Musician's Corner

Pity The Poor Pick

By Mitch Holder

Guitarists are a funny lot. They will spend years looking for that special guitar, spend hours tweaking it to get a certain sound, then take it to the repair shop in hopes of getting it to play and sound like what was originally envisioned. Of course, if it's an electric guitar, there is the amplifier to consider. A constant search for the right sounding one, then twiddling knobs looking for that elusive sound. It can seem endless.

The above probably can be related to by 98% (the other 2% are in denial!) of guitar players. One of the most important elements of playing the guitar, is so often overlooked that it is surprising that more players don't think about it. What may that be, you ask? The poor little pick, that little piece of celluloid, or plastic, or nylon, or whatever the one you use is made of, that is the link between the player and that guitar. It seems way too simple, but upon investigation, can open up sound and feel possibilities way beyond the beliefs of mortal men (and women).

My first awareness of the pick phenomenon occurred when I started doing quite a bit of work for Motown back in the mid '70s. Of course, I had a big box of my favorite pick (you never know how many you'll lose in a day!). I was sitting next to some of the best rhythm players in the business wondering how they got that tight, crispy sound that always made tracks come to life. I started noticing a lot of broken picks around their chairs after they left, so I picked one up. It was a familiar shape to most guitar players, except it was real thin. I used a small extra heavy pick and though maybe the pick had something to do with the great sound these players got. Off to the music store I went with the broken picks and bought some new ones just like them. That started me on a journey through pickdom that still continues today and I'm continuously experimenting (along with trying different guitars, amps, et. al) with picks of different sizes, shapes, thicknesses and materials.

After twenty-five years of doing studio work, that original pick box with the one type of pick has now evolved to almost any kind of pick, including some made of felt (how else to get rid of the pick noise on a classical guitar or strum a ukulele?). In many cases, if I'm not happy with the sound or feel of a particular part, the first thing I do is grab a different pick (they are lined up next to me, different sizes in thin, medium, heavy and extra heavy). For electrics, I still mainly use the same type I started with. When that doesn't work, I will experiment and find one that does (after years of this, I pretty much know which one to grab for the sound and feel I'm going for). For acoustics, I use a medium for steel strings and an extra heavy for classical (that's how we get that lush, romantic sound during the love scenes in the movies). The width helps eliminate pick noise, but more importantly, produces a beautiful, big sound that records very well. It goes on to all the other fretted instruments I have to play, but if I had just one guitar, I would experiment with different picks to get different sounds and feels. It's not that surprising really that the pick has so much to do with the overall sound and style of guitar music. It's the player's physical link with the instrument.

Mitch Holder has been an in-demand session player for over 25 years. He has appeared on the albums of such greats as Barbra Streisand, Dionne Warwick, Barry Manilow and Pattie LaBelle, including 25 gold albums, 5 platinum albums and 12 Oscar-winning films.
(Vintage Guitar, Sept. 2001)

When I was a teenager, I had the privilege and pleasure of studying for a few years with jazz and studio great, Howard Roberts. He was the one who gave me that heavy little jazz pick that I wound up using as a main pick. When it wore out, I asked him who made it so I could go to the store and get some more. He said they were made by D'Andrea, the world's biggest pick company and told me the model number. Years later, not being able to find them in stores anymore, I contacted Charles Lusso of D'Andrea. He has been a wealth of information and generous in allowing me to experiment with new picks that D'Andrea makes, plus keeping me supplied with the one that I've always used (#354 heavy and extra heavy). Recently, I have become sold on the sound produced by D'Andrea's new Pro Plec pick which involves new technology and materials. They are fantastic!

The moral of the story is the fact that the pick is the most overlooked element of guitar playing. It's similar to cars. People love oohing and ahhing and ogling the car itself, but how many people really look at the tires. The tires are the main link to the road! Same with picks, whether you have one guitar or many guitars. Different picks will put a whole new slant on your playing and music. It took me years and years to figure this out. You can do it right now. Give this a try. I guarantee you will marvel at what a difference that poor little pick can make.v

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