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Playing slide guitar can often feel challenging because you have to learn new techniques on guitar. Most slide guitar players don’t use a pick, but if you’re used to using a pick it can be tough to learn how to play without one.
However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t get away with using a pick for slide guitar…
Although it is less common, you can definitely play slide guitar with a pick. It usually isn’t encouraged from a technique standpoint because it is more difficult, however there are ways to still use one effectively for slide guitar.
Let’s take a look at using a pick when playing slide guitar, and some tips and strategies on how to use one…
Why You Can Play Slide Guitar with a Pick
Playing slide guitar requires a player to dampen or mute strings that aren’t being played with their picking hand.
On regular guitar you can pick any string(s), and muting the other strings that aren’t being played usually doesn’t make a difference. However, with slide guitar any strings that aren’t being played will produce unwanted sounds when the slide is moved along the fretboard if you don’t mute them with your picking hand.
You can still use a pick, and mute strings that aren’t being played, by resting your palm on the strings you’d like to mute. For higher strings that your palm can’t reach, you can use your middle, ring, and pinky fingers to mute them.
Resting the palm on strings that aren’t being played can feel unnatural and make your hand tense up. However, many guitar players (whether they’re playing slide guitar or not) will actually rest their palm on the lower strings to relax their picking hand. Similarly, resting the middle, ring, and/or pinky fingers on the bridge or body of the guitar has also been a common technique for regular guitar players.
You can similarly use these methods for muting strings that aren’t being played for slide guitar, while keeping your picking hand comfortable and relaxed.
Does Slide Guitar Normally Use a Pick?
Traditionally, most slide guitarists don’t use a pick because this allows their fingers to rest on strings that aren’t being played and need to be muted.
Resting the right hand’s palm and fingers on the strings makes it easy to mute them, and then you can use any finger to pick a note that you’d like to play.
Since the palm and other fingers are already resting on the strings, this enables you to easily pick a note without having to worry about producing unwanted sounds when you move the slide.
Slide Guitar Picking Technique
Because you need to mute strings (sometimes referred to as “blocking” with the right hand) that aren’t being played, the slide guitar picking technique is different than regular guitar playing. The muting or blocking techniques for slide guitar can make it more challenging to play notes with speed and accuracy.
For regular guitar playing, using a pick (combined with alternate picking techniques) can allow a player to pick notes at a rapid speed. This can make playing at a faster tempo much easier, especially since you’re using the left hand’s fingers to fret notes instead of a slide.
So as you develop your picking technique for slide guitar, it is important to remember that it will take time to develop speed and accuracy when you play notes with your right hand. Because you’ll have to mute strings, getting your playing speed, comfort level, and accuracy up to the level you’re used to when playing regular guitar will take a little time.
Slide Guitar Picks: The Best to Ones to Use
Like regular guitar, using a pick for slide guitar comes down to individual preference and choice. Each pick will have different properties that affect your sound, technique, and playing approach.
Because slide guitar is usually played with bare fingers when picking notes, using a thicker pick is a great way to emulate the sound of the fingertips. Dunlop’s 208 Jazztone picks (link to Amazon) are good to use, and their pointed tip can make it easier to pick specific strings while the palm is resting on the other ones.
If you’re looking for a pick with a rounded tip, which can produce a warmer tone than a pointed pick, Dunlop also makes the 207 Jazztone Pick (available on Amazon) that can work well for slide guitar.
Some slide guitar and steel guitar players will use individual finger and thumb picks when playing, and will still mute strings with their palm and/or fingers.
Finger and Thumb Picks for Slide Guitar
If you decide to use finger and thumb picks when playing, keep in mind that you’ll still need to apply the same muting and blocking techniques for slide guitar.
Using finger and thumb picks, compared to the bare fingers, will produce a brighter and more projecting tone. This can be a great way to increase the sustain and power of notes, however a guitar pick can achieve a similar result.
Many players use National’s NP finger picks for banjo, steel guitar, and other instruments, and their brass NP2-B finger picks (link to Amazon) would be a great way to add warmth to your sound if you decide to use finger picks. For your thumb, the Fred Kelly Slick Pick (link to Amazon) works well for slide guitar because its surface doesn’t get scratchy with wear and it can feel more comfortable than many other thumb picks.
How To Play Slide Guitar With a Pick
The first thing you’ll want to do when playing slide guitar with a pick is to hold the pick comfortably in your picking hand like you would for regular guitar playing. This usually involves holding it between your thumb and index finger in a relaxed manner.
Next, rest the edge of your palm lightly along the strings near the bridge of the guitar. The palm should be touching all of the strings (as you continue to hold the pick with the thumb and index finger).
Then rotate your hand and fingers towards the strings, so that the pick meets the string(s). The hand should naturally curl up in a relaxed manner, and the palm should still be resting on the lower strings. To mute the higher strings that the palm can’t rest on, use your middle, ring, or pinky fingers to mute these strings by resting them on these strings.
As you pick any notes, keep in mind that you’ll have to mute any strings that aren’t being played. As you move the pick to different strings, you’ll use your palm to mute any lower strings that aren’t being played. Higher strings are usually muted by shifting the other fingers mentioned earlier.
This shifting of positions with the hand is the key to building up your picking speed while continuing to accurately block or mute strings. Always remember that it is usually beneficial to have the picking hand as relaxed as possible, although this may be challenging when using a pick and muting strings at the same time.
Conclusion
Although slide guitar can seem challenging and difficult to learn, playing it can be much easier if you develop a strong foundation in its techniques. By using a pick for slide guitar, you may be able to transition from regular guitar to slide guitar more easily.
For more playing tips and technique advice for slide guitar, click here…