Shredding with a 10mm pick

I have never seen anyone shred with a pick so thick before…

That’s crazy. I feel like the further into guitar I get the more I realize gear really doesn’t make that much of a difference in technique. Sure, maybe at the outermost, outermost extremes, but generally it seems like gear is used as a coping mechanism.

Apparently bigger picks are very useful if you have arthritis in your hands and have difficulty holding picks. I guess with such a big pick you could play very, very lightly.

Hehe it’s kind of entertaining to watch and the guy is great, but there is way too much chirp for my taste!

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Yeah the dreaded chirp! I get that with V-Picks.

The guitarist has some serious fretting skills. But yeah… I am definitely a Chirpaphobe, so I am not enjoying the picking sound.

I was turned on to thick pics by John Taylor. You may remeber him from MIM interview where Troy hooked him up with electrodes to measure muscle/nerve activity? At any rate, I was enquiring about getting some SIKPICS. He has some, but instead of making a quick buck off of me he suggested thick picks 5< mm. He said that they increase accuracy because they are SO big there is less space in between the strings. They can be VERY expensive. I saw one that looked like a diamond for 80$!

I found a deal on Amazon: 3 5mm picks for 8.99.

My experience is mixed. It certainly makes it seem easier to pick in terms of accuracy, but when I get up to the 100-110 bpm range (16th notes triplets 6/beat) it gets…sloppy. Maybe I could get used to it, but I’m still fleshing it out.

If anyone needs SIKPICS here is John Taylor’s contact info. I hope this is ok with Troy? I only do this because he impressed me by avoiding the quick sale in favor of giving me good information for FREE.

[email protected]
(720) 209-0484

Sincerely,
Brandon (lv2run1)

@milehighshred paging Dr Taylor!

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The thing about the sikpics is that although you get lower friction, you also get less attack.

And if your goal is accuracy with triplets at 100-110 bpm… I think the lower friction won’t be as important.

As far as thicker picks helping… that depends on your style. But super-thick picks aren’t for everyone. A lot of people here like thin Jazz IIIs.

For sure! I prefer the Dunlop Big Stubby 2.0mm

Cool. I’m a Big Stubby player as well. It helps that they’re cheep.

Thank you for the kind words, sir!

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You are welcome. I think I mentioned that I live in Fort Collins. I drive to Denver once a week for work. I keep thinking I’d like to hook up for a lesson someday if you are still doing that?

I still don’t have an office. The only way I can do lessons right now is either I drive to the student, or we do them over Skype.

If all else fails you can use it as a weapon.

They make some interesting plectrums, but I can only use Dunlop Flow 2.0mm.