How to use a plectrum

How to use a plectrum

Most people, when they first hold a plectrum, allow too much of the plectrum to stick out past their fingers.
Apart from making it harder to strum the guitar or pick the notes, it also doesn’t sound as good.
There is a way of using a plectrum that involves using your index finger, thumb, and the plectrum to get the best tonal response out of the guitar, while at the same time helping you to pick the notes faster.

Here’s a video showing how I use a plectrum. It starts of with palm muting, but then it moves on to my picking technique, how I get harmonics out of the guitar and some basics of strumming.

How to use a plectrum video: Palm muting, strumming and harmonic picking

Strumming with a plectrum.

When doing straight rythm guitar strumming, I tend to relax my fingers a bit more than when I’m playing
power chords or doing slower lead runs.
This is simply just a matter of moving my index finger a little further out than what’s shown in the
picture above on how to hold a plectrum.

What it boils down to is that the nail on my index finger is no longer in the path of the strings, so a little
bit more plectrum is exposed. It seems to work better for me then.

If you’re still not exactly sure what to do, here is a free video from a guitartricks instructor on how to
hold a plectrum
When you’re finished with that video, here’s a special link to get Free access to all their guitar lessons.
I wouldn’t miss it.

Strumming power chords.

With power chords I pull the plectrum in slightly so my index finger’s fingernail can come into contactwith the string first, and then the plectrum.
By simply altering the angle of my picking hand slightly, I can determine how much harmonic content Iwant to get out of the chord.

I have noticed after some inspection of exactly what the hell I’m doing, that sometimes I’m actuallyusing the fleshy part of my thumb as a third contact with the guitar string.

I think my picking technique came from some time back when I was about 14 years old and trying toimitate the sound of a mosquito on guitar.
I needed to get the highest pitch possible out of my guitar.

How I use a plectrum when playing lead guitar.
This is when a combination of both approaches seems to happen. When I’m playing slowly, theplectrum is tucked in more so that my fingernail and the plectrum can be used together, but when Ispeed up, I have to let go a little, so the plectrum is slightly more extended.

Hey! Maybe it’s centrifugal force or something.
Funny thing is – I’ve only really noticed what it is that I’m doing because I decided to make this website.
After all…… You can’t just tell people to hold the plectrum, and best of luck.