I firmly believe that it's just a matter of what you're used to, and that people gravitate toward rigid picks because of herd mentality, which is just basic human nature. I'm no shredder, and I can't stand rapidly strumming two or more strings with a pick more rigid than a 0.73mm Tortex. The way you orient the pick also matters. Thin picks let me keep the pick almost totally in line with the string, which reduces required movement, helps accuracy, and sounds better to me. I've also watched high-speed video of someone picking rapidly with thin picks, and there is no player who moves faster than the pick; you aren't waiting for the pick to straighten back out. Finally, even rigid picks are "flexing," in a manner of speaking, when you pick -- it's just that your fingers are what give, rather than the pick itself. At the end of the day, you should give a variety of picks an honest try, forget dogma, and use what works best for you.
After 4 years of playing, I’ve decided to take my technique more seriously and you’ve been a huge help. In the span of a month I’ve progressed more than I have in 2 years. Thank you.
Hi, let me contribute two cents to your video. Sorry. This blue Ibanez pick is 1.00 mm celulloid. It's different from the current guitar pick Paul Gilbert is using now (he is using the 0.50 mm Werewolves of Portland Tortex). A decade ago, Paul was using 0.60 mm (the Oranges), but now he is using 0.50 mm. If you want to compare with accuracy, grab the Red Tortex 0.50 mm. Btw, I changed the thickness of my picks forever, and I cannot come back to the thick ones. I'm using a Brazilian brand Rouxinylon 0.50 mm (nylon pick), and I switched all my techniques, and I'm happy with that. In the past, I used 3.00 mm Big Stubby. ^^
Those Ibanez signatures are about 1.0mm celluloid. Not exactly thin. Paul has been using orange and red .60mm and .50mm standard 351 style dunlop tortex since at least 2008 now, (although it looks like he’s gone with the wedge recently) Try the vid with some of those, and you may have a new appreciation for how much more of a feat it is that he’s able to use them.
John Frusciante basically said that he can shred and strum fast and precisely with a thinner pick (dunlop .60) but the thicker picks are a one trick pony, just good for shredding. Strumming is like beating the strings with a brick when it comes to thick picks, no give. The irony is that if you really want to play well with a thin pick you just have to relax and that is always good to improve technique. Thinner picks also have a livelier sound, hitting a string with a think pick thuds. I play clean though with very little distortion usually so that really matters.
I shred with a .6mm small teardrop Tortex held close to the tip, and nothing is better (unless you think that EVH and Paul Gilbert were just plain wrong). A thinner plectrum with good flex glides through the strings without forcing them out of the way, and once you get used to the feeling, thicker plectrums become obsolete. In addition, for legato technique you want a levelling of your attack to produce an even sound level, so there's no need for the specific dynamic control that a clumsy, heavy plectrum supplies...speed is about efficiency, not brute force.
This mania for heavier and heavier picks comes from the time of Yngwie Malmsteen onwards. It was absolute received wisdom through the late 60s to mid 70s that if you needed to play faster you got a thinner pick, it just makes sense, it's not the 1930s, we have amplification now!🤭
An Interesting video with some tasty and super fast playing to boot. I make picks (zenfire picks.) I have found over the years that picks with any flex (for me) is a problem (it's a variable) and variables are something we don't need. I require a rigid pick with an aggressive grip or texture so the pick stays where you put it. All the different materials picks are made from affect the tone and even sometimes the feel. Exploring picks is going down a rabbit hole. There seems to be as many different picks, shapes, thicknesses, sizes, materials and looks as there are people. That being said ... It's fun to explore all the options and learn what works for each person.
I've been playing with a .60mm Dunlop Nylon for decades and I mostly play 220 to 260BPM tremolo picking. I play light and I hold my pick very close to the tip. I've never had any issues. I tried thicker picks and I feel it just gets in the way of speed from my experience.
It depends on string gauge. With 8’s I can rip and dig in with a .88mm Dunlop. A thicker pick and it’s easy to throw off your intonation from pushing the string to much.
I think thin picks might be more helpful when playing light strings or strings tuned in a way that they have lower tension. I believe Paul went through a 8s and 9s phase for a while so thinner picks might have kept his heavy pick hand from knocking things around too much constantly sounding out of tune. It’s like less string attack from the pick combined with less resistance from the string may balance out.
I'm thinking of going thinner i have been practicing with 1 mm plus and I always get caught up on the low e as I'm a heavy picker. Could be my technique but it's worth a try
Good video and yep, he is right. But you can try for yourself and you be the judge of that. I explored many and I keep exploring but I always come back to 1mm or 1.14mm. cheers!
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I firmly believe that it's just a matter of what you're used to, and that people gravitate toward rigid picks because of herd mentality, which is just basic human nature. I'm no shredder, and I can't stand rapidly strumming two or more strings with a pick more rigid than a 0.73mm Tortex. The way you orient the pick also matters. Thin picks let me keep the pick almost totally in line with the string, which reduces required movement, helps accuracy, and sounds better to me. I've also watched high-speed video of someone picking rapidly with thin picks, and there is no player who moves faster than the pick; you aren't waiting for the pick to straighten back out. Finally, even rigid picks are "flexing," in a manner of speaking, when you pick -- it's just that your fingers are what give, rather than the pick itself. At the end of the day, you should give a variety of picks an honest try, forget dogma, and use what works best for you.
Eddie Van Halen,Randy Rhoads, Michael Schenker,Neal Schon,Jimi Hendrix & Brian Setzer all use medium gauge picks....are we any better??
Van halen used thin picks?
After 4 years of playing, I’ve decided to take my technique more seriously and you’ve been a huge help. In the span of a month I’ve progressed more than I have in 2 years. Thank you.
Gilbert doesn't use his own signature picks. He uses Dunlop Tortex .50 & .60's
Hi, let me contribute two cents to your video. Sorry. This blue Ibanez pick is 1.00 mm celulloid. It's different from the current guitar pick Paul Gilbert is using now (he is using the 0.50 mm Werewolves of Portland Tortex). A decade ago, Paul was using 0.60 mm (the Oranges), but now he is using 0.50 mm. If you want to compare with accuracy, grab the Red Tortex 0.50 mm. Btw, I changed the thickness of my picks forever, and I cannot come back to the thick ones. I'm using a Brazilian brand Rouxinylon 0.50 mm (nylon pick), and I switched all my techniques, and I'm happy with that. In the past, I used 3.00 mm Big Stubby. ^^
The 2.0 mm flow picks are really good! They are big but really comfortable and the grip on it is great and not slippery
A lot of people dont understand that you’re just teaching the optimal way to learn how to play the guitar faster and consistent with a proven method.
Those Ibanez signatures are about 1.0mm celluloid. Not exactly thin. Paul has been using orange and red .60mm and .50mm standard 351 style dunlop tortex since at least 2008 now, (although it looks like he’s gone with the wedge recently) Try the vid with some of those, and you may have a new appreciation for how much more of a feat it is that he’s able to use them.
John Frusciante basically said that he can shred and strum fast and precisely with a thinner pick (dunlop .60) but the thicker picks are a one trick pony, just good for shredding. Strumming is like beating the strings with a brick when it comes to thick picks, no give. The irony is that if you really want to play well with a thin pick you just have to relax and that is always good to improve technique. Thinner picks also have a livelier sound, hitting a string with a think pick thuds. I play clean though with very little distortion usually so that really matters.
I shred with a .6mm small teardrop Tortex held close to the tip, and nothing is better (unless you think that EVH and Paul Gilbert were just plain wrong). A thinner plectrum with good flex glides through the strings without forcing them out of the way, and once you get used to the feeling, thicker plectrums become obsolete. In addition, for legato technique you want a levelling of your attack to produce an even sound level, so there's no need for the specific dynamic control that a clumsy, heavy plectrum supplies...speed is about efficiency, not brute force.
I prefer the sound of chords with thin picks, it makes the attack quite bright
This mania for heavier and heavier picks comes from the time of Yngwie Malmsteen onwards. It was absolute received wisdom through the late 60s to mid 70s that if you needed to play faster you got a thinner pick, it just makes sense, it's not the 1930s, we have amplification now!🤭
An Interesting video with some tasty and super fast playing to boot. I make picks (zenfire picks.) I have found over the years that picks with any flex (for me) is a problem (it's a variable) and variables are something we don't need. I require a rigid pick with an aggressive grip or texture so the pick stays where you put it. All the different materials picks are made from affect the tone and even sometimes the feel. Exploring picks is going down a rabbit hole. There seems to be as many different picks, shapes, thicknesses, sizes, materials and looks as there are people. That being said ... It's fun to explore all the options and learn what works for each person.
Great Video!
I've been playing with a .60mm Dunlop Nylon for decades and I mostly play 220 to 260BPM tremolo picking. I play light and I hold my pick very close to the tip. I've never had any issues. I tried thicker picks and I feel it just gets in the way of speed from my experience.
It depends on string gauge. With 8’s I can rip and dig in with a .88mm Dunlop. A thicker pick and it’s easy to throw off your intonation from pushing the string to much.
I think thin picks might be more helpful when playing light strings or strings tuned in a way that they have lower tension. I believe Paul went through a 8s and 9s phase for a while so thinner picks might have kept his heavy pick hand from knocking things around too much constantly sounding out of tune. It’s like less string attack from the pick combined with less resistance from the string may balance out.
I'm thinking of going thinner i have been practicing with 1 mm plus and I always get caught up on the low e as I'm a heavy picker. Could be my technique but it's worth a try
Good video and yep, he is right. But you can try for yourself and you be the judge of that. I explored many and I keep exploring but I always come back to 1mm or 1.14mm. cheers!