Flatpicking guitar

When many people think of playing the guitar, they picture fingers flying over frets.  But there is more to playing the guitar than knowing when to press which strings on which frets.  The hand that strums and picks the strings must be just as coordinated as the hand that shortens them to the appropriate length.  Flatpicking guitar, a style of playing with a pick, or plectrum, is one of the more common styles of playing, especially for beginners.  Typically a pick that is slightly pointed at one end is held, pointy end out, between the pad of the thumb and the side of the pointer finger.  The pointy end of the pick is then used either to strum all the strings together or to pick out individual notes, which is generally more difficult. 

Many beginners have a difficult time understanding how to hold a guitar pick (plectrum), and there is a good reason for this.  Pick-holding techniques vary as much from player to player as handwriting techniques vary from writer to writer.  Some players hold the pick between the tips of their fingers while others hold it farther back or with the sides of the fingers.  The best advice that can be given to a new player is this: pay attention to how shifting the pick’s position between your fingers affects both the feel of your playing and the sounds you are making—ultimately the best technique is the one that works best for you. 

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Furthermore, most people have different techniques for strumming with a pick and picking out individual notes.  Generally, when strumming, a flatpicking guitar player’s hand is in free motion over the strings.  Depending on the player’s style and habits, the up-and-down motions of the strumming can come from the player’s fingers, wrist, elbow, shoulder, or some combination of all of these.  Again, certain ways of strumming will work better for certain players and for certain styles.  Do what feels right for you, but be conscious of what you are doing and make sure you have chosen the technique you are using not out of laziness, but because it is the most efficient way to achieve a particular sound. 

Picking individual notes is slightly more difficult, and players usually anchor their hands to their guitars using either their forearm or their little fingers.  One of the most difficult parts of learning to flatpick single notes is learning to alternate between picking directions.  Most beginners like to pick every note downward.  This works for a while, but eventually, to help in playing more complex parts, players should learn to alternate their picking direction at will.  As with strumming, the particular method of creating an up-and-down picking motion differs from player to player, but typically involves moving either the fingers or the wrist. 

Another common question involved with flatpicking guitar is what kind of pick to buy.  There are picks available in many different shapes and made of many different materials.  However, as a beginner, the materials of picks you buy are not as important as they may become when you develop your technique further.  Go for a pick that has a simple shape and is not to hard and not too flimsy.

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