People who professionally play the guitar often have to use picks. They are well versed in the question of which instrument which plectrum is best suited. But novice guitarists often find it difficult to know whether they need this “lotion” at all, and if so, which mediator is better to buy.
What is a mediator?
The guitar pick is a small plate of a triangular (most often) shape with rounded streamlined edges, designed to pinch strings or play in battle. The role of the plectrum (the second name of the subject) is to extract better sound from the instrument and protect the fingers of the player. A guitar pick is made of various materials - plastic (the cheapest items), wood, bone and metal.
Types of spectra by thickness
Choosing a mediator record, a novice musician should be guided, first of all, by its thickness. It affects the strength of sounds produced by the instrument, their volume and other parameters. The guitar pick can be thin, medium, thick and very thick.
- Hitting the strings with a thin plate, the musician gets soft sounds. This applies to acoustic instruments even when the player needs to keep a given rhythm. However, for leading parties, solo, it is not suitable precisely because of its softness. Such a guitar pick has a thickness of 0.4 mm. Of course, it must be in the collection of musicians working in groups.
- Medium spectra have a thickness slightly larger - from 0.6 to 0.8 mm. This is the so-called mixed or universal type, as it is equally suitable for rhythm guitars and solos.
- The guitar pick is thick. Its parameters are from 0.8 to 1.20 mm. Addressed to rock musicians and solo parties. Bass guitars are also suitable for such a record. Musicians of all directions, from heavy music to jazz, enjoy using them, as the sound when you strike the strings is very saturated, expressive, beautiful, bright. True, to play with thick plectrons, one needs thorough dexterity and considerable experience. This is especially true for rhythm parts and solos - the slightest mistake or falsehood will be clearly audible.
- A very thick pick - for an acoustic guitar, for bass playing in a tough, aggressive manner. It is produced with a thickness of 1.20 mm and more and is designed, by and large, for amateurs.
Types of plectrons in shape
- Standard shape (streamlined triangle). These were the first mediators that appeared in the first quarter of the last, twentieth century, and were made from tortoise shells. They were expensive, by the way!
- The “jazz” (or “droplet”) form is with a pointed bottom of small sizes. The sound produced by such a pick is most close to ideal.
- The rhythm-guitar plectrum is a large triangle (its experts call the Relieu triangle).
- A plate, one side of which has a toothed shape especially for capturing more than one string. Called "shark tooth."
- The claw mediator. It is put on a finger.
Types of spectra by material
- Plastic (from celluloid, nylon, acetal, acrylic, etc.) Acrylic and acetal are more durable and have proven themselves well. This is the most affordable guitar pick, its price is quite low compared to others.
- Metal. They give a good, clear sound, but spoil the strings too much.
- Wooden, from valuable species - rosewood, ebony.
- Glass - give a good multi-tone sound.
Some tips
It is better to buy mediators rough, they will not slip and fall out, especially if your fingers sweat. In size, take those that are convenient to hold. But if you need to play at a fast pace, it is better when you have a small plectrum in your hand.