When it comes to guitar playing, all guitar players have faced a situation where the guitar pick kept slipping. There isn’t anything more annoying than this in the middle of a practice or during a performance on stage, right?
So, what can you do to stop your guitar pick from slipping? In this article, we go through different tips, methods, and products that can help. Continue reading to find out!
Key Takeaways
- The guitar pick might be slipping because you are holding it too tightly/too lightly.
- The best way to hold your guitar pick is by having a relaxed, but firm grip.
- You should hold your pick at an angle of 45 degrees.
- For a better grip, you can use double sticky tape, sandpaper, or super glue.
- Some of the best non-slip guitar picks are Fender Mojo Grip Celluloid, Dunlop Max-Grip, and D’Addario DuraGrip.
Table of Contents
Am I holding my guitar pick correctly?
The way you hold your guitar pick depends on what type of music you are playing, and what you have been taught and used to, and because of these different players will hold their picks differently. But generally, there are some tips you can follow if you want to prevent your guitar pick from slipping.
Relaxation and Secure Keep
It is important to keep your hand relaxed, but also keep the guitar pick secure. So, you should rest the pick on the first knuckle on the side of your index finger. Then place your thumb over the pick. To have more or less of the pick exposed, you can adjust it by moving your thumb.
Tight and Gentle Grip
The guitar pick might be slipping because you are holding it either too gently or too tightly. Usually, when first starting, you might hold your guitar pick too lightly while strumming hard, and because of this your guitar pick will slip or drop.
At other times, you might hold your guitar too tightly which can even make your hands and wrists tense. By doing this, you will keep the guitar pick secure, but the sound that comes out will be forced and unpleasant.
The best way to hold your pick would be by finding a balance and having a relaxed, but firm grip. This way you can also adjust to different strumming styles and techniques based on what type of songs you are playing.
Tips on how hard to hold your guitar pick
If you are new and can’t determine how hard to hold the guitar pick to prevent slipping and have a good sound, then here are a few tips:
The Perfect Hold
There is no need to hold your guitar pick too hard. You can try to hold it gently, but make sure that it doesn’t slip and drop to the floor. Keep in mind that you want a tension-free grip to be able to use the pick properly.
The Perfect Degree
When the guitar pick starts to slip you might think the best way to prevent this would be to hold it tighter. But a lot of times it is likely that your attack angle is too flat or you are hitting the strings too hard. You should hold the pick at an angle of 45 degrees and try not to aggressively pluck the strings.
The Perfect Balance
To be able to find balance in your grip, you could see the guitar pick as a pen. You don’t press it too hard, but also not too light as you want to be able to write with it. The same applies to a paintbrush as you want gentle brushes. In this way, you hold your guitar pick well and brush the guitar strings.
The Perfect Pointing
Another suggestion to prevent the guitar pick from slipping would be to have it point slightly toward the bridge of the guitar. This will give you a better handle and control so the guitar pick won’t slip in the opposite direction and you will have a positive experience.
How can I make my guitar pick more grippy?
There are a few things you need to do, in order to make your guitar pick more grippy and they are as follows:
Hand Condition
First, what you want to do is make sure your hands aren’t wet or sweaty because if they are, you won’t be able to hold the guitar pick properly. You should always wipe your hands with a dry cloth before playing and even during playing if it is needed.
Use of Tape
There are also interesting tips you can try at home for a quick fix. To make sure the guitar pick stays in place, you can use double-sided sticky tape. This works well, but you will need to change the tape often.
Use of Sandpaper
Another thing you could try is to roughen up your guitar pick with some sandpaper. You can use a high-grit piece of sandpaper and rub down the surface of either side of the pick. This way you will ensure more grip and resistance to movement.
Making Some Holes
For more resistance and better hold, you can also make small holes in the middle of your guitar pick. With a pushpin, you could make a pattern of holes to match your thumb. Or you could draw a pattern of lines instead. Another option would be to punch one hole in the center of the guitar pick.
Use of Glue
Some guitar players have also tried using a few drops of superglue on their guitar picks. After letting it dry there will be a bumpy surface which can help you have a better grip.
Best non-slip guitar picks
The best way to ensure your guitar picks won’t slip is by getting non-slip guitar picks. As there are more different options you can choose from we have made a list of the top 3 to recommend.
- Fender Mojo Grip Celluloid: These guitar picks come with a removable rubber grip which adds more surface to hold onto without making the pick so much thicker. With this guitar pick, you shouldn’t be worried about your grip as your playing will be stable.
- Dunlop Max-Grip: This guitar picks offer a great amount of grip on both sides of the pick so they are reliable and let you have control. Another plus is that they are suitable for both acoustic and electric guitars.
- D’Addario DuraGrip: This guitar picks offer a stamped grip surface that is strong and durable. They also come in different thickness types. These picks are recommended because they are great to use even if your hands are sweaty.
Final thoughts
If you hold your guitar pick properly, follow our cheap and quick tips for a better grip, or get yourself a non-slip guitar pick, you will be able to play your guitar without worrying about the guitar pick slipping.
Hopefully, everything we provided in this article was helpful so now you can get to practice. Happy strumming!