Playing an instrument has plenty of challenges, but when you don’t have all your equipment, you may find yourself searching for other things to use as a guitar pick. It’s important always to come prepared. That means having spares, but anyone can get into a tough situation. Moreover, having a pick isn’t the same as having the right one. With so many materials available, it can get confusing. The good news is that you have plenty of options. However, it’s best to keep spares of your favorite picks around in the future. I’ll explain how to choose the right material for your style and music so you’ll always sound your best. In the meantime, I’ll also help you find some emergency alternates and recommend some great multipacks so you won’t run into this problem again.
What Material Is Best For Guitar Picks
Instead of grabbing for things you can use as a guitar pick, let’s talk about what goes into one in the first place. Beginners may assume all picks are more-or-less the same thing, but they’re not. Metal and wooden picks are rare, and most plastic picks are nylon. However, there are other materials like Celluloid or Delrin.
Typically, most musicians prefer nylon picks. This material has a good combination of durability, cost-effectiveness and it feels nice in your hand. Celluloid, for example, tends to be smoother, but also stiffer, with much less give. That means these picks break more easily unless they’re a lot thicker.
The shape and texture also affect your grip and sound. Choose textured nylon if you live somewhere hot, play on stage, or otherwise get extra sweaty hands. Meanwhile, it would be best to opt for a sharper tip when you want a brighter tone. This is good for solos, loud music, faster pop, and punk. Sharper tips are not usually right for a slow, mellow strum or a backup guitar.
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Choosing Your Best Pick
Selecting the right pick for you is all about preference and style. Whether you want a light, medium, or heavy option, it’s better to buy in bulk. More importantly, try them all before you settle. Most styles come in a wide range of colors, so aesthetics aren’t really a limiting factor here.
The average beginner chooses a light or ‘thin’ pick. They’re thinner, less weighty, and easier to handle. For intermediate and advanced players, the medium is right for most music. However, if you plan to play heavy metal, flamenco, or anything fast, get a heavy pick. This type will hold up better and produce more sound. You can even find extra heavy picks.
Guitar Pick Sizes
Guitar picks are sized by how thick they are. If you turn your pick on its side and look at the material, there’s not a lot there, perhaps only a few human hairs thick. As they go up in size, picks get less flexible but more durable.
- Light Guitar Picks – .40-.60 millimeters, sometimes less
- Medium – These are around .60-.80 millimeters thick and by far the most popular style.
- Heavy – At .80-1.20 millimeters, these chunky picks are ready to take a beating
- Extra Heavy – Anything over 1.20 millimeters is considered XL in the guitar pick world. You probably only need these for powerful hands and playing speed metal.
Once you know your size, find a brand that makes a pick you like. The length, hand feel, and color are also important, but not until you figure out which type of pick you need.
How To Hold A Guitar Pick
Sure, it seems simple enough to grab a pick, but learning the proper hold is one of the most important lessons a beginner can learn. Furthermore, having a pick made from the right material and knowing which things to use as a pick is great, but the angle and grip matter a lot. If you hold your pick wrong, it will hold you back. Plus, it can hurt your hands unnecessarily.
Too Loose
There’s a difference between a firm grip and a floppy one, to be sure. Most importantly, a too-loose grip will leave you without a pick. Whether you drop it or accidentally throw your pick, you need to keep it in your hand to play at all.
Too Tight
Clamping down on a pick will hurt your hands, and it may even break your picks. Since they’re meant to strum, a high-quality guitar pick can take a lot of abuse. Still, when you clench it, you can cause it to break more easily. Even if you want to shred, you can’t attack the strings with a vice-gripped pick.
Equally important, a tense strumming hand will hurt and fatigue sooner. You won’t be able to play as long as you would otherwise. Over time it can cause more wrist and shoulder pain as well.
Just Right
A good pick hold is firm but not a death grip. You want to hold it at roughly a forty-five-degree angle. Don’t bother with a protractor, though.
Ninety degrees is straight up and down. Forty-five degrees is halfway between vertical and horizontal. It’s not rocket science. It’s art, so hold at the angle that feels best to you.
Your pick should sit between a curled pointer finger and your thumb. The middle knuckle of your pointer and the end of your thumb should clamp. You want these parts to sit slightly forward of the middle of your pick. Meanwhile, the more pointed end should face outward toward your guitar strings. About half an inch of your pick should be sticking out.
Remember to stretch your hands and fingers before you play, and take breaks to stretch again as you practice. It helps to shake the tension out every few songs.
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Is It OK To Play Guitar Without A Pick
Did you know the proper name of a guitar pick is a plectrum? Neither do many musicians, but any guitar or bass player can suggest things to use as a pick. Just as you don’t need a precise mathematical angle for your pick, or the technical term for it, you can make do without one at all.
Unfortunately, if you learned to play with a pick, this will leave you with sore fingers. More importantly, it will probably also sound terrible. Unless you practice fingerstyle regularly, you don’t know how to play that way. It’s just not the same.
While there’s nothing wrong with fingerstyle, a good pick can save your fingers a lot of wear and tear. Plus, you’ll be able to strum harder and faster. Still, both styles have advantages, and it’s alright to choose not to play with a pick.
Ultimately, it’s your choice, but I strongly recommend learning how to use a pick before setting it aside. Otherwise, you could miss out on a lot of new sounds and chances to really be heard.
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Is It Better To Play A Guitar With Or Without A Pick
For beginners, it’s often best to start with a pick. Whatever things you use as a pick, it is usually faster than learning fingerstyle. However, there are advantages to learning both. Although you can usually find a good pick-substitute in a pinch, you may not always have one. Hence fingerstyle is useful for impromptu playing.
Moreover, learning both techniques will expand your range and let you play in more varied ways. While a pick lets you strum a lot harder, fingerstyle gives a different sound to the music. When you learn both, it gives you more options.
If I had to choose one or the other, I would say pick-playing is better. Not only is it easier on your strumming hand and fingers, but it’s easier to learn. To get faster at fingerstyle, you need to build calluses and practice more.
For those who prefer wood picks, I suggest an Albertband Personalized Guitar Wood Picks Box. You can have the box and the three picks inside customized. This sweet little guitar-shaped carrying case means you’ll always know right where your picks are when you need them. Plus, if you ever have questions or need replacements, the customer service from Albertband is excellent and prompt. Get your case, and wood picks by clicking here.
Fingerstyle
The name fingerstyle can be slightly misleading. When you play ‘fingerstyle,’ it can mean you pluck the strings directly with your fingertips. However, this isn’t the only way to play fingerstyle.
Specifically, fingerstyle is any style where you do not hold a pick between your fingers. This can include using your nails as picks and wearing picks on your fingers. Any one of these options is fingerstyle.
You can learn one or use all three forms of fingerstyle. However, if you’re using your fingertips or nails, it’s imperative to take good care of your hands and nails. Make sure you trim any broken or jagged bits and file your nails down so they don’t get too long.
I also suggest getting good hand and nail moisturizers regardless as you play the guitar. You can even take a biotin supplement to help grow stronger fingernails. Since fingerstyle is rough on your hands, it’s more important to take care of your strumming hand if you use this method.
Final Thoughts
Finding the perfect pick for you can be a lot of fun. The material, hardness, and style all matter. However, playing around with non-standard pic options is also amusing. There are so many things you could use in a pinch.
I recommend getting familiar with alternates, so you know how best to use them. If you have spares, you may never need them. Still, you could find yourself in a situation where you need to play without your own equipment. It’s flattering when someone hands you an instrument and asks for an improvised concert.
Make sure you carry spare picks in your case. Better still, drop an extra in your wallet, car, and other useful locations so you can always play on demand.