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Does It Matter What Kind of Guitar Pick You Use?

To the layman, a guitar pick looks like an odd-shaped flat piece of plastic with rounded corners. To the guitar player, however, the same object can allow him to manipulate guitar strings or break them, depending on the hardness of the pick. Each musician has his own preferences, and the hardness of a guitar pick tends to be one of them.

Sound Impact
- The hardness of a guitar pick affects how the guitar strings sound when strummed, whether they are on an acoustic or electric guitar. A soft pick bends and gives off a flappy sound, while a hard pick catches the guitar string and gives a harsh twang sound. Some teachers suggest that beginners start with a medium-hardness pick until a preference is determined.
Grip Ability
- The ability to hold a pick tends to be more simple with a hard pick versus a soft one. Soft picks can outright break under aggressive strumming, while a hard pick tends to be more convenient to hold. When playing lead guitar, the ability to hold onto the pick is critical as the lead music can be completely disrupted if the pick is lost. A rhythm section can still be maintained until a new pick is grabbed.
Texture
- Picks with texture, regardless of hardness, tend to be more simple to hold onto when playing guitar. In an extended session, guitar players can quickly get sweaty hands, and smooth-surface picks can then slip from the fingers. Those with texture provide extra traction, making them more simple to hold.
Types of Guitar Playing
- Hard picks are regularly preferred for lead guitar bits because the singular string picking sounds clean, particularly when emitted from an electric guitar signal and speaker. Medium and soft picks work better for playing rhythm since the technique involves strumming multiple strings simultaneously and repeatedly. The softer pick fosters a warm tone, which allows the musician to maintain a consistent sound.

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