Technique Focus

The trick is in the pick

The range of available plectra can be bewildering, and prices go from pennies to £30 plus for some esoteric brands. There are no rules, but here are one or two generalisations to help you make the right choice: super thick ‘extra heavy’ or ‘stubby’ picks work well for fast picking and hard riffing, and are often used for metal, fusion and jazz. Standard ‘heavy’ picks (1.0-1.2mm) are great all-rounders and will get you through most situations, especially if you switch guitars between songs - electric to acoustic, say. Thin or ‘light’ picks can excel when recording acoustic guitar as they add a pleasant shimmer. A good tip is to get to like readily available picks, as losing that one cherished plectrum can leave you in the lurch!