give you less control.

Don't buy oversized or real small picks either. Buy regular-sized picks. And oh yeah, don't buy "textured" picks either. Buy regular-sized, basic thin picks.

Now we can talk about how to hold the thing. Seeing as I am right-handed, I will approach this from that perspective.

Curl your right hand as if you were the upper hand holding a baseball bat -- but keep your thumb out of the way. Now take that thumb and cross your forefinger forming an "X".  Don't make an exaggerated "X", just make sure that your thumb crosses your forefinger a bit. That will probably mean that your thumb will not be straight but curled up a bit.

Next rotate your hand so that your forefinger is almost pointing straight down. You can adjust that angle once you have the pick in your hand.

Now place your guitar pick between your thumb and forefinger and try strumming your guitar using down and up strums. Adjust your hand position if you have to. Some people keep their right hand closed, and some open it up a bit. Do whatever is comfortable for you, but just make sure that you can control the pick.

Do not squeeze the pick as if you were trying to squish a bug. Hold it just tight enough so that the pick doesn't fly off into space.

Next, try picking individual notes on the guitar using down-up picking.  Control really becomes an issue here. Some people will anchor there last or last 2 fingers on the guitar while they pick, and some keep their hand closed. Again, do what is comfortable and allows you the most control of your pick.

Remember, control is everything. Use the right kind of pick, make sure that your hand is relaxed and don't squeeze it too tight, and hold the pick in a way that gives you the most control.

Hi! My name is James Emery Vigh and thanks for taking the time to read my article. I am an independent film maker and an author of guitar method books for both kids and adults.

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