How to Hold and Use a Guitar Pick with Mark TheGuitarGuy

A guitar lesson on holding and using a guitar pick.

▶ In this video:
0:59 - Why use a pick?
5:02 - How to select the right pick
6:37 - How to hold the pick
9:13 - Applying it to the guitar

▶ JAMORAMA - THE BEST GUITAR COURSE

▶ FOLLOW OR BOOK A GUITAR LESSON WITH ME

▶ DUST & GOLD (My Wife & I)

Hi, I'm Mark and I've been teaching and playing guitar professionally for 26 years now, and I've picked up a lot of insights along the way; things I wish I had known when I started out. That's why I started this channel - to share this knowledge with you.

But this is more than just a place to learn guitar. It's also place where you can hang out, relax, be yourself, get support, make friends and get inspired to have more fun with your guitar.

So go ahead. Pick up your axe. Hit play. And be a better guitarist.

▶ WANT TO SUPPORT OR SHOW YOUR APPRECIATION?

Thanks for watching!
Regards, Mark

[cookiesdonutscheese]

He starts explaining how to hold a guitar pick at 7:14 for those of you as impatient as me

[dbrapp]

For years I hated using a pick because I never held it correctly.  Can't believe how easily you just taught me how to use one and how natural it feels.  Great lesson.

[luckabauerova]

I felt like an idiot when googling how to hold a pick, but obviously it's a common struggle.. Thanks a lot, this really helped 😃

[lewissjj]

I've played guitar for a year and totally forgot to practice picking, I only practiced fingerpicking and I'm pretty good at it.

[milesIronwood]

Classically trained guitarist here, I've struggled with picks for years. I couldn't figure out how to hold the damn thing and have given up many times. Will try everything mentioned in the video, thanks

[romperstomper]

10/10
the money shot is at 7:25 and onwards. i've been playing and learning on my own for years and i truly believe this piece of information is a major milestone for me. iv been holding my pick like that crane reference and by putting my index finger where you said i can already feel the difference which is awesome because i hit a wall and didn't think i could get any better on my own. so thanks very much for giving me something to work with again. ill have to check out some of your other videos now.

[emersonedwards]

Just to “piggy-back” off of many comments, you were able to persuade me to use the pick in a way nobody else has. I believe your accent demands close attention, therefore I was able to understand exactly what needed to be done. A plethora of great guitarists and teachers simply talk about the universal “A-OK” sign as the standard way to hold tuned pick. You introduced the need to extend the thumb just past the edge of the pick, which for me, makes all the difference. Thank you Mark the Guitarist!

[melhordamusicabrasil]

that video just changed my life, at least at this moment.. cause play guitar is all for me now.
I was playing hardly about 7 months...every day, when i get this trick in your video... everything changed. You start to make your sound cleaner, faster, easyer, beautiful, your notes and solos, chords start to get pure...so you can understand better and finish all your toughts about the guitar music in geral. I can say, thats the KEY to guitar sucess..exactly this video.

thanks bro,
from Brazil.

[MSEYQM]

Can we still hold and use a guitar pick if Mark isn't there? (Title of video is ambiguous). Oh, and great lesson, thx.

[TheJoshtheboss]

I play about 10 months now, but must say I find fingerpicking much easier in comparison with a pick. With the pick you must seek out each string as if using one finger. 4 fingers are so much easier. But the sound is so much crispier with a pick :(. Must learn the pick.

[pradeepjhuboo]

Many of us there stay undecided and frustrated not knowing whether to use a pick or to start learning finger picking but there's a way to hold the pick properly which should be a boost now that Mark has shown us how. Thanks

[acornstairlift]

It wasn't until I watched other people play guitar, when I noticed that they held their picks differently. Man, 4 years of playing guitar and I've been holding my pick like a pencil. Thanks for uploading this!

[immts]

AFter watching an hour worth of how to hold a pick, this guy takes the cake, best by far

[lonivanbuni]

Im left handed, but play right handed. Playing with a pick just feels super clunky and clumsy to me... But this video really helped me out a lot!

[sabrishnair]

Mark Sir is the best, coolest, most calm, most simplifying, most clear Guitar Teacher

We ❤️ you sir!!

[daveb]

Been playing years . Watched this . Better player within 10 minutes. Thanks great lesson.

[TacticalFemboy]

got uber baked 6am, Browsing the home page of youtube I see this. Me being in my baked nature click on it. I watched 8 seconds asked my self wtf are you doing and immediately went for my guitar and played  for like a hour and 30 minutes of pure jammin. Good video bro you got a sub

[Jawelik]

The Best and most detailed 'How to Hold a pick' lesson I have ever seen.  And I've seen a few.  At first I was wondering how such a lesson could take up twelve minutes of video.  But you explained so many things that were crucial to holding and using a pick properly.  I feel like a better guitarist already.  Thanks.  :)

[robinbebbington]

Great explanation as to why. I have been playing fingerstyle and never really got comfortable with a pick but starting to try using it now

[MarkTheGuitarGuyChannel]

Oh that's so great that you're giving the pick a chance....so many people don't know how to hold it...and it makes all the difference.