Wearing Plastic Finger Picks

Remember the purpose of wearing picks is so that you can improve the sound quality and gain volume. So an important thing to remember is that you don't want your fingers to actually touch the strings as you play. If they do touch while you're playing that will tend to "mute" the sound and take away from the clarity, and quality of the sound. So avoid this by adjusting the finger picks on the tip of your fingers. Below are some photos of how the picks are worn on the fingers and different things you can do to adjust them on your finger tips.

Wearing the Plastic Finger Picks

Something else to help with the way the picks hit the strings is how you wear the finger picks on your finger. Here are a couple of ways you can "adjust" the way the pick is worn on your finger tip.

Cock Your Picks

Note the tip of the pick is in middle of the finger tip about 1/4" out from the finger. This is something that can be adjusted according to personal preference. However, the goal is that you want only your finger pick to touch the strings as you play. If your finger actually touches the strings as you play then you need to adjust this. You may want to "cock" the pick upwards slightly to get a position you like. In this photo the "band" part of the pick is not at a right angle to the finger but it is "cocked" slightly upwards.

Twist Your Picks

See how the finger pick is twisted slightly on the finger so that the pick tongue is not on the same plane as the finger nail. This "twisting" of the pick is something else you can do to help the picks to come up flat upon the strings.

Each Pick Twisted Slightly Different

You can see the slight "twist" on all three of the finger picks here. Note that the 3rd finger has more twist than the 2nd finger, and the 2nd more than the1st. (This is how I usually wear my picks - it works pretty good.)

The amount of twist on each finger may vary from one finger to the next, depending on the position you're in with the guitar, just like I explained about the wrist position in the section above. If your wrist position is bent slightly downward, you may find that you should have slightly more "twist" on the 1st finger then on the 2nd and more on the 3rd then on the 2nd. This is because the hand has a natural curve to it (like around that tennis ball) and therefore while picking, your fingers are not all coming onto the strings at the same angle. The "twist of the pick" is a way of "fine tuning" in compensating for that angle. Both the "wrist position" and the slight "twist" of the pick, are merely done to make sure the pick comes up "straight" and "flat" against the string.

*** If you purchase picks form Paul Smith Music you will receive more information about how to adjust the picks themselves in the fitting instructions.

Suggested Steps Before Playing.

Get in your favorite position you like to be in while playing the guitar.

Anchor your picking hand and have all the picks lay up against the strings.

First, adjust the wrist so the your finger movement will be at "right angles" to the strings. (Get as close as possible and still be comfortable)

Look at the way each pick "tongue" lays against each string.

Fine tune, by twisting the picks so that the pick tongue hits "flat" against the string.

After you have done these steps a few times before playing, you'll find that you won't need to do them anymore. When you put your picks on you will already know how you like to wear them and you'll just put them on that way and begin to play. Of course if you change the way you hold your guitar you can always go back and do these steps.

Summary - keep it simple!

Now let's cap off this page about your right hand position, and the way you wear your finger picks. The most important thing to remember is that your hand must remain relaxed. If it doesn't feel natural or comfortable for you then make whatever changes necessary so that it does. Also make sure that your finger movement comes up as close to right angles to the strings as you can and that your picks are "flat" against the strings as you play. Finally you don't want your fingers (or thumb) to touch the strings at all, but only the finger (and thumb) picks. If you can keep these few things foremost in mind, the rest will fall into place.

Now that you understand these things about your finger picking hand position you are now ready to start with learning the patterns. I suggest starting here - Patterns #1-4