How tight is pick grip?

Playing Technique
#1

Hello everyone!

I’m new to the Pickslanting Primer and have a question. I’ll probably make a video soon of my current state of (bad) picking and get critiqued, but as I work through trying to figure out my primary motion, I have this question:

How tight is your pick grip? In other words, when the tip of the pick contacts the string, is there any 'flex" or “give” to the pick? OR, are you holding it so tight that it doesn’t budge? I’m talking about the angle at which it approaches the string and as it follows through. I hope that makes sense.

Should it be STIFF or slightly loose in the fingers and is it preference?

I’m not talking about how flexible the actual pick is. I’m using a 1.5, so it isn’t flexing at all. Thanks for any tips as I work on this stuff. :slight_smile:

#2

I try to hold the pick tight enough that it doesn’t move in my hand, and use edge picking at about 45 degrees for easy string traversal. I use a Dunlop Flow shape in part because it slides easily over the strings due to its broad shoulders.

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#3
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#4

Thanks! That’s mostly how I’ve been trying to do it, but then started second guessing myself. I just need to keep working on avoiding the string hopping.