Most guitarists use a flatpick or pick to play their instrument. The trouble arises because these picks are really quite small, and can be easily lost or dropped. So what’s the solution? How do you stop losing or dropping your guitar picks?
Well, in this article we’ll be covering a number of unique ways to stop losing and dropping your picks. Hopefully by the end of it you won’t have to deal with this issue anymore! Let’s get started.
How to Stop Dropping Your Guitar Picks
Make Sure You’re Holding Your Guitar Pick Correctly
I know nobody wants to hear this, but you may be holding your pick incorrectly. If you’re constantly dropping your guitar pick, there’s a chance you’re either not gripping the pick hard enough or not holding onto it in the correct fashion.
While you can self teach yourself guitar, the nuanced technical things you learn while first starting out are often best learned in person. How to hold your pick is one of these things that is best learned from a real guitar teacher in person.
However, there are some great YouTube videos on the subject as well. Here’s one on how to hold your guitar pick correctly:
Use A Textured Guitar Pick for Extra Grip
The next issue may simply be that you have sweaty hands, or have a pick that is very glossy or smooth, and thus prone to slipping out of your hand and dropping. In general, smooth glossy picks are much easier to drop and lose.
In this case, you may want to simply grab a textured guitar pick and see if you prefer it.
My favorite textured guitar pick is the Dunlop Prime Grip (From Amazon):
If you don’t want to spend money on a new textured guitar pick, there are some other options however:
- Add very small strips of duct tape or textured tape to the wide area of the pick where you hold it, thus increasing grip and texture
- Get some light sandpaper and sand the wider area of the pick very lightly, roughing it up and improving the grip
Gorilla Snot – Give It a Shot
Another idea for getting a better grip on your guitar picks is to use something like Gorilla Snot.
Gorilla Snot is actually a natural product made from a non-gooey, naturally refined tree rosin. This material reacts with the natural heat from your body temperature to create an adhesive effect.
The idea is that this adhesive material can help guitarists hold onto their guitar picks. Gorilla Snot does an amazing job of this.
How to Stop Losing Your Guitar Picks
Get A Good Guitar Pick Container
So you’ve stopped dropping your picks, but they still seem to be disappearing on you. In this case, I recommend getting a container that you keep in plain sight, and practice always keeping your guitar picks in this container. It may take some time to build this habit, but if you can do it it will greatly reduce the amount of picks you lose.
This container can be a:
- Glass
- Dish
- Small box
- Anything really
Every time you finish practicing, intentionally return the pick to this container. Over time, it will become an automatic habit that you’ll be thankful for.
Check Your Pockets Regularly
Another common problem is that guitarists simply leave their guitar picks in their pockets. Eventually you’ll discover them again, but it may take weeks at a time. To avoid this, get into the habit of checking your pockets regularly, especially before you go to bed at night. You may just find you left a pick in there!
Get A Quality Guitar Pick Holder
They actually make quality guitar pick holders that attach to music stands or to areas of your guitar. This way you’ll always have a pick handy, and you’ll have a nearby visual reminder to replace the pick when you’re done.
Here’s my favorite guitar pick holder from Amazon. This pick holder attaches between the strings of your guitar’s headstock, and holds some picks there, so that you will always have some picks on hand, and you can easily grab one from here even if you drop your pick while performing.
Keep Some Picks In Your Wallet or Guitar Case
Lastly, it’s a good idea to just keep some picks around in case you do end up losing some. I like to keep picks in my wallet and guitar case. This way, I’m basically guaranteed to have some kind of pick if I’m out playing music with friends or performing. Find some place to keep a pick so that you’ll always have one on you if the need arises.
Ready to Get Better at Guitar, Faster?
Whenever you’re ready to take your guitar playing to the next level, check out a few of my favorite resources below:
The Best Acoustic Guitar Strings – A unique polymer coating makes these guitar strings last for months or even years at a time, making for an exceptional value. They provide the perfect mix of boom, range, twang, and brightness that acoustic music is known for. — CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE
The Best Acoustic Guitar – Beloved by everyone from Paul Simon to Gordon Lightfoot, the Martin D-18 is one of Martin’s most legendary guitars ever… It’s an excellent, premier quality acoustic guitar for bluegrass, country, folk, rock and more. This is also what I play myself — CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE
Chords, Tabs & Video Lessons for 100 Epic Songs – This free guide that I created for fellow guitarists gives you chords, tabs, and video lessons for the 100 best songs to learn on guitar… I spent many hours putting this guide together to help you get better at guitar, faster. — CLICK HERE TO GET IT FREE
Fingerpicking vs Flatpicking Guitar – Learn which picking style is right for YOU by exploring examples, history, and popular players of each style. Discover essential techniques and pros and cons of each approach. — CLICK HERE TO GET IT FREE
