Plectrum

The guitar pick or plectrum (plural plectra and picks; Latinized form of gr πλῆκτρον " the plectrum tool to hit," ) is a platelet, with the plucked instruments such as steel string guitar, electric bass, mandolin, sitar, shamisen or Harpsichord can be struck or plucked. Among musicians it is colloquially called Pick or Plek (sometimes game leaflets, Plattl or Zupflümmel ).

The use of a plectrum allows compared to plucked with the fingers strings when the same amount of force a usually louder, more concise sound with a larger proportion of high frequencies, since the strings are less attenuated by the relative to the hardness of fingernails and pimp hard material and as a larger spectrum is generated in overtones.

Molding

Picks are usually about coin-sized platelets and are usually held with the thumb and index finger, sometimes with the thumb, index and middle fingers.

A special form is the so-called finger pick: it is fixed with a ring-like clamp to a finger. Here, index, middle, ring and sometimes attached to the little finger picks appropriate, the thumb gets a differently shaped thumb pick.

The flat Picks come in a variety of forms, usually teardrop shaped, or triangular. In that then there is triangular, in which the corners are different in shape or have different thicknesses.

Picks usually have a thickness of about 0.3 mm to 1.5 mm, but some are also several millimeters thick. Some also have a rough middle, so that the grip is increased. Others have a curved extension, which offer better grip and are used for bass guitars.

Material

Flat Picks were formerly usually made of natural materials such as wood, bone, horn, felt, tortoiseshell, glass and stone (especially semi-precious stones), or metal (steel, brass). Later came early plastics are used, such as ebonite, DPN ( artificial horn ) and the still widespread celluloid. Today, a variety of plastics used for picks, including Nylon, polycarbonate, acetal (Delrin ), PEI ( Ultem ) and acrylic glass.

Application

In particular, plucked with steel strings are played with a plectrum. Thus, the mandolin is used almost exclusively with a pick. Even with electric guitar picks are mainly used, but occasionally also play electric guitarists without plectrum, where the strings are plucked with the fingertips or fingernails as " pick - replacement " or beaten.

The different materials, shapes and strengths of Picks affect the sound of the instrument. Thinner picks usually produce a thinner sound while thicker cause a more powerful sound. Harder materials produce more overtones, while softer produce a duller sound.

When rhythm game on the electric guitar is usually resorted to Plektrumstärken thinner, as these less resistance to the strings and therefore can be beaten faster.

When lead playing is accessed frequently thicker and smaller picks, which support both low resistance and low strings immersion depth, but still volume and dynamics.

For heavier strings, such as in bass guitar, bigger and stronger picks are generally used.

Instruments for the plectrum are often provided with a guard to protect the body against damage caused by the pick.

As the only keyboard instrument the harpsichord also has the tone on affiliated with the keyboard Picks ( " keel ").

Exchange techniques

To switch between the game with and without plectrum as quickly as possible, several methods have prevailed:

• The plectrum is made between the lips.
• The pick is inserted into the gap between the pickguard and the guitar body.
• The plectrum is clamped in the bent little finger of the hand shock. ( With practice, this can be carried out without interruption in the game. )
• The plectrum is pinched between the index and middle finger (near the palm upwards ). ( So you can use all your fingers when playing without a pick. )
• The pick is inserted into a holder on the guitar ( Plektrumspender ).
• The pick, which is provided with a magnet is attached to a magnetic ring is also at the hand of the player.
• The plectrum is dropped and when it is needed again, replaced by a new one.

Movies

The American satirical rock band Tenacious D turned the appeared in 2006 comedy film Kings of Rock - Tenacious D in which it is about the fictional " Pick of Destiny" ( " Pick of Destiny" ), which gives impressive gaming skills the owner and ultimately out to be a tooth of Satan.