You can pick your friends you can pick your nose but you can't pick your friends ass?
Pick what??? A run down on guitar picks.
Or something like that???? Pick your seat because your going to the movies kids!
So what's it gonna be? Thick? Thin? Smooth? Ribbed? Glossy? Metallic? No I'm not talking about condoms or nail polish? I'm talking guitar picks baby!
Who really knows who was the first guy to think, "Hey, this cat gut sounds a lot louder and cleaner if I pick it with a halfpence!" But somewhere along the way, somebody did indeed come to this conclusion and thank heaven he did. I mean, don't get me wrong, I've seen some bad ass finger pickers out there in my day like Mark Knopfler (Dire Straights) and Lindsey Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac), and some styles like; "Flamenco" and Classical actually require finger picking. Oh Paganini, if only I could have had coffee with you in a Starbucks?
But seriously, I'm a rock & roll guy, and I ask you friend, what would we do without it? From the absolute slit your throat with a chainsaw crunch of Dimebag Darrell (Rest In Peace), to the subtle waterfall of cleaner than clean notes of SRV blues (Rest In Peace also), even The Edge from U2, one thing is for sure, most of these styles are almost entirely predicated on pure picking technique.
I was recently watching some special with Keith Urban and I noticed he has a pretty slick banjo style picking technique with finger picks on, same with the Zack Brown Band banging on a tele? Then there is the banjo itself, to play the damn thing properly, you have to use finger picks.
I have found that I am usually surprised when I have caught a pick in the crowd or been simply given one from one of my hero's because they rarely are the type of pick you would envision that particular artist to be using based on their sound. Its kind of like when you see your favorite radio personality for the first time or frequently talk to some girl on the phone and you have this vision of her in your mind's eye, their face does not match their voice, at least your expectation of it? I also remember all the rumors that Eddie Van Halen and Rik Emmit used quarters or half dollars as picks but I never quite believed it. Have you ever tried to play a guitar with a quarter?? Seriously?
They also make picks with ribs or knurls for better grip too.
I have found that guitar picks are a very personal accessory which is probably why they make so many different styles, types, and sizes. I personally use Dunlop .73 Tortex picks, they seem like a highly used size and brand because they are usually out or running out at my local music store? I find that .73 is about the mid range average of most rock players and I like Dunlop Tortex brand because they seem to have an almost chalky feel to them and they don't slip out of your fingers as much when you sweat.
They also make picks with ribs or knurls for better grip too.
There are stainless steel picks, and metal picks of almost every known metal too, I've even seen wooden picks? Most picks today are plastic and come in sizes from paper thin to huge 1.5mm picks that are used by bass players. Shark tooth is another popular pick because of scratch slides and chicken scratching Techniques.
I used to love the triangular soft and sharp picks because of their design, no matter which way you held it, it was in proper orientation against the strings.
So how do you figure out which pick is best for you, well I suppose its like women or cigarettes? By process of elimination? If your breaking picks regularly you are probably using too light gauged picks and conversely, if you are constantly breaking strings, your using to heavy gauged picks or too light gauged strings or both?
I'll never forget when I received a pick from Joe Satriani, it was so light gauged, it was surprising as hell to me, and again when I got an Ace Frehley pick. Then I met this little jazzman down at a music store and he was playing the softest most subtle chords and notes on this hollow body and he said, "here kid, you wanna play this thing and handed me the pick. It was a 1mm, and he had the smallest little hands and fingers, go figure?
Oh and one last thing, The old original swirled plastic picks made by Fender really ARE flammable! But don't believe me, try it for yourself if you can get your hands on one, just make sure you have a fire extinguisher handy! Happy Picking.
by Russ Rohrer
Posted on July 7, 2010
Westminster, Colorado
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