I had a bit of an epiphany recently. I always found my pick getting snagged in the strings, for the longest time, despite having a light touch. I found this changed when letting the pick give way for the string, rather than the other way round. I might edit this tomorrow when I have a clearer way to explain, but basically, the pick slightly “flops” in the opposite direction from the way your wrist is travelling. It moves the very slightest bit in between your fingers. It seems that most if not all of the guys Troy interviews has this. This is probably the most obvious thing in the world for some people, but it wasn’t for me.
I do find that players who dig in more, perhaps necessarily, have a greater degree of this pick give I’m talking about. So more for Joscho, less give for Martin Miller (but definitely still a little bit). I’m not sure if this makes any sense at all but if so, I’d love to hear everyone’s thoughts
I guess it has to do with the size and stiffness of the pick as well.
Think of it this way - the more floppy, thin picks will not be as efficient at transferring energy to the as a rigid, thick pick. It will flex when touching the string.
Compared to a rigid pick, you will have to grip it tighter to produce the same volume and you can do that, since the pick won’t direct that energy back at you (your hand).
If you grip a heavy pick tight, it will be very loud since most of the energy will go into the string (not " wasted " by the flex) but the string will also also direct the energy back at your hand. So it feels uncomfortable and that leads to your observation of having a loose enough grip to allow the pick to “give” a little.
I am guessing that you use a heavy pick (?) - anyway, that is the way it feels to me using my 2.75 mm thick large pointed V-pick. I think the thicker the pick, the more “relaxed/loose/give” is required when holding it.
If you want to play loud, you can always grip it tighter. But I think it sound better when the pick is loose enough to “give” a little compared to the string.
Uhhh you’re going to hate me for this but…, I’ve changed my mind, partly. At least, I THINK I may have - having the pick move a little was helpful for a start, especially when I wasn’t edge picking. BUT, for single string playing, what I found more helpful still was to actually think of the strings not as something to go through, but to bump over, as it were. In other words, your whole hand is giving a little, but your pick is remaining stable. HAVING SAID THAT, I’m actually having more problems strumming than picking single strings now, and I’m still trying to use what I originally mentioned in that case. Yup, I use a Dunlop 205 Jazztone, similar to the one Molly Tuttle uses.
I think most people play like that. But I’ve kinda switched to the ‘slamming through’ method. I just like the sound of it more. But it requires a bit more of a grip, and I’ve found it easier with larger picks. But I may go back to the bumping over technique later on… who knows.
Currently, there is almost no flip. It just kinda smashes through the string with no change at all. It’s sorta like MAB’s picking I guess, and I like the sound it creates. I think it works better when I ‘mix in’ the elbow, which adds a bit more strength.
However, I do like to practice using a light grip as well. And when I do that, there is a small amount of flipping/giving that occurs.
