Picking a Pick: Plectrums & you

With so much choice of plectrums out in the market it can be very confusing for first time buyers.

What most experienced pick-buyers look for are:

• grip
• shape
• thickness
• graphic

Grip is fairly important. Especially for beginners as there are many times when your plectrum will ping out of your grip and across the room, into the body of an acoustic guitar, or (my personal favorite experience) down the top of an embarrassed female band member.

Many plectrums with graphics on are often smooth and without grip, though that’s not always the case, so it is definitely something to keep an eye out for.

Grip on plectrums can come in different forms. Some have grooves and ridges, some have a fine texture, others have just the brand name embossed on it to create grip. It’s definitely worth playing around with different kinds to feel how well they keep in your grip while in a musical instrument store.

Shape and thickness are generally down to personal preference that gets built up over time with playing. As a general rule of thumb thinner picks are more beneficial for those that favour soft strumming, whereas thicker plectrums give more control to a more advanced plucker.

The Jim Dunlop USA Nylon plectrums range their colours according to the thickness. The lighter the colour, the thinner the pick, inversely the darker the plectrum the thicker the pick. Black being 1mm thickness.

Graphics on plectrums, as you are probably aware, make no real difference to how plucking or strumming strings sound. Graphics on plectrums can range from skulls to fairies to lightning to rainbows.

Don’t be afraid to play around in-store with whatever plectrums are available!

Image Source: Wikimedia

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Buying Your First Acoustic Guitar On Ebay

Guitars can cost a hell of a lot of money. So when you are making the decision to buy your first guitar I am sure you will be browsing through magazines and catalogs staring at pictures of your dream Les Paul or whatever your are lusting over!

However I honestly believe that your first guitar should be a cheaper model and for me eBay is the perfect place to pick such a thing up. I would also recommend starting with an acoustic guitar as it needs no extras and works pretty much as it is.

The reason I think you should spend less on your first guitar is because I think that it pays to know what you are after when you go after the dream. If you just get a decent stock guitar that is made to work for most people then you can find out what you love and hate about it….. Then once you are schooled go after your dream.

Buying an acoustic guitar on eBay is very simple and if you keep some common sense about you, you will pick up a perfect first guitar.

• Make sure you talk to the seller and find out as much about the guitar as possible
• Set a budget and stick to it
• Study the guitar’s state and make sure there are no damages that will affect play
• Buy some new strings at the same time as buying the guitar
• Make sure the guitar is the right size
• Check out the sellers past feedback and make sure you trust them

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The Power of Simple Scales

Learning scales is a fantasic way to create melodies. Below is an example, with tab, of a scale. The C major scale to be precise.

It doesn’t look like much but if you play around with the order of these notes or play some of the notes more than once (or even not at all) you can make a melody in that key.

Here’s an example of that idea. It’s a familiar tune that I invite you to play along to.

 

Notice that this entire melody only uses the notes in the C major scale illustrated at the top.

Play around with the scale and see what you come out with. If you don’t like it, try another. If you do like it see what else you can do. Invite a fellow musician over and see if you can harmonise. And most importantly: Have fun!

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