 A
guitar pick is a type of plectrum
designed for use on a guitar. Over time
people have made picks of various materials,
including nylon, plastic, rubber, felt,
tortoiseshell, exotic wood, metal, and
stone. The most often take the shape
of an acute isosceles triangle with
the two equal corners very rounded and
the third corner rounded to a lesser
extent. This shape is, however, merely
one of many used by manufacturers.
Guitar picks come in varying
thicknesses to accommodate the different
playing styles and kinds of strings.
Thinner plectra are more flexible and
tend to offer a wider range of sounds,
from soft to loud, and produce a "click"
that emphasizes the attack of the picking.
However, some argue that heavier picks
produce a brighter tone. Whether there
is truth in either judgement is up to
the individual's opinion, and the choice
is entirely a matter of personal preference.
Picks will normally have small protusions
to make them easier to keep hold of
if the fingers start to sweat (very
common on stage due to the hot lights).
Some picks (as illustrated) will have
a high-friction coating to help the
player hold on to them. The small perforations
in the stainless steel pick serve the
same function. Many players will often
have spare picks attached to a microphone
stand.
 Picks
made out of steel will produce a much
brighter sound than plastic ones. They
do however wear the strings quickly
and can easily damage the finish on
the guitar if used for strumming - especially
on acoustic guitars.
The equilateral pick can often be much
easier for beginners to hold.
The shark's fin pick can be used in
two ways - normally employing the blunt
end or the small perturbations can be
raked across the strings producing a
much fuller chord.
Bass players who use a pick will normally
use much heavier picks than guitar players.
Many bass players find that coins make
excellent picks.
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