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mataimandolin

heavy, medium or thin picks for beginning mandolin player?

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so i ve been playing the mando for about a month and i think im pretty good but im not great and i could use a lot of improvement.
i got one pick when i bought the mandolin and its thin/heavy, but i found another pick at home and its thin. I cracked the thin pick, but i like it better than the thick one.
also the pick occasionally flies out my hand or i find it slipping? is that because of the think im using or is it just i need better pick grip?

THANKS!! this really helps me out

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Comments

  1. Gelsenbury's Avatar
    Some people prefer thin picks, some prefer thick picks. Picks come in all sorts of different strengths, sizes, shapes, materials, and finishes. Experimenting with different picks is a lifetime activity for many players, so don't put yourself under any pressure right now to find the "right" one. Use mostly the one that you currently like best, and make it your mission to try others when you can. As your playing develops, your pick preferences will probably change too.

    A slipping pick is not entirely unrelated to pick choice - there are materials that stick to your fingers and surfaces with more grip than others - but mostly due to technique. A pick that is gripped to tightly will shift between your thumb and finger, whereas one that is held too loosely will go flying. The angle at which you hold the pick and the depth with which you dig into the strings will both affect how likely the pick is to stay in your hand. Most players recommend holding the pick at a slight angle to the strings (rather than hitting them flat) and giving it just enough purchase on the strings to move them. It takes time to get all this right, so, again, don't put yourself under any pressure to achieve it right now.

    Enjoy playing, embrace experimentation, listen to good teachers, and regularly check whether you are on the right track. Progress will sometimes be fast and sometimes slow, but it will happen if you do all these things.