Acoustic Guitar Lessons: How to Use a Pick

by: Taylor Benjamin

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Date: Fri, 23 Jul 2010 Time: 3:03 AM - 0 comments

Learning to play the acoustic guitar can be a very time consuming process and you should not try to rush it. If you rush, you may find that you have skipped over some important lessons and that, as a result, your skills are not developed as well as they could be. In order to become the best acoustic guitarist you can be you need to take your acoustic guitar lessons seriously and master the basics before you move on to more difficult techniques. One of the most basic things you should learn in your first acoustic guitar lesson is how to use a pick. A guitar pick is a thin piece of plastic that is held between the thumb and forefinger, used to pluck the strings of the guitar in order to make sound. Using a guitar pick may seem easy, but there are several things you should learn about using a pick.

The key to properly using a guitar pick is in how you hold it - the pick should be held firmly between your thumb and forefinger but it should remain flexible. Allow the guitar pick to move about slightly between your fingers but position it so that your thumb fits comfortably sideways so that the pick forms a sort of fingernail. When you pluck the strings of your acoustic guitar, strike them perpendicularly rather than at an angle. In your acoustic guitar lessons, and on your own at home, practice striking the strings at different speeds and rhythms to become familiar with the technique. As you move on to strumming the strings with your guitar pick move your wrist back and forth keeping your hand positioned steadily over the strings. Over time you will become very comfortable with using a guitar pick and you will develop speed as well as accuracy in your picking technique which will make learning the next steps of playing the guitar that much easier.

Now that you have learned how to use a guitar pick on your acoustic guitar you can move on to other things such as learning cords and then playing songs. As long as you stick with it and practice playing the guitar often you will surely master the art. Just remember don't rush through any steps or you may miss out on important lessons that will affect whether you become a decent guitar player or you become a great guitar player.