There is no right way to hold a pick. There is only your way...

[Billkwando]

I was at a big bluegrass jam last year, and I stepped outside, and moseyed up to hear a little circle of 10 or 12 pickers under a covered area - there were others standing around listening. I heard a fiddle take a break, sounded great, but I couldn't see the fiddler! It was a mystery, didn't think much of it until it happened a second time; then it became a mission to uncover the mystery. I moved around and discovered that fiddler had her back to me; that is, I had come up behind her when I'd approached the circle, and she had the fiddle down between her legs sawing away!

She was a cellist, and had borrowed the fiddle from a friend at the jam, and she was tearing that thing up! I love meeting new people at jams, never know what you might see - or learn.

That's a great story! Did she have it sitting on the ground, or was it just hanging from her left hand?

[PiginaPen]

I recently started hold my pic more like Sierra Hull does. I discovered my grip had less of an effect (when I unknowingly tense up) and the pic is far less likely to move around. It pretty much freed up my mind to focus on left hand stuff. Try it!

[Bertram Henze]

That's a great story! Did she have it sitting on the ground, or was it just hanging from her left hand?

I suppose none of those options, but it is not really easy to find a position. You can't wedge the violin waist between your knees because that's where the bow must move.

[Mark Gunter]

That's a great story! Did she have it sitting on the ground, or was it just hanging from her left hand?

I think it was sort of resting in her lap. It was such a surprise to me I shot video of it, if I can find it I'll post it up.

[Mark Gunter]

Found it, and it's uploading to YouTube now, will edit it in here in a minute. She had the lower bout wedged between her knees

The song before this was when she was really cutting up on that thing. This is another tune, near the end after I decided to document her. I have footage of a third tune as well. From behind, I could hear that fiddle but couldn't see the fiddler! LOL

For a closer look, the full screen button does work on this embed.

[JonZ]

Thile has the Genius Award, so hold it like he does.

[mrmando]

That crazy Reuven grip derives from the whole Beersheba Israeli school. It's hard to argue with results.

There are indeed right ways and wrong ways to hold a pick; generally you'll get better results with your fingers than with your teeth.

[zedmando]

I hold the pick a bit differently depending on what am playing--speed, technique, style of music, etc.
I would encourage a beginner to try different ways.
A seasoned player who has ever only held it one way, but may benefit from experimenting--or may not.
But an seasoned player may have already tried several ways.

[Chris Rizos]

I am really impressed with the amount of interaction and discussion this thread is enjoying. Thank you all!

I would like to share a story as food for thought:
A lot of years ago (early 80s) I started my classical guitar studies. At that time, there was a standard way of placing the right hand (for those not familiar, the right hand at the classical guitar does "finger picking"). I think that way became standard by some legacy but famous guitar player that published a training book with images (I think it was Emilio Pujol). Anyway, according to this standard, the right hand fingers should be vertically positioned relatively to the strings for speed, control and brighter sound. That meant that the wrist should not be straight, but bent towards the bridge, in what seemed to me then an unnatural angle. Anyway, as a student I of course followed the standard, as my teachers would not allow me otherwise. Not placing the hands properly meant also lower grades. Anyway, after studying 6 or 7 years I stopped for personal reasons.

Fast forward almost twenty years, when I decided to finish my studies.

You can imagine my surprise to hear my new teacher after seeing me playing during the first lesson, saying " oh, it is obvious you were studying in the 80s". I have not seen that position for years, it is so unnatural. Do not use this please, we are now allowing our hands to be placed in a more natural way. It is not required anymore your right hand fingers to be vertical to the strings, as you can produce an even better sound with other positions.

[ald]

Excuse me if I have already posted a similar comment. I spent quite a years trying to hold my pick the standard way after spending most of my musical life holding it between three fingers. I just could not get used to the new technique and became a obsessed with it until I read an interview with Pat Metheny, who handles the pick exactly the way I do. He said he taught himself to play guitar to start with and did not know any better and it was too late to change now. At about the same time I asked my son-in-law, who studied jazz guitar at a conservatory whether teachers ever corrected students for holding their picks in an incorrect manner. He replied no, unless it were causing them discomfort in any way. I am now back with my three-finger technique and obsession-free. I will never equal Mr Metheny's skills but I do enjoy playing more.