Why Beginners Use Thin Guitar Picks

Ease of Use

• Thinner picks make it easier to strum the strings. This is because a thin pick easily bends when it hits a string. The wrist of the hand strumming the guitar does not need to be strong, as the pick can slide through the strings easily. Beginners often find this helps a lot in their playing, as they don't need to strike the strings hard or be more precise to produce a sound.

Control

• A thin pick is also easier to control and keep in place while playing. Since the pick slides and bends easily from the string, the thumb and forefinger holding the pick do not need to have a powerful hold to keep it in place. Aside from this, the bending action of the thin pick makes the string's resistance easier to manage.

Training

• Thin picks are ideal for beginners because they allow them to play the guitar easily while learning other basic skills. Muscles from the fingers, hand, wrist and even arms start to develop while practicing, making each strum or picking more precise as time passes on. When using a thin pick, the development of these muscles are gradual and consistent, until the player acquires a more powerful wrist and fingers to switch to a thicker pick.

Considerations

• A thin pick is ideal for beginners learning to strum, but when it comes to picking each string, thin picks may not be ideal. When you hit a string with a thin pick, the sound it produces is lighter when compared to using a thick pick. Since a thin pick bends when it comes in contact with a string, the energy it passes on to the string is not as powerful when compared with a thick pick; thick picks don't bend easily when hitting a string, transferring more power to the string and making it reverberate more.