Experiment with Guitar Picks

This is just a quick tip for beginners: Test as many kinds of guitar picks as possible to uncover the possibilities of a simple and inexpensive piece of equipment.

1. Pick or no pick (fingers/thumb)?

2. Flat pick or thumb pick or finger pick or coin currency?

3. Shape of flat pick? Small "jazz" teardrop pick, normal "351" shape, larger equilateral, heart-shaped, or a specialized shape?

4. Gauge (thickness)? Some manufacturers tell you the gauge by its fraction of a millimeter, and others use the descriptors "thin," "medium," "heavy," etc. Generally, a 1.0 mm pick is a heavy pick.

5. Material? There are several types of plastic with different feels to them (Tortex, Ultex, celluloid, Delrin, nylon, etc.), as well as rubber, wood, metal, etc. As with specialized pick shapes, there are also picks with varying specialized textures, like ridges, cork rings, holes, etc.

6. Superficial elements? Color sometimes indicates gauge (usually from thinnest to thickest: Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet), and other times it is just an aesthetic choice. Some manufacturers/printers can custom print picks with your logo or personalized text.

At around $3 to $4 for a dozen picks, this is an inexpensive way to experiment with equipment and develop a sound that works for you.