Holding the Pick question

[Chris Robertson]

So recently I came across the video that @jak Angelescu did where she has improved by changing the way she holds the pick.
So I wanted to get some opinion on the way I hold the pick, it doesnt look a lot different to the one mentioned in holding the pick video but because I’m not the greatest I would rather either change now than continue the way I am holding it, but maybe the way I hold it is fine. I only ask because I want to make sure I am not hampering myself in the future for speedwise. The ultimate goal is to play fast solo’s for me. I played rythym for years and feel I’m fine with that but never worked on speed.
Natural way I learnt.
Way I see in the video
Thanks for advice and opinions!

 

[Noah Berends]

The “way I see it in the video” picture is how I do it. I transitioned to that style later in my playing but it’s easily overtaken my old technique for speed, accuracy, and comfort. It feels sort of “wrong” at first, especially if you’re used to another method, but once you adapt it becomes natural. I found the way to acclaimate fast is to play songs I knew well, over and over with that new technique until I got it down, and then I also did what @jak did, playing scales simply to a metronome and doing it over and over, or if I wanted to shake things up a but I’d put on my favorite spotify playlist and just run up and down the same scale, but to the tempo of the song playing. Helped with varying tempos. But then again I listen to a lot of prog metal so finding the tempo in the first place was sometimes challenging! ;D

 

[idssdi]

I think the biggest reason to hold the pick that way is creating volume(and it actually works) when playing gypsy jazz or other acoustic stuff. In general i almost hold the pick that way pretty naturally but also keep in mind that up until Hail To The King he did not hold the pick that way. If you can still fix it I would recommend holding it the ‘proper’ way you will benefit from it

 

[Ed Seith]

Help me out here – what’s the difference? How much of the pick point is exposed, or is it something different with the pointer finger?

 

[idssdi]

It is somethig with the thumb. With the middle of the thukb you can create more downward force creating more volume. How much of the pick is exposed I dont really know. It depends on the pick really. I personally use Jazz III 2.0 so for me it is not a lot

 

[Chris Robertson]

Thanks for the replies guys, so the difference is that the way I naturally play is my index finger is ‘straight’, looks almost like an eye shape to me. The other way my finger is bent like a fist then dangle the 3 fingers which is not normal for me, just the way I see it in the video how to hold the pick.
I wasnt sure if the natural way I play could cause me to play slower or if there is any actual difference down the line.
maybe this shows better if I ‘remove’ my thumb.
Open vs closed no thumb

Edit: oh cool I can embed pictures into text

 

[idssdi]

Yeah your hand should be like a fist not really straight. Hope this helps

 

[Chris Robertson]

Thanks @Ids, I will have to try work on it. I don’t know if it is possible for me because I was in an accident when I was a teenager and ever since the accident I ‘lost’ control of that finger. So from the knuckle (i think that’s what its called) closest to the nail I cant bend it unless I use my other hand to push it closed like that. As soon as I start picking on the strings it goes straight again and I cant get it closed like that again without stopping. Unless I hold it in that position with my thumb putting lots of pressure on it, it wont stay there and if I hold it that hard then my hand is so tense I cant play anything fast.
I tried to show in a video, but I cant keep it like a fist – https://vimeo.com/257861779
So that’s why I was hoping to get some advice on whether or not the natural way I play would be able to play fast like Syn or Papa Gates one day or if it would not really be possible because unless I maybe strap my finger closed like that I don’t think I could change that.