When first learning how to play the guitar, there are two strumming methods that you can try: fingerstyle, where you play with the pads of your fingers, and using a pick. Guitar teachers have long debated the question of which way is better, which begs the question: Should beginner guitar players use a pick?
Beginner guitar players should use a pick when learning to play guitar. Using a pick will significantly impact the guitar’s sound, enhance the guitar’s playability, and increase flexibility. Beginners also learn to play their instrument more efficiently with a pick than with fingerstyle.
This article will go into each of these facts a bit deeper and will explore why starting out playing guitar with a pick is the best option. Please read on if you want to know more about how using a pick can benefit beginner guitar players.
Related: how to make a pick scratch sound on guitar and how to play bar chords on acoustic guitar.
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Facts About Using a Pick as a Beginner Guitar Player
Many guitar teachers believe that the main deciding factor in whether someone turns into an experienced, talented guitar player or not is how hard they find the instrument at the start.
If you start playing guitar and have some success with it from the beginning, you are much more likely to feel confident in your abilities, and you are likely to stick with it. One of the best ways you can succeed as a beginner guitar player is by using a pick to play or “flatpicking.”
You will find many good reasons to use a pick when you consider the benefits of flatpicking instead of fingerplay. Here are seven facts about why using a pick as a beginner guitar player is an intelligent decision.
1. Picks Have an Impact on the Guitar’s Sound
As a beginner, getting the hang of maneuvering a pick over the strings may initially seem challenging. You may even prefer to try using the side of your thumb or index finger just to see if it makes a difference.
Truthfully, you will have a more challenging time creating a good consistent sound when you’re strumming with your finger or nail than when you’re flatpicking. The plectrum makes a more consistent tone due to the consistency of the material, while different parts of your fingers produce different sounds.
You’ll want to hear the sounds you are creating when you’re first starting your playing so that you can understand how each technique works. You’ll have much more difficulty doing that if you use your hands.
Flatpicking will produce a much louder, more unmistakable tone than your fingers. Hearing the chords you are playing is vital when you are first beginning, and a pick will be ideal for that since your fingers will not be able to strike the strings as clearly.
2. How You Hold the Pick Makes a Big Difference
One of the biggest reasons beginner guitarists shy away from using picks is that they have trouble holding them steady while they are learning to play and don’t like the sound that comes off the guitar. However, if you know how to hold the pick from the get-go properly, it will be obvious why flatpicking is the best choice for a new guitarist.
When you take the pick in your hand, hold it between your thumb and index finger. You’ll need to be sure to grasp the pick firmly, keeping your thumb clamped down on top of it while it sits on the top side of your index finger.
As long as you can keep a tight grip on the pick as you strum, you’ll find that using one is much more enjoyable than playing with just your fingers.
The amount of pick left sticking out from your thumb, and index finger will depend on what type of playing you want to do. If you’re strumming all six strings at once, you’ll want to leave a good portion of the pick exposed so it can accurately hit all strings.
If you are going to be picking individual strings, you’ll only want a small bit of the pick sticking out between your fingers.
3. Picks Will Enhance the Playability of the Guitar
One of the main reasons to choose flatpicking as a beginner is so you can clearly hear the sounds you’re creating and adjust your playing accordingly. Because your music is easier to hear, your guitar will also be easier to play when you’re using a pick.
Picks are designed explicitly with string plucking and strumming, so they will inevitably be easier for a beginner to master than fingerstyle. Your fingers have a less than ideal shape to pluck at strings, so until you have mastered the art of doing so, it will be much more challenging than just playing with a pick.
The pick making your guitar more playable is especially true when it comes to steel strings. Unless you are learning classical guitar, your instrument likely has solid steel strings, which will be very difficult to play using only your fingers, particularly as a beginner.
This type of string can be harsh on your fingertips if you’re not used to it, and you may experience some pain after only one playing session without a pick. The desire to be comfortable while playing is a good enough reason to adopt flatpicking from the beginning!
3. Picks Will Enhance the Playability of the Guitar
When learning to play guitar, you must be as meticulous as you can with your training. You need to be able to hit the individual strings just the right way to create the sound you are hoping to achieve, and that can be pretty challenging to do with your fingers.
Using a pick to precisely hit every single string on the guitar can be a tremendous help, mainly when you’re just figuring out what picking technique you prefer.
When flatpicking, you can be more agile with your playing, like focusing on one specific note or melodic passage to nail down. It will help you learn to isolate the chords and hit the strings precisely how you intend to, instead of fumbling through the notes with your fingers.
5. Picks Help You Learn Proper Strumming Techniques
When you start out learning guitar, flatpicking will teach you how to strum your instrument the correct way. You’ll not want to leave your hand resting on the guitar as you might with fingerstyle because you will produce a much brighter and bolder sound with your hand placed in the air just above the sound hole.
Keeping your arm out of the equation is essential as well. You’ll need to rotate your wrist just a bit to get the correct motion with the pick. It may seem challenging to keep your wrist straight and slightly rotate it simultaneously, but once you begin hitting the strings, it will all come together and make sense.
6. What Is Easiest First Is Not Always Best
Even using all of the advice above, trying to keep control of a pick while