The best guitar picks for beginners (and for most other guitarists out there)

I cover pick choice and pick technique in detail in my course Rockstar 101 – Essential Guitar Skills For Beginners but today I`m going to give you some specific advice about choosing the best guitar pick.

A few hours ago I finished a lesson with a student who has been playing for roughly 9 months and is making great progress. We had a very productive lesson, and it`s a lesson I often enjoy teaching as it`s one those lessons where a small change makes a BIG improvement for the student.

It is the lesson where I go though which I deem are the best guitar picks – especially for beginners. I show the student a variety of guitar picks and we look at which ones are suitable for which type of song, guitar and genre of music.

By the end of the lesson my student knew exactly which 3 picks he likes for which song, guitar and genre and we both both noticed big improvements in the sound coming from his guitar.

Choosing 3 picks is something I recommend you do too.

How many different picks do you use at the moment? And more importantly, when you grab a pick to play with, do you choose it because you know it will sound good for that certain song or because it`s the nearest one to you?

If you like to strum an acoustic guitar, go for the lighter one – 0.46 is the most popular for most beginner guitarists that I teach. They sound rich, have a lovely `zing` across the strings, and are thin, therefore easy to control.

For songs where you pick chords rather than strum them, then try something a little thicker, such as the 0.55 or 0.73 – they are definitely two of the best guitar picks for beginners.

You will find chord picking sounds quieter than strumming, (that`s because it`s one string being hit at a time as opposed to six when you strum), therefore having something slightly thicker helps keep the volume at an audible level.

Having a slightly thicker pick for chord picking will also help you hit the right string more often. This is because thinner picks are great when strumming but bend too much when chord picking which causes a lack of control and the wrong string being hit.

If you have played for years and can control a thicker pick, go for the Dunlop Jazz iii XL. I love them. I can`t believe no one told me about these until about 5 years ago.

Before I used those, I would use a multitude of different picks, never settling on any particular one as when I would get all sweaty on stage, they would fly out my hand and disappear somewhere in the audience. I`m sure I once `flicked` one in someone’s drink, or maybe I just wish I was that cool.

I used to be the world’s worst culprit for using the wrong pick. When learning, I would often lose all my picks or just be too lazy to go and grab one, instead using a 2 pence coin (thinking it was cool and anti-capitalist or something like that) when I was a dorky teenager.

I`d be sitting there strumming a bunch of cool, simple chords and writing some songs.

Ultimate Beginner Guide for Guitar Lovers (Basic Tips)

1)Acoustic guitars: Acoustic guitar generates sound without an exterternal power supply- specially known for its organic and warm tones. The tones generally vary based on the body size, wood type, and craftsmanship. 2)Electric guitars: Electric Guitars are heavy in general and are well-known for their versatility in pop, jazz, blues, and rock. It requires amplifiers and pedals to produce sound like distortion, reverb, delay, and more. Now, go grab your fit . You must also know about the guitar parts as well. Tuning and Care: It’s important to know how to tune your guitar before you start performing. You can use a tuner or tuning app . Also, cleaning and string changes are critical for better sound and the health of your instrument. Practice is the key: It takes time, patience, and constant practice to learn to deal with finger pain and chord transition. You have to be very consistent and add it to your daily routine. Explore learning reso...

Green Strings: Are Eco-Friendly Guitar Strings a Thing Yet?

For guitarists, string changes are a regular ritual. Whether you’re a hobbyist or a professional musician, chances are you’ve gone through dozens—maybe hundreds—of sets over the years. But while we might lovingly preserve our instruments, upgrade our guitar bridge for better sustain, or treasure a vintage guitar tailpiece, our discarded strings usually end up in the trash. It’s an environmental blind spot. Strings are small, seemingly insignificant—but multiply that by millions of musicians worldwide, and the waste starts to add up. Which brings us to a pressing, planet-conscious question: Are eco-friendly guitar strings a thing yet? What Makes Guitar Strings Unsustainable? When it comes to sustainability in music gear, guitar strings often fly under the radar. Yet they’re one of the most frequently replaced items in a guitarist’s toolkit. Unlike the core guitar parts —such as the guitar bridge, tailpiece, or bridge saddles—strings have a short lifespan and are design...

How To Setup Gibson Les Paul Bridge – Installation Guide

The Gibson Les Paul is a classic electric guitar that has been a favorite of guitarists for generations. One of the most important components of the Les Paul is the bridge, which plays a crucial role in determining the guitar’s sound and playability. Here, we’ll be discussing a step-by-step guide on how to set up a Gibson Les Paul bridge, with a focus on the Tune-O-Matic bridge and its components, such as the guitar bridge saddles and guitar tailpiece . Before we get started, it’s important to have a basic understanding of the parts of a guitar bridge . The bridge is part of the guitar that holds the strings in place and allows for adjustments in string height and intonation. The Les Paul bridge, also known as the Tune-O-Matic bridge , is a popular choice for many guitarists due to its high level of adjustability and ability to improve the guitar’s intonation. Step 1: Remove the old strings. Before installing the new bridge, you’ll need to remove the old strings...

Nethan Vines

Search This Blog