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{{Short description|Small device used in playing guitar}}
]
{{More citations needed|date=March 2022}}
]; and a Tortex "shark's fin" pick]]
]
]
A '''guitar pick''' (American English) is a ] used for ]s. Picks are generally made of one uniform material, such as some kind of ] (], ], ]), ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] or ]. They are often shaped in an acute isosceles ] with the two equal corners rounded and the third corner less rounded. They are used to strum ] or to sound individual notes on a guitar.


In British English, guitar picks are referred to as ''plectra'', reserving the term ''pick'' to identify the difference between this and finger picks. {{Citation needed|date=April 2020}}
A '''guitar pick''' is a type of ] designed for use on a ]. Over time people have made picks of various materials, including ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. The most often take the shape of an acute ] with the two equal corners very rounded and the third corner rounded to a lesser extent. This shape is, however, merely one of many used by manufacturers.


== Styles == == History ==
]
Musicians have used plectra to play stringed instruments for thousands of years.<ref name="Hoover, William 1995. P. 11-12">Hoover, ''pp. 11-12''.</ref> ] were likely the first standardized plectra and became widely used until the late 19th century. At that point, the shift towards what became the superior plectrum material took place; the outer shell casing of an ], which would colloquially be referred to as tortoiseshell.<ref name="Hoover, William 1995. P. 11-12"/> Other alternatives had come and gone, but tortoiseshell provided the best combination of tonal sound and physical flexibility for plucking a taut string.<ref name="pickcollecting.presspublisher.us">Bouchard, Brian. ''Pick Collecting Quarterly''. Accessed March 5, 2013.</ref> Prior to the 1920s most guitar players used thumb and finger picks (used for the ] or ]) when looking for something to play their guitar with, but with the rise of musician ], the use of a flat "plectrum style guitar pick" became popular.<ref>Hoover, ''pp. 22-23''.</ref>


There have been many innovations in the design of the guitar pick. Most of these were born out of the issue of guitar picks slipping and flying out of the hand of the player.<ref>Hoover, ''p. 26''.</ref> In 1896, a Cincinnati man (Frederick Wahl) affixed two rubber disks to either side of a mandolin pick, which made it the first popular solution to the problem.<ref>Hoover, ''p. 27''.</ref> Over the next two decades more innovations were made, such as corrugating the rounded surface of the pick or drilling a hole through the center to fit the pad of a player's thumb.<ref name="Hoover, William 1995. P. 29">Hoover, ''p. 29''.</ref> A more notable improvement was attaching ] to the wide part of the pick, a solution first patented by Richard Carpenter and Thomas Towner of Oakland in 1917.<ref name="Hoover, William 1995. P. 29"/> Some of these new designs made picks undesirably expensive. Eventually, pickers realized that all they needed was something to sink their fingerprints into so the pick wouldn't slip, such as a ]. ] was a material on which this could easily be done.<ref>Hoover, ''p. 30''.</ref>
Many picks have some form of imprint on them, from simple manufacturer logos to completely customized artist picks bearing the imprinted signature or bandlogo of the musician. One of the early "mass distributors" of customized guitar picks was ] of the rock band ]. Rick's penchant for tossing out hundreds of customized picks over the course of a single concert is the stuff of legend. These artist picks have become more popular over the last few decades to the point it's somewhat rare to find a famous artist who doesn't use a custom pick. As the technology for printing improved over the years, so did the variety and quality of the imprints. What began as simple block lettering has evolved into multi-color and highly-detailed graphics. With such a wide variety available, people began collecting guitar picks as a full-fledged hobby. There is even a global network for collectors to trade their picks called ] that sprang up in 1994. Custom picks are available at concerts as the musicians frequently toss used picks out to the audience. Some artists even sell their picks through their websites or fanclubs.


Tony D'Andrea was one of the first people to use celluloid to produce and sell guitar picks. In 1902 he came upon a sidewalk sale offering some sheets of tortoise shell colored cellulose nitrate plastic and dies, and eventually he would discover that the small pieces of celluloid he punched out with the ] were ideal for picking stringed instruments.<ref>Hoover, ''pp. 31-33''.</ref> From the 1920s through the 1950s, D'Andrea Manufacturing would dominate the world's international pick market, providing to major businesses such as ], ], and ].<ref>Hoover, ''p. 33''.</ref> One of the main reasons celluloid was so popular as guitar pick material was that it very closely imitated the sound and flexibility of a tortoise shell guitar pick. The practice of using Hawksbill turtles for their shells would become illegal in 1973 as a provision of the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (]), forcing musicians to find something else to pick with.<ref name="pickcollecting.presspublisher.us"/>
== Thickness ==


Celluloid provided a good alternative in many ways. Tortoise shell was rare, expensive, and had a tendency to break. Celluloid was made from ], one of the most abundant raw materials in the world, and ] combined with ] under heat and pressure produced celluloid. Though originally meant as a replacement for ], celluloid began being used for many things for its flexibility, durability, and relative inexpensiveness, making it a natural candidate as a material for guitar picks.<ref>Hoover ''pp. 16-18''.</ref> Later, other materials, such as nylon (and less commonly wood, glass, or metal) would become popular for making guitar picks for their increased grip, flexibility, or tonal qualities.<ref>Hoover, ''pp. 9-12''.</ref>
Guitar picks come in varying thicknesses to accommodate the different playing styles and kinds of strings. Thinner plectra are more flexible and tend to offer a wider range of sounds, from soft to loud, and produce a "click" that emphasizes the attack of the picking. However, some argue that heavier picks produce a brighter tone.


== Styles ==
In ] and ], while playing ] with hi-gain amplification or distortion, it is generally assumed that thinner picks produce muddier, heavier, less controllable sound and thicker picks produce more delicate, more controlled and well-shaped tone. Thinner picks also tend to rip or tear more often if used too forcefully, whereas a thicker one is more likely to wear down over time. Thicker picks are generally used in more discreet genres, such as ] or ]. However, there are many exceptions to these stereotypes, especially as there is an element of guitarist preference involved in selecting pick thickness.


] was the first company to create custom pick imprinting in 1938, allowing customers to order imprinting up to 12 block letters. One of the first to make the player imprint popular was guitarist Nick Lucas in the early 1930s.<ref name="saga-imprints">Hoover, ''pp. 84–85''.</ref>
Many death metal musicians swear by picks thicker than 1.5mm, because it allows more control over heavy gauge strings. Thinner picks tend to give less attack and do not give as much control when doing fast tremolo picking. Also, they tend to wear much faster when used with heavier gauge strings.


== Sound ==
] guitar players tend to use quite heavy picks, as they also tend to favor heavy gauge flat-wound strings.
Playing guitar with a pick produces a bright sound compared to plucking with the fingertip. Picks also offer a greater contrast in tone across different plucking locations; for example, the difference in brightness between plucking close to the bridge and close to the neck is much greater when using a pick compared to a fingertip.<ref>{{better source needed|date=October 2016}}</ref> Conversely, the many playing techniques that involve the fingers, such as those found in ], ], ], and ], can also yield an extremely broad variety of tones.


== Beveled edges ==
Most manufacturers (], Alice, Teckpick) print down the thickness in mm or thousands right on the pick. Some other brands (], ], ], ]) occasionally use a somewhat cryptic system of letters or text designations to mark the thickness. Approximate guidelines to thickness ranges are presented in the following table:
Most thicker guitar picks have so-called beveled edges.
While many guitarists use pick slanting for fast solo riffs, this won't be needed when a pick has beveled edges.
With pick slanting, the pick is turned clock- or counter-clock wise to let the guitar pick glide off of the string easier when using standard thinner flat picks.
In fact, most beveled edges start at a pick thickness of 2.0mm and up.
Beveled edges make it easier to play without turning the guitar pick in a certain position.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2024-05-26 |title=Beveled guitar picks |url=https://www.chickenpicks.com/beveled-guitar-picks/ |access-date=2024-06-03 |website=ChickenPicks guitar picks |language=en-US}}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable (]).|date=June 2024}}


]
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Text description
! Approximate thickness
! Other possible marks
|-
| Extra light/thin
| 0.38 mm / 0.014" and less
|-
| Light/thin
| 0.51-0.60 mm / 0.020"-0.023"
| "T" or "Thin"
|-
| Medium
| 0.73-0.81 mm / 0.028"-0.031"
| "M" or "Medium"
|-
| Heavy/thick
| 0.88-1.20 mm / 0.034"-0.047"
| "H" or "Thick"
|-
| Extra heavy/thick
| 1.50 mm / 0.060" and more
|
|}


== Materials == == Materials ==
{{Unreferenced section|date=August 2011}}


=== Plastics ===
Most common picks are made out of various types of plastic. Most popular plastics include:
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
Most common mass-manufactured picks are made out of various types of plastic. Most popular plastics include:
* ''']'''. Historically, this was the first plastic ever used to produce picks,{{citation needed|date=June 2011}} and it is still widely used today, especially for guitarists aiming for vintage tone. Celluloid picks generally have a ].
* ''']'''. A popular material, it has a smooth and slick surface, so most manufacturers add a high-friction coating to nylon picks to make them easier to grip. Nylon is flexible and can be produced in very thin sheets. Most thin and extra-thin picks are made out of nylon.{{citation needed|date=June 2011}} However, nylon loses its flexibility after 1–2 months of extensive use and eventually becomes fragile and breaks.{{citation needed|date=June 2011}} Introduced in 1961 Herco developed the first nylon guitar pick.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Menasché |first1=Emile |title=The (Surprisingly Long) History of the Guitar Pick |url=https://www.premierguitar.com/gear/the-surprisingly-long-history-of-the-guitar-pick |website=] |publisher=Gearhead Communications, LLC |access-date=14 August 2024 |date=23 February 2017}}</ref> It became the pick of choice for many professional guitarists of the 60's and 70's.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Thorn |first1=Pete |title=Tone Tips: Different Picks for Different Licks |url=https://www.premierguitar.com/pro-advice/tone-tips-different-picks-for-different-licks |website=] |access-date=12 August 2024 |date=16 August 2019}}</ref> Due to the unique composition of nylon it was described as a "radical new idea in guitar picks" by ''Fretts'' magazine.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Fretts |journal=Fretts |date=1961 |page=22 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UHGjHd_vpDMC&q=Herco%20Introduces%20Nylon%20Pick%20A%20radical%20new%20idea%20in%20guitar%20picks%20has%20been%20introduced%20by%20Herco%20Products%20Inc.%20%2C%20New%20York%20manufacturer%20of%20music%20accessories%20distributed%20through%20all%20music%20wholesalers%20and%20dealers%20around%20the |access-date=12 August 2024 |publisher=Randall Publishing Company |language=en}}</ref> Notable users of this pick have included ],<ref>{{cite book |last1=Newquist |first1=Harvey P. |last2=Maloof |first2=Rich |title=The Hard Rock Masters |date=2004 |publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation |isbn=978-0-87930-813-1 |page=14 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nOKYUcPvysMC&dq=herco%20picks&pg=PA14 |access-date=12 August 2024 |language=en |chapter=Ace Frehley of Kiss}}</ref> ],<ref>{{cite book |last1=Rideout |first1=Ernie |title=Guitar Player Presents Guitar Heroes of the '70s |date=1 February 2011 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-1-61713-116-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=htGGDwAAQBAJ&q=walsh%20herco |access-date=12 August 2024 |language=en}}</ref> ] who used the Herco for the ],<ref>{{cite book |last1=McMichael |first1=Joe |last2=Lyons |first2=Jack |title=The Who: Concert File |date=26 June 2000 |publisher=Omnibus Press |isbn=978-0-85712-737-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Be-aAwAAQBAJ&q=john%20entwistle%20herco%20guitar%20picks |access-date=13 August 2024 |language=en}}</ref> ] preferred the Heavy Flex 75 variant,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gill |first1=Chris |title=Guitar Legends: The Definitive Guide to the World's Greatest Guitar Players |date=1995 |publisher=HarperPerennial |isbn=978-0-06-273352-8 |page=106 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k_ZDAQAAIAAJ&q=jimmy%20page%20herco%20picks |access-date=13 August 2024 |language=en |chapter=Jimmy Page}}</ref> ],<ref name="David Gilmour">{{cite book |last1=Rideout |first1=Ernie |title=Guitar Player Presents Guitar Heroes of the '70s |date=1 February 2011 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-1-61713-116-5 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=htGGDwAAQBAJ&dq=David%20Gilmour%20herco%20picks&pg=PT183 |access-date=13 August 2024 |language=en |chapter=David Gilmour}}</ref> and ] who favored the Herco Gold pick which he would customize by chewing on them which he said, "loosens them up and gives them a feeling somewhere between a heavy and medium thickness".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cauffiel |first1=Lowell |last2=Molenda |first2=Michael |author1-link=Lowell Cauffiel |title=Guitar Player Presents 50 Unsung Heroes of the Guitar |date=1 November 2011 |publisher=Backbeat Books |isbn=978-1-61713-448-7 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r1NMAgAAQBAJ&dq=herco%20picks&pg=PT33 |access-date=13 August 2024 |language=en |chapter=Tommy Bolin}}</ref>
* ''']'''. Acetal is a highly durable class of plastics. ] is DuPont's trademarked name for a type of acetal. Delrin is hard, glossy and durable, and can also be doped to produce a matte texture. The friction between a steel or nickel guitar string, and smooth, glossy acetal is very low. Glossy delrin picks literally glide across the string and therefore have a fast release, producing very little pick noise, while delivering a rounded tone emphasizing the lower order harmonics.{{citation needed|date=June 2011}} Matte finish acetal picks like the Clayton Acetal generate a bit more pick noise, and a more aggressive attack, but the additional friction of the matte surface helps the guitarist hold the pick more securely. ''']''' is a variation of ], which is by itself Delrin. It was invented to replace tortoiseshell since the trade of tortoiseshell was banned in 1973. Delrex is used as the material for Dunlop's "Gator" picks.
* ''']'''. This plastic has one of the highest stiffness of all plastic picks. It produces a bright tone and is popular among mandolin players.
* ''']'''. Glossy, glass-like, very hard, but lacking durability.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-31 |title=Guitar Picks: The Complete Guide - Every Type of Guitar Picks Explained |url=https://guitarpickreviews.com/guitar-picks-guide/ |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=Guitar Pick Reviews |language=en-US}}</ref> Used for thick and extra-thick picks (&gt; 1&nbsp;mm). Usually has a high-friction grip coating.
* ''']'''. Tough, light, clear, seamless polymer with great resistance to impact and weathering. Acrylic is not brittle and does not yellow or crack. Can be molded and cut to almost any shape and thickness. It renders a very full spectrum tonal range when used as a ] on stringed instruments. Some grades of acrylic have a unique gripping characteristic, and when warmed to the touch, become tacky or sticky feeling, causing the material to cling to your fingers. Acrylic can be heat tempered for strength and longevity. ] are the first noted company to make acrylic guitar picks, dating as early as 1980, and are the only guitar pick manufacturer that heat tempers acrylic picks.
* ''']''' is a material often used in aerospace applications as replacement for metallic alloys. Picks made of this material have low friction on the strings and high durability.
* '''Kirinite''' is very similar in sound to Acrylic, but more durable. Many pick makers prefer it over Acrylic because of its resistance to friction and impact.
* ''']''' picks excel at emulating the tone received from ], because they are both made of high percentage of ]
* ] (also often referred to as UHMW, or UHMWPE) is a shorter name for Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene. This type of ] is characterized in warm tone and extreme durability.
* ]. Custom guitar picks may be made using sheets of shrink plastic (such as, ])


=== Metal ===
* ''']'''. Historically, this was the first plastic ever used to produce picks, and it is still of some use today, especially for guitarists that want to get some vintage feel. Occasionally, guitarists who smoke have accidentally discovered the extremely ] nature of this material.
]
Picks made from various metals produce a harmonically richer sound than plastic, and change the sound of the acoustic and ].<ref>{{cite web|title=Guitar Player Magazine|url=http://www.guitarplayer.com/product-spotlight/1323/master-artisan-cymbal-guitar-pick/29902|work=GuitarPlayer|access-date=13 June 2014}}</ref> Some metal picks are even made from coins, which give players a unique tone as the alloys used in various coinage from around the world vary greatly.<ref>, "Keen Kord Guitar"{{better source needed|date=October 2016}}</ref>
Playing guitar with a silver pick gives a unique, rich and bright sound, very different from normal plectrums (] of ] often plays with a silver sixpence).<ref name="Jackson">Laura Jackson (2011). Hachette UK, 2011</ref>


=== Horn, bone, leather (animal products) ===
* ''']'''. Popular material, has a smooth and slick surface, so most manufacturers add a high-friction coating to nylon picks to make them easier to grip. Nylon is flexible and can be produced in very thin sheets. Most thin and extra-thin picks are made out of nylon. However, nylon loses its flexibility after 1-2 months of extensive use, becomes fragile and breaks, so guitarists that use thin nylon picks should have several spare picks just in case.
]
] crafted from natural animal byproduct are the oldest materials known due to their availability and durability,<ref name="Hoover, William 1995. P. 11-12"/> and are still regularly used by plectriers to craft guitar, bass and mandolin picks. The tonality produced by each type of natural animal material varies greatly, and is further enhanced by the thickness and shaping of each material.<ref name="Hubbard 1967">Hubbard 1967</ref>


=== Wood ===
* '''] / ]'''. Special plastic, designed to simulate ] picks. Has a smooth, silky, opaque surface, surprisingly easy to grip even with sweaty fingers.
Each guitar pick made of wood has its own unique properties and signature sound as a result of differences in density, hardness and cellular structure. Most wood picks produce a warmer tone than plastics or metals.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://guitarpickzone.com/wooden-guitar-picks/|title=Guitar Pick Zone|date=2017-10-09}}</ref> To withstand the rigors of picking and strumming only the hardest woods on the ] are used for picks—including hardwoods like ], ], ], ], ], and ]. While the thick and sometimes rough edge of a wooden pick may create a fair amount of drag at first, wooden picks are generally easy to break in and may even do so quicker than plastic picks. After a couple of hundred strokes, the metal guitar strings wear down the edge and create a smoother pass over the strings.


=== Glass ===
* ''']'''. Glossy, glass-like, very hard surface, though it wears out relatively fast. Barely bends at all and it's commonly used only for thick and extra-thick picks (&gt; 1 mm). Usually has a high-friction grip coating. Best known example of Lexan picks are Jim Dunlop Stubby series.
Glass is relatively hard and heavy in comparison to metal or plastic and therefore produces a greater range of tone<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/manage/version/compare?wiki_article_id=17&revision_id_from=19&revision_id_to=20&language=en |access-date=2024-08-08 |website=www.ultimate-guitar.com}}</ref> than these materials. Glass can be polished to a smooth or rough texture depending on the grit of sandpaper used. Likewise, factors such as size, shape, and weight have a much more dramatic effect on the overall tone making each individual glass pick sound and feel unique. Due to the specialized tools needed to process glass, there are very few plectriers using this material. Contrary to popular belief, due to their small size and high gauge, glass guitar picks tend to be very durable and more resistant to impact (such as falling) than most stone picks.


=== Other ===
Modern plastics can be ranged this way from the easiest to bend to the hardest: Nylon, Delrin, Tortex / Delrex, Lexan. This means that the same medium (for example, 0.70&ndash;0.80 mm) pick would be fairly flexible if made out of nylon and very solid if made out of tortex.
* ''']''' picks are extremely hard, but still a form of plastic. Picks made out of this material are thicker than usual. They start at 2.0mm and go up to 3.5mm in different shapes. ChickenPicks guitar picks are made out of Thermoset.

* ''']''' picks range in thickness from 1mm (very rare) up to 5mm, and are extremely inflexible. As they are harder than the metal guitar strings, they resonate the strings more completely.{{citation needed|date=June 2011}}{{Original research inline|date=June 2011}}
Picks made out of steel will produce a much brighter sound than plastic ones. They do however wear the strings quickly and can easily damage the finish on the guitar if used for strumming especially on acoustic guitars. ] of ] uses picks which replicate his original choice — a silver ]. ] from ] uses a regular ]. <ref>{{cite journal
* ''']''' picks are mainly used with the ].
| last = Popoff
* ''']''' is an alternative to natural tortoise,{{citation needed|date=June 2011}} made of polymerized animal protein. It is hard, smooth, thick, and has only slight tip flexibility.
| first = Martin
* ''']''' is a nut from South America grown on a Tagua Palm Tree. The material has similar properties to animal ivory so it's also known as Vegetable Ivory. Tagua produces a very smooth clear tone as the material slides off the strings easily. Tagua guitar picks are generally hand made.
| date = 2006-01-20
* ''']''' is also used by PickHeaven, Dunlop, Timber Tone Picks and RJL guitars to make guitar picks. These picks are extremely durable and have an extremely high stiffness-to-weight ratio. The world's thinnest guitar pick is made from carbon fiber and has a thickness of 0.2&nbsp;mm.<ref name="World's Thinnest Guitar Pick">{{cite web |title=World's Thinnest Guitar Pick |url=http://pickheaven.com/products/worlds-thinnest-guitar-pick-0-2-mm |access-date=4 March 2016 |website=PickHeaven.com}}{{better source needed|date=October 2016}}</ref>
| title = Pick Yer Poison — The Mysterious World Of Guitar Pick Collecting
| journal = Goldmine
| url = http://www.brianmay.com/brian/briannews/briannewsjan06.html#03
}}</ref>


== Shapes == == Shapes ==
Some picks have small protrusions to make them easier to keep hold if the fingers start to sweat, which is very common on stage due to the hot lights. Some picks have a high-friction coating to help the player hold on to them. The small perforations in the stainless steel pick serve the same function. Players often have spare picks attached to a ] stand or slotted in the guitar's ].


The '''equilateral pick''' can be easier for beginners to hold and use since each corner may be used as a playing edge.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guitarfact.com/guitar-picks-general-information|title=Guitar Picks – a guide to plectrums|location=GuitarFact|date=21 August 2011|access-date=12 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://makingmusicmag.com/guitar-picks/|title=Time To Pick – Guide to Guitar Picks|location=Making Music Magazine|date=23 January 2014|access-date=12 December 2016}}</ref>
Some picks have small protrusions to make them easier to keep hold if the fingers start to sweat (very common on stage due to the hot lights). Some picks (as illustrated) will have a high-friction coating to help the player hold on to them. The small perforations in the stainless steel pick serve the same function. Many players will often have spare picks attached to a ] stand or slotted in the guitar's pickguard.


The '''shark's fin pick''' can be used in two ways: normally, employing the blunt end; or the small perturbations can be raked across the strings producing a much fuller chord, or used to apply a "pick scrape" down the strings producing a very harsh, scratching noise.
The '''equilateral pick''' can be easier for beginners to hold and use since each corner is a playing edge.


The '''shark's fin pick''' can be used in two ways - normally employing the blunt end or the small perturbations can be raked across the strings producing a much fuller chord. The '''sharp edged pick''' is used to create an easier motion{{citation needed|date=June 2011}} of picking across the strings.


Some guitar pick shapes are patented. Usually those patents claim ].
The '''sharp edged pick''' is used to create an easier motion of picking across the strings.

] players who use a pick normally use much heavier picks than guitar players. Some bass players find that coins make excellent picks, though some prefer slightly thinner picks to increase speed and endurance.


== Technique == == Technique ==
{{Unreferenced section|date=August 2011}}
]
Picks are usually gripped with two fingers—thumb and index—and are played with pointed end facing the strings. That's the most common technique. However, it's a matter of personal preference and many notable musicians use alternate grips. For example, ] holds the pick between his thumb and middle finger; ] and ] hold a pick using 3 fingers—thumb, middle and index; ] holds a pick normally, but plays using the rounded side of the plectrum, as does ]. ] also played with the rounded edge of the pick, citing the fact that the edge allowed more string attack than the tip. His manic, aggressive picking style would wear through pickguards in short order, and wore a groove in his beloved ], Number One, over his years of playing. ] and ] have a special kind of technique utilizing two picks at once. Picks are usually gripped with two fingers—] and ]—and are played with pointed end facing the strings. However, it's a matter of personal preference and many notable musicians use different grips. For example, ] held the pick between his thumb and ] (leaving his first finger free for his ] technique); ], ] and ] hold a pick using 3 fingers—thumb, middle and index; ] and ] also hold their picks with three fingers but play using the rounded side of the plectrum rather than the pointed end. ] also uses the rounded side of the pick. ] also played with the rounded edge of the pick, citing the fact that the edge allowed more string attack than the tip. His manic, aggressive picking style would wear through pickguards in short order, and wore a groove in his ], Number One, over his years of playing. Noted '80s session guitarist David Persons is known for using old credit cards, cut to the correct size and thickness and using them without a tip.<ref>Interview in ''Austin Music Weekly'', December 1981 issue</ref>


The motion of the pick against the string is also a personal choice. ] and ], for example, hold the pick very stiffly between the thumb and index finger, locking the thumb joint and striking with the surface of the pick nearly parallel to the string, for a very positive, articulate, consistent tone. Other guitarists have developed a technique known as ''circle picking'', where the thumb joint is bent on the downstroke, and straightened on the upstroke, causing the tip of the pick to move in a circular pattern. Circle picking can allow greater speed and fluidity. The angle of the pick against the string is also very personal and has a broad range of effects on tone and articulation. Many rock guitarists will use a flourish (called a ] or pick scrape) that involves scraping the pick along the length of a round wound string (a round wound string is a string with a coil of round wire wrapped around the outside, used for the heaviest three or four strings on a guitar; this wrapping creates a rippled surface that produces quite a distinct sound when scraped with a pick). The motion of the pick against the string is also a personal choice. ] and ], for example, hold the pick very stiffly between the thumb and index finger, locking the thumb joint and striking with the surface of the pick nearly parallel to the string, for a very positive, articulate, consistent tone.{{citation needed|date=June 2011}} Other guitarists have developed a technique known as ''circle picking'', where the thumb joint is bent on the downstroke and straightened on the upstroke, causing the tip of the pick to move in a circular pattern, which can allow speed and fluidity. Many rock guitarists use a flourish (called a ] or pick scrape) that involves scraping the pick along the length of a round wound string (a round wound string is a string with a coil of round wire wrapped around the outside, used for the heaviest three or four strings on a guitar). The first use of the pick slide is attributed to ] and can be heard in the opening of his song "Road Runner".


The two chief approaches to picking are ] and ]. Alternate picking is when the player strictly alternates each stroke between downstrokes and upstrokes, regardless of changing strings. In economy picking, the player will use the most economical stroke on each note. For example, if the first note is on the fifth string, and the next note is on the fourth string, the pick will use a downstroke on the fifth string, and continue in the same direction to execute a downstroke on the fourth string. The economy picking technique sounds as though it would require more conscious thought to execute it but many guitarists learn it intuitively and find it an effort to use alternate picking. Conversely, some guitarists maintain that the down-up "twitch" motion of alternate picking lends itself to momentum better, and hence trumps economy picking at high speeds. The two chief approaches to fast picking are ] and ]. Alternate picking is when the player strictly alternates each stroke between downstrokes and upstrokes, regardless of changing strings. In economy picking, the player uses the most economical stroke on each note. For example, if the first note is on the fifth string, and the next note is on the fourth string, the guitarist uses a downstroke on the fifth string, and continue in the same direction to execute a downstroke on the fourth string. Some guitarists learn economy picking intuitively and find it an effort to use alternate picking.{{citation needed|date=June 2011}} Conversely, some guitarists{{Who|date=June 2011}} maintain that the down-up "twitch" motion of alternate picking lends itself to momentum, and hence trumps economy picking at high speeds.{{citation needed|date=June 2011}}


== Notes ==
Jazz guitarist ] has written a , often cited on the web.
{{Reflist|30em}}


== References ==
Picks wear out with use, and many guitarists prefer the playing "feel" of new picks.
* {{cite book
| last=Hoover
| first=Will
| title=Picks!: The Colorful Saga of Vintage Celluloid Guitar Plectrums
| publisher=Backbeat Books
| isbn=978-0-87930-377-8
| date=November 1995
| url=http://surfpick.com/history
}}


== Reference == == External links ==
{{Prone to spam|date=October 2016}}
{{Prone to spam|date=July 2019}}
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Please be cautious adding more external links.
<references/>


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== External links ==


Excessive or inappropriate links will be removed.
*
* An brief article discussing the various aspects of guitar plectrums.
* by Britt Burch, an article that compares various pick gauges and materials.


See ] and ] for details.
]


If there are already suitable links, propose additions or replacements on
]
the article's talk page.
]

]
-->
]
* - An extensive article about different materials, shapes, and gauges, and how they affect the sound of a pick.
]
* – An in-depth look at the various materials used to make plectrums.
]
* – A brief article discussing the various aspects of guitar plectrums.
]
* , Archived version of Pick and Finger Techniques by Tuck Andress
]
{{Guitar picking}}
]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Guitar Pick}}
]

Latest revision as of 17:49, 29 December 2024

Small device used in playing guitar
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Guitar pick" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (March 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Various guitar picks. Clockwise from top: A standard nylon pick; An imitation tortoise-shell pick; A plastic pick with high friction coating (black areas); A stainless steel pick; A pick approximating a Reuleaux triangle; and a Tortex "shark's fin" pick
A guitar pick with a custom drawing
Fender souvenir Canada guitar picks and tin

A guitar pick (American English) is a plectrum used for guitars. Picks are generally made of one uniform material, such as some kind of plastic (nylon, Delrin, celluloid), rubber, felt, tortoiseshell, wood, metal, glass, tagua, thermosetting plastic or stone. They are often shaped in an acute isosceles triangle with the two equal corners rounded and the third corner less rounded. They are used to strum chords or to sound individual notes on a guitar.

In British English, guitar picks are referred to as plectra, reserving the term pick to identify the difference between this and finger picks.

History

Assorted plectra for use with guitar

Musicians have used plectra to play stringed instruments for thousands of years. Feather quills were likely the first standardized plectra and became widely used until the late 19th century. At that point, the shift towards what became the superior plectrum material took place; the outer shell casing of an Atlantic hawksbill sea turtle, which would colloquially be referred to as tortoiseshell. Other alternatives had come and gone, but tortoiseshell provided the best combination of tonal sound and physical flexibility for plucking a taut string. Prior to the 1920s most guitar players used thumb and finger picks (used for the banjo or mandolin) when looking for something to play their guitar with, but with the rise of musician Nick Lucas, the use of a flat "plectrum style guitar pick" became popular.

There have been many innovations in the design of the guitar pick. Most of these were born out of the issue of guitar picks slipping and flying out of the hand of the player. In 1896, a Cincinnati man (Frederick Wahl) affixed two rubber disks to either side of a mandolin pick, which made it the first popular solution to the problem. Over the next two decades more innovations were made, such as corrugating the rounded surface of the pick or drilling a hole through the center to fit the pad of a player's thumb. A more notable improvement was attaching cork to the wide part of the pick, a solution first patented by Richard Carpenter and Thomas Towner of Oakland in 1917. Some of these new designs made picks undesirably expensive. Eventually, pickers realized that all they needed was something to sink their fingerprints into so the pick wouldn't slip, such as a high relief imprinted logo. Celluloid was a material on which this could easily be done.

Tony D'Andrea was one of the first people to use celluloid to produce and sell guitar picks. In 1902 he came upon a sidewalk sale offering some sheets of tortoise shell colored cellulose nitrate plastic and dies, and eventually he would discover that the small pieces of celluloid he punched out with the dies were ideal for picking stringed instruments. From the 1920s through the 1950s, D'Andrea Manufacturing would dominate the world's international pick market, providing to major businesses such as Gibson, Fender, and Martin. One of the main reasons celluloid was so popular as guitar pick material was that it very closely imitated the sound and flexibility of a tortoise shell guitar pick. The practice of using Hawksbill turtles for their shells would become illegal in 1973 as a provision of the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), forcing musicians to find something else to pick with.

Celluloid provided a good alternative in many ways. Tortoise shell was rare, expensive, and had a tendency to break. Celluloid was made from cellulose, one of the most abundant raw materials in the world, and nitrocellulose combined with camphor under heat and pressure produced celluloid. Though originally meant as a replacement for ivory billiard balls, celluloid began being used for many things for its flexibility, durability, and relative inexpensiveness, making it a natural candidate as a material for guitar picks. Later, other materials, such as nylon (and less commonly wood, glass, or metal) would become popular for making guitar picks for their increased grip, flexibility, or tonal qualities.

Styles

D'Andrea Picks was the first company to create custom pick imprinting in 1938, allowing customers to order imprinting up to 12 block letters. One of the first to make the player imprint popular was guitarist Nick Lucas in the early 1930s.

Sound

Playing guitar with a pick produces a bright sound compared to plucking with the fingertip. Picks also offer a greater contrast in tone across different plucking locations; for example, the difference in brightness between plucking close to the bridge and close to the neck is much greater when using a pick compared to a fingertip. Conversely, the many playing techniques that involve the fingers, such as those found in fingerstyle guitar, slapping, classical guitar, and flamenco guitar, can also yield an extremely broad variety of tones.

Beveled edges

Most thicker guitar picks have so-called beveled edges. While many guitarists use pick slanting for fast solo riffs, this won't be needed when a pick has beveled edges. With pick slanting, the pick is turned clock- or counter-clock wise to let the guitar pick glide off of the string easier when using standard thinner flat picks. In fact, most beveled edges start at a pick thickness of 2.0mm and up. Beveled edges make it easier to play without turning the guitar pick in a certain position.

Beveled edges

Materials

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Plastics

Celluloid picks
Tortex picks
Delrin picks
Lexan guitar picks (Dunlop Big Stubby)
Delrex picks
Set of six custom guitar picks made using polystyrene (Shrinky Dinks)
Nylon picks
The Flex 75 nylon pick

Most common mass-manufactured picks are made out of various types of plastic. Most popular plastics include:

  • Celluloid. Historically, this was the first plastic ever used to produce picks, and it is still widely used today, especially for guitarists aiming for vintage tone. Celluloid picks generally have a tortoiseshell design.
  • Nylon. A popular material, it has a smooth and slick surface, so most manufacturers add a high-friction coating to nylon picks to make them easier to grip. Nylon is flexible and can be produced in very thin sheets. Most thin and extra-thin picks are made out of nylon. However, nylon loses its flexibility after 1–2 months of extensive use and eventually becomes fragile and breaks. Introduced in 1961 Herco developed the first nylon guitar pick. It became the pick of choice for many professional guitarists of the 60's and 70's. Due to the unique composition of nylon it was described as a "radical new idea in guitar picks" by Fretts magazine. Notable users of this pick have included Ace Frehley, Joe Walsh, John Entwistle who used the Herco for the bass guitar, Jimmy Page preferred the Heavy Flex 75 variant, David Gilmour, and Tommy Bolin who favored the Herco Gold pick which he would customize by chewing on them which he said, "loosens them up and gives them a feeling somewhere between a heavy and medium thickness".
  • Acetal. Acetal is a highly durable class of plastics. Delrin is DuPont's trademarked name for a type of acetal. Delrin is hard, glossy and durable, and can also be doped to produce a matte texture. The friction between a steel or nickel guitar string, and smooth, glossy acetal is very low. Glossy delrin picks literally glide across the string and therefore have a fast release, producing very little pick noise, while delivering a rounded tone emphasizing the lower order harmonics. Matte finish acetal picks like the Clayton Acetal generate a bit more pick noise, and a more aggressive attack, but the additional friction of the matte surface helps the guitarist hold the pick more securely. Delrex is a variation of Tortex, which is by itself Delrin. It was invented to replace tortoiseshell since the trade of tortoiseshell was banned in 1973. Delrex is used as the material for Dunlop's "Gator" picks.
  • Ultem. This plastic has one of the highest stiffness of all plastic picks. It produces a bright tone and is popular among mandolin players.
  • Lexan. Glossy, glass-like, very hard, but lacking durability. Used for thick and extra-thick picks (> 1 mm). Usually has a high-friction grip coating.
  • Acrylic. Tough, light, clear, seamless polymer with great resistance to impact and weathering. Acrylic is not brittle and does not yellow or crack. Can be molded and cut to almost any shape and thickness. It renders a very full spectrum tonal range when used as a plectrum on stringed instruments. Some grades of acrylic have a unique gripping characteristic, and when warmed to the touch, become tacky or sticky feeling, causing the material to cling to your fingers. Acrylic can be heat tempered for strength and longevity. V-Picks are the first noted company to make acrylic guitar picks, dating as early as 1980, and are the only guitar pick manufacturer that heat tempers acrylic picks.
  • Polyamide-imide is a material often used in aerospace applications as replacement for metallic alloys. Picks made of this material have low friction on the strings and high durability.
  • Kirinite is very similar in sound to Acrylic, but more durable. Many pick makers prefer it over Acrylic because of its resistance to friction and impact.
  • Galalith picks excel at emulating the tone received from tortoiseshell, because they are both made of high percentage of keratine
  • UHMW-PE (also often referred to as UHMW, or UHMWPE) is a shorter name for Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene. This type of thermosetting plastic is characterized in warm tone and extreme durability.
  • Polystyrene. Custom guitar picks may be made using sheets of shrink plastic (such as, Shrinky Dinks)

Metal

Example of a brass guitar pick handcrafted by an artisan picksmith.

Picks made from various metals produce a harmonically richer sound than plastic, and change the sound of the acoustic and electric guitar. Some metal picks are even made from coins, which give players a unique tone as the alloys used in various coinage from around the world vary greatly. Playing guitar with a silver pick gives a unique, rich and bright sound, very different from normal plectrums (Brian May of Queen often plays with a silver sixpence).

Horn, bone, leather (animal products)

Example of an animal horn guitar pick.

Plectrums crafted from natural animal byproduct are the oldest materials known due to their availability and durability, and are still regularly used by plectriers to craft guitar, bass and mandolin picks. The tonality produced by each type of natural animal material varies greatly, and is further enhanced by the thickness and shaping of each material.

Wood

Each guitar pick made of wood has its own unique properties and signature sound as a result of differences in density, hardness and cellular structure. Most wood picks produce a warmer tone than plastics or metals. To withstand the rigors of picking and strumming only the hardest woods on the Janka scale are used for picks—including hardwoods like African Blackwood, Bocote, Cocobolo, Lignum vitae, Rosewood, and Zebrawood. While the thick and sometimes rough edge of a wooden pick may create a fair amount of drag at first, wooden picks are generally easy to break in and may even do so quicker than plastic picks. After a couple of hundred strokes, the metal guitar strings wear down the edge and create a smoother pass over the strings.

Glass

Glass is relatively hard and heavy in comparison to metal or plastic and therefore produces a greater range of tone than these materials. Glass can be polished to a smooth or rough texture depending on the grit of sandpaper used. Likewise, factors such as size, shape, and weight have a much more dramatic effect on the overall tone making each individual glass pick sound and feel unique. Due to the specialized tools needed to process glass, there are very few plectriers using this material. Contrary to popular belief, due to their small size and high gauge, glass guitar picks tend to be very durable and more resistant to impact (such as falling) than most stone picks.

Other

  • Thermoset picks are extremely hard, but still a form of plastic. Picks made out of this material are thicker than usual. They start at 2.0mm and go up to 3.5mm in different shapes. ChickenPicks guitar picks are made out of Thermoset.
  • Agate picks range in thickness from 1mm (very rare) up to 5mm, and are extremely inflexible. As they are harder than the metal guitar strings, they resonate the strings more completely.
  • Felt picks are mainly used with the ukulele.
  • New Tortis is an alternative to natural tortoise, made of polymerized animal protein. It is hard, smooth, thick, and has only slight tip flexibility.
  • Tagua is a nut from South America grown on a Tagua Palm Tree. The material has similar properties to animal ivory so it's also known as Vegetable Ivory. Tagua produces a very smooth clear tone as the material slides off the strings easily. Tagua guitar picks are generally hand made.
  • Carbon Fiber is also used by PickHeaven, Dunlop, Timber Tone Picks and RJL guitars to make guitar picks. These picks are extremely durable and have an extremely high stiffness-to-weight ratio. The world's thinnest guitar pick is made from carbon fiber and has a thickness of 0.2 mm.

Shapes

Some picks have small protrusions to make them easier to keep hold if the fingers start to sweat, which is very common on stage due to the hot lights. Some picks have a high-friction coating to help the player hold on to them. The small perforations in the stainless steel pick serve the same function. Players often have spare picks attached to a microphone stand or slotted in the guitar's pickguard.

The equilateral pick can be easier for beginners to hold and use since each corner may be used as a playing edge.

The shark's fin pick can be used in two ways: normally, employing the blunt end; or the small perturbations can be raked across the strings producing a much fuller chord, or used to apply a "pick scrape" down the strings producing a very harsh, scratching noise.

The sharp edged pick is used to create an easier motion of picking across the strings.

Some guitar pick shapes are patented. Usually those patents claim ornamental design.

Technique

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Picks are usually gripped with two fingers—thumb and index—and are played with pointed end facing the strings. However, it's a matter of personal preference and many notable musicians use different grips. For example, Eddie Van Halen held the pick between his thumb and middle finger (leaving his first finger free for his tapping technique); James Hetfield, Jeff Hanneman and Steve Morse hold a pick using 3 fingers—thumb, middle and index; Pat Metheny and The Edge also hold their picks with three fingers but play using the rounded side of the plectrum rather than the pointed end. George Lynch also uses the rounded side of the pick. Stevie Ray Vaughan also played with the rounded edge of the pick, citing the fact that the edge allowed more string attack than the tip. His manic, aggressive picking style would wear through pickguards in short order, and wore a groove in his Fender Stratocaster, Number One, over his years of playing. Noted '80s session guitarist David Persons is known for using old credit cards, cut to the correct size and thickness and using them without a tip.

The motion of the pick against the string is also a personal choice. George Benson and Dave Mustaine, for example, hold the pick very stiffly between the thumb and index finger, locking the thumb joint and striking with the surface of the pick nearly parallel to the string, for a very positive, articulate, consistent tone. Other guitarists have developed a technique known as circle picking, where the thumb joint is bent on the downstroke and straightened on the upstroke, causing the tip of the pick to move in a circular pattern, which can allow speed and fluidity. Many rock guitarists use a flourish (called a pick slide or pick scrape) that involves scraping the pick along the length of a round wound string (a round wound string is a string with a coil of round wire wrapped around the outside, used for the heaviest three or four strings on a guitar). The first use of the pick slide is attributed to Bo Diddley and can be heard in the opening of his song "Road Runner".

The two chief approaches to fast picking are alternate picking and economy picking. Alternate picking is when the player strictly alternates each stroke between downstrokes and upstrokes, regardless of changing strings. In economy picking, the player uses the most economical stroke on each note. For example, if the first note is on the fifth string, and the next note is on the fourth string, the guitarist uses a downstroke on the fifth string, and continue in the same direction to execute a downstroke on the fourth string. Some guitarists learn economy picking intuitively and find it an effort to use alternate picking. Conversely, some guitarists maintain that the down-up "twitch" motion of alternate picking lends itself to momentum, and hence trumps economy picking at high speeds.

Notes

  1. ^ Hoover, pp. 11-12.
  2. ^ Bouchard, Brian. "Tortoise Shell Guitar Picks." Pick Collecting Quarterly. Accessed March 5, 2013.
  3. Hoover, pp. 22-23.
  4. Hoover, p. 26.
  5. Hoover, p. 27.
  6. ^ Hoover, p. 29.
  7. Hoover, p. 30.
  8. Hoover, pp. 31-33.
  9. Hoover, p. 33.
  10. Hoover pp. 16-18.
  11. Hoover, pp. 9-12.
  12. Hoover, pp. 84–85.
  14. "Beveled guitar picks". ChickenPicks guitar picks. 2024-05-26. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
  15. Menasché, Emile (23 February 2017). "The (Surprisingly Long) History of the Guitar Pick". Premier Guitar. Gearhead Communications, LLC. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  16. Thorn, Pete (16 August 2019). "Tone Tips: Different Picks for Different Licks". Premier Guitar. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  17. "Fretts". Fretts. Randall Publishing Company: 22. 1961. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  18. Newquist, Harvey P.; Maloof, Rich (2004). "Ace Frehley of Kiss". The Hard Rock Masters. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 14. ISBN 978-0-87930-813-1. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  19. Rideout, Ernie (1 February 2011). Guitar Player Presents Guitar Heroes of the '70s. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1-61713-116-5. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  20. McMichael, Joe; Lyons, Jack (26 June 2000). The Who: Concert File. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-737-2. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
  21. Gill, Chris (1995). "Jimmy Page". Guitar Legends: The Definitive Guide to the World's Greatest Guitar Players. HarperPerennial. p. 106. ISBN 978-0-06-273352-8. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
  22. Rideout, Ernie (1 February 2011). "David Gilmour". Guitar Player Presents Guitar Heroes of the '70s. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1-61713-116-5. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
  23. Cauffiel, Lowell; Molenda, Michael (1 November 2011). "Tommy Bolin". Guitar Player Presents 50 Unsung Heroes of the Guitar. Backbeat Books. ISBN 978-1-61713-448-7. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
  24. "Guitar Picks: The Complete Guide - Every Type of Guitar Picks Explained". Guitar Pick Reviews. 2022-08-31. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  25. "Guitar Player Magazine". GuitarPlayer. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  26. "Guitar Plectrum", "Keen Kord Guitar"
  27. Laura Jackson (2011). "Brian May: The Definitive Biography" Hachette UK, 2011
  28. Hubbard 1967
  29. "Guitar Pick Zone". 2017-10-09.
  30. www.ultimate-guitar.com https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/manage/version/compare?wiki_article_id=17&revision_id_from=19&revision_id_to=20&language=en. Retrieved 2024-08-08. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  31. "World's Thinnest Guitar Pick". PickHeaven.com. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  32. "Guitar Picks – a guide to plectrums". GuitarFact. 21 August 2011. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  33. "Time To Pick – Guide to Guitar Picks". Making Music Magazine. 23 January 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  34. Interview in Austin Music Weekly, December 1981 issue

References

External links

Guitar picking
General
Fingerstyle
Flatpicking
Innovators
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