Templar0220

I recently got back into playing and am rebuilding my technique to a more appropriate way (in a way that I can keep my thumb straight and be able to do thumb muting), and at first I was having a hard time holding the pick at the tip of my index and my thumb, it just didnt feel strong enough of a grip and felt off. So now I curl my index back and seems to be more on my first knuckle. Heres a couple pictures:

http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums...zpsd7e45b3f.jpg

http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums...zps4e746750.jpg

I can get a good solid grip most of the time and a powerful alternate/tremolo picking technique now and I can thumb mute now. I can pretty much play everything better, but I just notice other guitar players have their thumb straighter and have the pick at the end of their index before the first knuckle, whereas mine is on the first knuckle. I was just wondering if this should be cause for concern or am I good with what Im doing? Also, this Paul Gilbert video is closer to what I do as well:

Lutz Richter

It doesn't look bad. So I would recommend you to keep it like that. If it works fine and you move forward, it's good.
By the way: I changed my way to hold the pick after playing for many years, but because I had problems moving forward. After watching Michael Angelo Batio videos I changed to small picks (Jazz 3), use not so much of my fingers to hold the pick and my index finger is almost straight... only a little pulled back, similar to Paul Gilbert. In the past I had too much tension in my hand, I made almost a fist :-)... the new way helped to improve that.
But if your hand is relaxed, I think your approach is fine.

Lavatain

Sure! Plenty of players pick like that. I believe Marty Friedman does, just that he puts his arm into some obscure angle as well. As long as you're comfortable, relaxed and that isn't limiting you in what you can and cannot play, then I say stick to it!

Templar0220

Thanks for the replies!

Freepower

The way you're holding the pick is the most normal way to do it, and imho the best way.

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whyze250f

The way you're holding the pick is fine, i hold it the same way.

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Templar0220

Thanks a lot guys

Templar0220

Im actually bumping this up because i have another question pertaining to this. Im noticing after a while my index finger on my picking hand can get sore after a while with holding the pick and picking fast for a good while. It sort of seems like my index finger is bent inward now towards the other fingers although slightly. Is it because of the pressure of my thumb and pick on that hand plus the force of the articulation of my picking hand? Am I in trouble here?

Zaphod_Beeblebr

Sounds like you're death-gripping the pick. Loosen up, you really don't need to keep that tight a grip on it to keep it in place.

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Templar0220

Believe it or not I actually try to keep a looser grip as much as possible but with still being able to control the pick from sliding around.

MaaZeus

You may be just like me. I have very bendy finger joints and no matter how loose I hold the pick, my index finger joint gets sore after couple of hours if I held the pick like that.
So I changed my style to loose fist. (the way you see in Freepowers vids) Helped me a ton with the middle finger supporting my index finger. No more sore joint problems.


*edit* This one.


Palm mutes may feel wierd at first but you get over it fast.

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Freepower

^ I'm really glad that helped you out.

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Templar0220

Okay well I've been experimenting and I came up with this position. As you can see in the picture below I'm using my middle finger as a support for my index and it seems to do well with aleaviating (sp?) the soreness from my index but I'm not too sure if this is recomended. Would this position hoold me back in anyway? I play a lot of fast alt/tremolo picking stuff and I don't want to be held up in anway, so do you think this is good?
http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums...0128_111733.jpg

Freepower

It's good but you're still holding those other two fingers way out for no reason. Relax everything you can.

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Templar0220

Oh yes well I stretched those out exageratedly for the picture to focus more on the fingers holding the pick. Thank you!

JacobReedShred

Ultimately the way you hold the pick is the way that feels most comfortable to you. Also you could try out different types of picks as well as thickness to help you get an idea of what's the most comfortable.

My Last Words

I used to hold my pick like you showed in your last post.

But then I clenched my fingers into a loose fist

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Mister A.J.

Holy hell, your picking hand almost looks identical to mine. Which, from what I've seen, is a first.

As for technique, it looks fine to me.

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Hckey#

instead of reading through lazy as hell right now. i play in the normal way with the pick flat on the strings. i hate this, so as of late i flip/tilt the pick. makes it much easier play iron maiden songs. so my questions is, when it comes down to practice, should one practice with the pick straight, or should i angle it since, well that is just how it feels natural for me, maybe not for dave murray but i'm not him.