Pick sliding around

Gypton

When I'm practicing the exercises, I'm finding the pick sliding sideways in my fingers, towards the base of the thumb. If I don't stop and re-position it, it will eventually make its way past the first joint of the thumb, and then I'm practically holding the pick in the palm of the hand.
Anyone else ever have this problem starting out?

JazzDawg

Yeah, it's happened to me, though it usually is more like the pick rotating, not actually moving away from my thumb/forefinger. It seems to abate when using my wegen pick, though, which is nicely indented for the thumb, and has some 'grips' cut into it. You can try a slightly tighter grip, short of making a vice-like grip. You don't want to be too rigid, but enough to keep it in position. Don't know what kind of pick you are using, but you might try something with a thumb indent and grip cuts in it, like the wegen.

klaatu

... or try some Gorilla Snot:
http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Gorilla-Snot-Gorilla-Snot?sku=428010&src=3WWRWXGB&ZYXSEM=0

Gypton

I'm using a standard wegen GJ pick, it slides the most. I have a sarod horn pick, it doesnt slide hardly at all, but I just dont like the tone of it, its too thin and pointy. Nothing beats the tone of the wegen for me.
Maybe it just takes experience!

Jazzaferri

Try washing the pick and your hands in soap and water just before you play ... :shock: seriously, that helps me a lot.

I use a blue chip pick and once fingers and pick are washed doesn't move around even with fast rhythm playing. Wegens may be a bit more slippery. Rosin (steal it from your violin buddies) or buy gorilla snot works but really sticky.

klaatu

Just the least little bit of gorilla snot will do the trick. I don't use it in gypsy playing - don't seem to have a slippage problem - but I also play rhythm guitar in a big band on an acoustic archtop with a very smooth pick, and the snot helps to hold it securely.

BluesBop Harry

You can scratch the faces of your pick with a pocket knife to improve it's grip.
I do a tic-tac-toe pattern on my dunlops sometimes. On a Wegen you can cut a few small nicks over the ridges in the opposite direction.
Works great! just watch out and keep the knife away from your fingers while customizing your pick!

Paganini

Buy an AK Pick Fat Sound (extra wide grip) and you will also win any acoustic contest, cause it's really really loud! :shock:

Elliot

Once you learn to pick through the arpeggios from single notes cleanly you do build up more finger strength...it is amazing how the hand learns...Stochelo isn't my favorite, but his picking strength must be extraordinary considering how much he gets out of those little flicks he does.

GregLewis

I modified a pick with an indentation for my thumb, and a diaginal "groove" on the backside for my index finger, and that really helped. A round file works great, a Dremel even better. I also made a pick from a large thick coat button -thinned the tip area, profiled it the way I wanted - not too pointed - and added the aforementioned thumb relief and groove on the back. It's great. I think the groove on the back is the secret.

Good luck.

Greg