It doesn’t matter if you are just starting out with the guitar, or you have already built some experience, you’re likely not one of the people who put a lot of thought into their shopping for guitar picks. However, if you want to truly improve your playing and the quality/style of the sound you are producing, you should definitely put some thought into the picks you are buying, and make sure that they fit you personally.
This is just as important as getting the right strings – its effect is subtle too, in the sense that others will only notice if something is wrong, not when everything is in order. When you’re looking through the market for guitar picks, the important factors to pay attention to are the size, material and the thickness of the picks.
- Size can be quite varied with guitar picks, and then there are also different shapes to consider as well – this can be a bit confusing when you’re just starting out and haven’t yet learned the intricate aspects of playing the guitar. There are some guitar picks that are quite large, often shaped in a triangle, and on the other hand there are smaller ones with rounded edges; you can also go with really small guitar picks that are fitted around your thumb – though that’s not a very good idea unless you’re playing the banjo or something similar. The trick to getting the right size is ensuring that you personally feel comfortable with it. If you can’t grip a large pick comfortably, don’t bother – just get a smaller one instead.
- Material is another important factor – there are different materials used for the construction of picks, plus a few less common ones that are still interesting to consider. Stone and metal picks are the less common and produce a brighter sounds , but in most cases you’ll want to stick with either plastic, nylon or tortex, a special material which is designed to imitate the sound of tortoiseshell, a material with a history in the creation of guitar picks. Play around a little with different picks to get an idea of what you prefer.
- Thickness is something you’ll want to consider carefully as well – this is mostly determined by the strength of your strumming; guitarists who play harder will want a lighter pick in order to avoid breaking a string. On the other hand, a thicker pick can give you more precise control over the strumming and alternating picking (down and up strokes). Thin picks work well for nylon strings guitars, but can break on steel strings.
- Color – while not a factor that impacts the quality of your playing, it’s still a good idea to consider being unique as much as possible with your choice of color for the pick, in order to stand out from the other musicians around you and be remembered for something else beside your high playing skills. Nowadays, the market is full of guitar picks with interesting color designs and patterns, so have a look around to find out what you can get in this regard.
