Guitar picks are small formed pieces of plastic or metal which can be used by guitarists to pluck or strum a guitar's strings. Different techniques for using them include:
Upstrokes - this involves strumming or picking the guitar starting at the bottom of the range of motion and ending of movement at the top.Downstrokes - this involves beginning the strumming or picking sequence at the top of the strings and driving down.Pinched (or artificial harmonics) - this is the squeeling sound that resonates when the string is picked with the guitar pick then the thumb follows through to create this sound.String skipping - this involves hammer-ons (picking a lower fret then hammering on to a higher fret on the same string) or pull-offs (picking a higher fret on the same string then pulling off on a lower fret) and then rapidly moving up or down to another string and repeating the motion in a particular scale.Flat picking - this is the general term for just picking a string with the plectrum.Finger picking - this is the other method of picking strings and either involve a finger and/or thumb plectrums/s, fingernails on the picking hand or just bear fingers.
I love plectrums (also known as guitar picks). They are small, usually triangular, plastic devices that are used to pluck guitar strings. I have used them ever since I started learning how to play the guitar and have had my favourite type for quite some time. I started off by trying out lots of different types of guitar pick before I finally settled on a particular brand and style. I have used these for years now and actually must admit to carrying at least one of these around in my pocket everywhere I go even if I am not even taking a guitar with me. You never know when you will meet someone who would like you to play some guitar for you right?
I have always purchased my guitar picks from my local guitar store. This has usually been whenever I have gone in there for something else like a pack of strings or just to try out a some guitars or some amps. That's right. We guitarists do window shop and just pop into our local guitar store to try out guitars, amps and other types of gear. There's nothing wrong with doing that and it's quite valid pass time. Go on, live a little!
Now I've always bought my plectrums from the local store but I have considered ordering mine online from now on or at least the majority of the time from now on. This little decision has been mostly inspired by the last few purchases that I've made of guitar strings from a particular online auction site. This is because I can now get three packs of my favourite brand of guitar strings for the same price that two (well just over the same price) packs of guitar strings would cost in my local guitar store. The only problem is that guitar picks are items that I will only generally purchase in sets of two of three.
But then again I do lose them quite often unfortunately and so it might be worth buying more. But I can't imagine shopping online for something that only costs a couple of quid. I suppose online shopping is how much about convenience as it is about money saving. I suppose you save money when you don't have to visit the store but I like trying the guitars right? This particularly activity provides me with an excuse to indulge in my guitar acquisition habit. I love guitar gear and I think that is the bottom line here.
Maybe I will purchase my next batch of guitar picks online or maybe I won't. I haven't decided yet. But one thing is for sure. I love playing on my lovely guitars.
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