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Let's make a mediator. The perfect pick, made by yourself. The material from which mediators are made

But today I decided to write about the guitar picks themselves (they are also called plectrums). That is, what kind of mediators are there? What are they made of? What is the size of a good enaf pick? How to choose a mediator for yourself? Well, and similar burning questions that concern, I hope, not only me.

I will say right away that I have never found the ideal mediator for myself. Why? Well, probably because they are all good. But, as they say, one is better for one, the other for another. Unfortunately, there is nothing universal in this world...

Company manufacturer

In my humble opinion, the logo printed on the pick does not have of great importance. The sound and ease of play are much more influenced by the shape, thickness and material from which the pick is made - in general, everything that we will consider below. However, some love, some are fans of Steve Vai and Ibanez. So if you gravitate towards one company or another, then there is nothing wrong with that. Almost all of them have mediators in their line various forms, colors and materials. Perhaps Dunlop stands somewhat apart with their Jazz series, which is preferred by many famous guitarists various styles. Like bluesmen - Joe Bonamassa, Eric Johnson, and rockers John Petrucci and Kirk Hammett.

Pick shape

In general, there are countless forms of guitar picks. However, among all this diversity there are standard forms that have their own established names. It goes without saying that the choice of one form or another is an individual matter. There are no rules or advice here. You need to use what is convenient for you personally.

From left to right: Standard, Teardrop, Jazz, Equilateral Triangle, Shark Fin

Finger pick

Also, in nature there are mediators that are put on the fingers. Quite often on thumb. But there are mediators in the form of “ artificial nails» for the rest of the fingers right hand. Such picks are usually used by acoustic guitarists for finger picking.

Here are some of them in the picture.

From left to right: D"Andrea on the thumb, Alaska on all fingers (“false nails”), Ernie Ball on the thumb

Guitar pick thickness

Thin: 0.38 – 0.65 mm
The sound is very bright, bends strongly, good for scratching.

Average size: 0.65 – 0.73 mm
The brightness in the sound is less than that of thin mediators. Great for both scratching and playing individual notes.

Thicker than average: 0.73 – 0.88
Both midrange and bass are already beginning to appear in the sound. The attack of the strings is stronger than that of the previous two, which, in fact, is logical. Good for both scratching and individual notes.

Thick: 0.88 – 1.0 mm
Good for single notes and rhythm playing. Such mediator Great to use in rock styles, when you need to “knock” the sound out of the guitar, controlling the level of gain or volume by playing the sound. Due to the strong attack, the entire sound spectrum is present in the sound: highs, mids, bass. There may also be an overtone from the pick itself, but this depends more on the material from which the pick is made rather than on its thickness.

Extra thick: 1.14 – 3 mm
Best suited for heavy rhythm and solo parts. It will be more difficult for some to “scratch”. Good response from the strings throughout the entire range: bass, mids and highs. Here the overtone from the mediator can be heard in all its glory. It is easy to control both the force and direction of the blow due to the thickness of the pick. About “knocking out the sound” is also relevant.

The material from which mediators are made

Tortex/Delrex (Tortex/Delrex)
Warm sounding material. Plastic with a silky smooth finish. It wears out for quite a long time and holds well in the hands, even if the fingers are slippery.

Derlin
Bright, fast, smooth. Typically, this is a Totex/Derlix pick, but highly polished.

Celluloid
Great stuff. Smooth to the touch. Warm sound. Good for both rhythm and leading parts. Usually the surface is polished.

Nylon
Glossy and smooth surface. It bends very strongly. Nylon picks can be very thin; therefore, such picks wear out quickly. Great for combing soft sound. Minimum overtones from the mediator.

Polycarbonate
Feels and sounds like a mixture of celluloid and derlin. There may be a glassy sound, depending on the thickness of the pick.

Lexan
A hard material that resembles glass. Shiny coating. Almost does not bend. Typically, Lexan picks are more than 1 mm thick. Wears out quickly. The sound has a glassy overtone.

Metal
Solid. Strong attack. The overtones from the mediator are clearly audible.

What kind of mediators do famous guitarists use?

• Yngwie Malmsteen - Dunlop 1.5mm Delrin
• Al DiMeola - D"Andrea Heavy Celluloid
• Dave Mustain - Dunlop .73mm Tortex
• Marty Friedman - Dunlop .88mm Tortex
• Paul Gilbert - Ibanez Heavy Celluloid (sharp tip) / Dunlop .73mm Tortex
• Brian May - An English Penny
• Eric Johnson - Dunlop 1.38mm Jazz III Red Nylon
• Steve Vai - Ibanez Heavy Celluloid standard shape
• Chris Impellitteri - Fender Heavy Celluloid
• Michael Angelo - Dunlop 1.38mm Jazz III Black Nylon
• Francesco Fareri - Dunlop 2.0mm Big Stubby
• George Lynch - Metal (during the early Dokken days)
• Slayer - D"Andrea Heavy Triangle picks
• Shawn Lane - Dunlop 1.38mm Jazz III Red Nylon

How to make a guitar pick?

The easiest option is to take a plastic card, scissors and cut out a pick from it. Perfectionists can then trim the edges with sandpaper or a file. From experience I can say that the plastic from which the card is made is not best material for a mediator. It quickly wears down or even breaks.

It is very important!

Guitar pick is one of the elements, which has highest value for you and the sound of your instrument. You should pay special attention to how to hold the pick correctly.

You may come across many different ways to hold a pick, but you cannot say with absolute certainty that each specific way to hold a pick is the most correct.

However, the vast majority of professional guitarists use the following method of gripping a pick:

The main elements of such a mediator grip:

• The pick is pressed only with the thumb and forefinger
• The pick lies on the side index finger
• The thumb touches the pick at a (more or less) right angle

(the remaining fingers can be either freely unclenched - straightened, or bent, see what is more convenient for you)

The bending angle of the index finger is individual for everyone, the main thing is that the tips of the fingers do not protrude beyond the tip of the pick.

Still, I recommend gripping the pick with two fingers, with the other fingers unclenched; in my opinion, with this method, free fingers will not interfere with the game and touch the strings, giving the pick more room to maneuver.

Is it possible to learn to play guitar by ear?

In support of my choice, I suggest you pay attention to how many (and almost all) famous guitarists who play the electric guitar and others hold the pick.

How to choose a mediator

I was very surprised when I tested different picks that the sound produced on the same guitar had completely different sounds. It never even occurred to me before that it was so significant.

In addition to sound, the pick affects playing comfort, accuracy, control over sounds and articulation, also technical freedom and many other aspects.

Therefore, it is very important to take a little time to do right choice mediator for beginners.

• Spitz shape: sharp or rounded
• thickness (expressed in millimeters, e.g. 0.7 mm or 1.5 mm)
• to size
• material

The choice of a mediator is an individual matter, but there are several universal rules.

First of all, you need to decide what you want to play.

Pick thickness

• Extra Light thin (less than 0.45 mm);
• Light thin (0.46 - 0.7 mm);
• Medium average (0.71 - 0.85 mm);
• Heavy thick (0.86 - 1.20 mm);
• Extra Heavy very thick (≥ 1.21 mm), .

The thickness of the pick for an acoustic guitar should be medium, but here, too, everything is individual. I’ll add that in my opinion, a pick for an acoustic guitar is no different from a pick for an electric guitar.

All chords on a 6 string guitar

And here bass pick thicker, but on a bass guitar and the strings are much thicker.

As for a mediator for nylon strings, it seems to me that such a concept does not exist; you choose a mediator based on sound and convenience.

DIY mediator at home

What to use instead of a mediator and what can be replaced with

How to make a mediator yourself? A homemade mediator can be made with your own hands at home from scrap materials, cut from plastic card for example, I once cut them out of records), cheap and cheerful.

Instead of a mediator, any plastic of suitable thickness will do. Of course, this will be an unprofessional mediator, but as they say, “no fish, no fish.” I remember even playing with a coin, although of course this is very harmful to the strings.

Nowadays you can buy a set of guitar picks on Aliexpress for very modest money or a special hole punch for picks.
.

How to replace a guitar pick?

Yes, everything that can be taken with two fingers).

What can a mediator be made from? Mediator material

• Something plastic will do, plastic is everything, but it sounds “like a digital amplifier after a lamp”
• you can also make a pick from wood, good tone, attack, no overtone
• a leather pick is cut from a belt, it gives a good low sound
• metal pick, gives an overtone, but also has a right to exist
• a pick made from a tortoise shell, you can’t stop living beautifully)
• pick made of bone, too much mid and highs, the main thing is that the pick is not made of bone Kostya)

Download the mediator drawing

Download a 3d model of a pick with dimensions 1 to 1 in DWG format - for SolidWorks and in a format for printing on a 3D printer and make a pick yourself.

To play chords, you can use a thinner pick rather than for playing solo, since playing chords does not require great precision. For the same reason, it is better to use more rounded picks than sharp ones. For solo playing, I do not recommend using picks thinner than 1mm. Why? Because they are too flexible, a soft pick is not conducive to accurate note production when playing solo.

How often to change picks

It should be borne in mind that a guitarist’s pick is not bought “to last for years.” Depending on the intensity of the game, the pick will have to be replaced with a new one, for some it lasts for half a year, for others it barely lasts for a few days.

When you see that the edge of the pick is noticeably worn away, it means it's time to go to the music store.

This is important, because as the mediator wears out, it begins to affect the sound far beyond better side, wear also significantly affects the technique and accuracy of the game.

Bottom line

Decide how you will hold the pick (it will be difficult to relearn), and choose your first pick of the thickness you need and is comfortable - all this is really important, especially on initial stage training.

All characteristics of the pick, such as its thickness, material and shape, directly affect the sound of the guitar. The mediator quite often gets lost or erased, so the question of what can replace a guitar mediator is very relevant.

This tool can be made independently from available materials, the main thing is that the material is flexible and durable.

Which material to choose

Each material has its own characteristics that will affect the sound.

1. Metal - such a mediator provides a sharp and bright sound, but it will not be the most the best solution for acoustic guitar.
2. Leather – Cut a pick from a leather belt. It will help you get high-quality bass sound. Leather makes the guitar sound muffled and thick.
3. Plastic – any plastic product is suitable for such a mediator. You just need to experiment with thickness and shape, choosing the most successful option for yourself.
4. A plastic card will be the most a good decision for the manufacture of a mediator, since it will fully correspond to the parameters of the original.

How to make a pick from a plastic card

Mark the pick template onto the card with a marker and cut it out with regular scissors. You can also simply cut off the edge of the card, it will act as a mediator. Round off sharp edges using sandpaper or a nail file. If you wish, you can paint the pick in the desired color.

To make a metal pick, it is better to use metal scissors; it will not be possible to cut it with ordinary ones.

Use a special cutter to trim leather. To make the pick easier and more comfortable to hold in your fingers, attach several staples to it using a stapler or wrap it with electrical tape.

Mediator from a tablet folder

The most ideal material for a homemade mediator would be polyvinyl chloride, from which tablet folders are made. To make a pick, follow these simple instructions.

1. Cut one corner from the folder using regular scissors.
2. The result will be a triangle with too sharp corners.
3. Using the same scissors, cut off the corner from the pick.
4. The mediator is ready.

The main drawback is that they are not very comfortable to play with. However, you can permanently cut new tool, achieving maximum comfort.

Finding a replacement pick is quite easy. Anything that can be held with two fingers is suitable for this purpose. It can be cut from a plastic card, a ruler, or even a nylon cap. You just need to use your imagination and experiment with each option.

Abstract: A pick is a thing that looks like socks. It often gets lost, so it’s best to have several picks, or even better, to be able to make them yourself. This article will teach you this!

Guitar pick- This is something like a bow that is used to play the guitar. When playing with a pick, the sound extracted from the guitar becomes much cleaner and more pleasant. BUT! Mediators have one bad property - they really like to get lost... They crawl everywhere, under an armchair, sofa, table, hide in all possible places and cause a lot of trouble when they are simply necessary. In such situations, you have to buy another (or better, of course, several) mediators.

It is precisely because of the cost of picks (they don’t cost much, but we spend time going out and buying a pick) that we will describe to you how you can make a pick yourself!

How to make a guitar pick: necessary knowledge.

To make a mediator with our own hands, we don’t need a lot of information about it, namely:

1. The standard size of the mediator that we will focus on: 2.5x1.5 cm
2. The material that works best is plastic.
3. The shape of the pick should resemble an almond (optional).
4. The thickness of the material we use to create the pick will determine the sound (if the material is thin, the sound will be higher, if the material is thick, the sound will be lower).

Have you mastered the information? Great! Now let's try to make a pick.

Making a mediator with your own hands

And so, to begin with, we will select the material from which we will make the mediator. There are several options:

• Plastic cards (the most suitable option).
• Packaging of SIM cards (not a very good option, but still not a very bad option).
• Any plastic (not too thick).

Now, using a pen or pencil, we draw a pick on our material (if you have a pick on hand, just outline it). Next, using scissors (the ends of which should be rounded) we cut out the pick.