Hey Friend,
Did you know that Eddie Van Halen is believed to have at least five different ways he holds his picks? In this response to a question he got from a fan, he actually tells a story about when he first started playing guiatr. He had a hard time holding his pick in the “proper” way, so he had to find something that worked for him.
If you do a search for images of Eddie holding a pick, you’ll be able to see the diversity in techniques, including holding it with his thumb and middle finger
I don’t think I need to underscore how that worked out for Mr. EVH, do I?
The point again is, you need to hold the pick in the way that is most comfortable for you.
It could be the traditional way, or the technique I use - pinching the pick with my thumb and index finger pads. It could be like Eddie Van Halen with your middle finger and thumb.
Or it could be something completely unique to you.
Figure it out.
And guess what?
You’re going to drop that sucker a lot in the beginning as you figure out the best picking position for your hand, so get used to that.
As you improve, you'll find that you drop the pick less and less. You can also begin to add more ways to hold the pick to your repertoire.
In fact, one very helpful technique is to tuck the pick into your hand to get it out of the way. This is done by slipping it to the underside of your hand and holding it in place with your pinky finger.
That way you can switch between finger-picking and using the plectrum to play. That also allows you to use the tapping technique Eddie made famous.
There’s some serious dexterity that needs developed for these picking gymnastics, but again, a little practice goes a long way!
I think this gets back to the fact that we’re all built differently.
It’s not just the hand configuration or the tips of your fingers. The ways your wrist and elbow joints bend, the way your forearm twists, how your tendons and ligaments lay - all these create a completely unique mechanism for guitar play, and you’re the only one who can figure out how to make it work.
So take comfort in knowing that every guitar player before you has had to walk this road alone. They’ve had to carve out the techniques that work for them (whether it’s holding a pick or perfecting a strum).
Yes, we instructors and mentors can help guide you, but you are the final judge and jury on what works.
If you’re feeling frustrated or overwhelmed, I hope it helps a bit to know you’re not alone in your challenges. We all struggle with some aspect of playing.
The key, as I’ve said many times, is to “get started, and don’t quit.”
Let’s rock it out, today!
Peace~
Dave
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