V-pick. Will it help?

[Soundhound]

Or do I just need to practice more.

I'm a lefty, but play righty. I never thought about this until recently, that I've always had good strength and facility with my fretting (left) hand, but my picking has always, well, kind of sucked. I've always been able to do that 'buzzsaw' kind of stuff, where you get it going a million miles an hour. But the really intricate 16th note stuff at fast tempos I have trouble with.

I've done various picking exercises, but always had trouble with moving from the high strings to the low, backkpicking, if that's a term.

Since I'm too old to learn new tricks apparently, (though I'm trying, really I am!) I wondered if anyone thought these V-picks might help, or if I should just shut up and practice more. :D

[willhutch]

I use V-picks. They have a cool tone and a nice feel. But they are no cure for technique problems.

Some guys say they play better with them. I don't find that they make playing any easier, but like I said, they sound good and feel good and last a long time.

Don't get V-picks in the hopes they will cure what ails your picking. Get them for the other benefits...and see if they help. Nothing but quality practice will help your picking.

[Baggins]

The main benefit I've found from them is in ease of alternate picking (less resistance). However, in your case it sounds like you have no problem w/ speedy alternate picking. I think you'll like them, but I doubt they'll be the "fix". They may make you want to practice even more, though. The Fab Four is a good package to start with, IMHO, though Vinni could give more specific advice if you contacted him.

Enjoy.

Chris

[Soundhound]

Ah well, looking for the easy way out never seems to work! I ordered the Fab Four V-pick selection to check them out. thanks y'all.

[Baggins]

Let us know what you think.

[gennation]

I think Ed Degennaro endorses the V-pick, doesn't he? Not that he needs ANYTHING, but I wonder what his take is on it. I've never used one myself.

[GovernorSilver]

Or do I just need to practice more.

I'm a lefty, but play righty. I never thought about this until recently, that I've always had good strength and facility with my fretting (left) hand, but my picking has always, well, kind of sucked. I've always been able to do that 'buzzsaw' kind of stuff, where you get it going a million miles an hour. But the really intricate 16th note stuff at fast tempos I have trouble with.

I've done various picking exercises, but always had trouble with moving from the high strings to the low, backkpicking, if that's a term.

Since I'm too old to learn new tricks apparently, (though I'm trying, really I am!) I wondered if anyone thought these V-picks might help, or if I should just shut up and practice more. :D

I've heard similar claims about the Stylus Pick - a special pick that if you practice with it will turn you into a shred monster, because it forces you to do certain things "correctly".

[Groovey Records]

I bought the Jam Pack has a couple of every size and type.

It's something different, but I like my fingers and nails and keep reaching for a regular heavy flat pick when I want one.

I wish I could find some Herco's up here where I live I liked them the best.

Honest Answer

EnJoY ThE MuSiC
Groovey Records

Listening to Transformer-Lou Reed

[johnboho]

i purchased the pkg of v picks and went back to the one centers
seems the jazz guys like these more

[GA19RVT]

V-Picks boosted my playing up one full notch. I play instrumental music, blues, jazz, ska, early rock and roll. I don't do a lot of strumming or shredding. V-Pick medium changed my tone on soloing to be much fatter. Gave me more speed and definition on my runs. Easier for me to hold when I do hybrid picking.

It's just the right pick for me. Speaking of, I better go order me a few.

www.v-picks.com (http://www.v-picks.com)

[edwarddavis]

great picks, I dont know if they make me better but I do like em alot.
Worth the little extra just dont throw them to all your fans.
I bought a bunch of different ones . I like all the different thicknesses, I do prefer the prefer one size over another but thats just me. take a bit to get used to but not long . Its not hype very good product .
I can honestly say I really prefer them over any standard pick and I can use any that are not heavy or the feel like card board flapping in my hand .

[gennation]

I'd still like to hear Ed's opinion on this.

I've asked a couple of stores in the area about them and nobody has any clue what I'm talking about...at GC I could see this, but not at the locally owned music shops...they're usually up and new things they either want or don't want to sell.

[Nick31]

what's the ideal v-pick for rock shred stuff a la Dream Theater, Vai and so on ?

[aarondavis]

I've come down to two favorite V-Picks. Medium Pointed Standard thickness for accurate speadpicking stuff (ala your Dream Theater question). The Large Pointed Standard thickness is my favorite for all around gigging. A bit better for rhythm work than the medium size IMO.

[tbar]

A friend turned me on the one , l liked it so much i figured id try the big fatty pick he has , thats all i use now ,
its has helped my picking tech. quit a bit
its worth checking one out
MTC

[Nick31]

I just ordered a bunch of picks from them. Psycho and Psycho Shredders among others.

[rosscoep]

Marc Ribot is a lefty that plays righty. As a result his pcking technique has become part of his signature sound. I use V-pick psychos and they help articulation and speed significantly.

[BluePowder]

The V pick will probably make things slightly more comfortable for you, but no way are they going to clean up your technique. Your best bet is to get a metronome and play some exercises dilligently.

I bought a set of V-picks and played them for some time, I liked them initially until I went out and played a couple of sets which had straight sixteenth note funk rhythms. The pick seemed to slip off my grip easily due to the glassy surface.

Other than that to me the V-pick is very expressive! The variations in tone you can get from it is amazing.

[edwarddavis]

great picks , they wont hurt

[SuperElastic]

Picks are a personal feel thing. Just like there is no agreement on the "best" neck profile, there is no perfect pick.

The V-picks didn't do much for me, but I plan to try them every so often and see if I warm to them. I'm having success with something called a Dava GripTip. (http://www.davapick.com/) It feels like an extension of my fingers instead of a hard foreign object.

But to each his own; Brian May plays with a coin :eek:.

Russ

[shredtheater]

I just ordered a bunch of picks from them. Psycho and Psycho Shredders among others.

When you get them let me know how you get on. I currently use jazz III and i really like em but if there is something better..........

[Nick31]

When you get them let me know how you get on. I currently use jazz III and i really like em but if there is something better..........

sure, I use Jazz III right now also

[Sub City]

The V-picks sound really good; I feel that's their big advantage. Improved technique just comes with proper practice, and not so much the pick selection.

[kludge]

I just started using the Jazz III, based on the raves around here, and I like it so far. Before that, I'd tried the Dunlop 205, but found it too thick and difficult to get a broad range of tones.

Here's a question... when you're having picking problems, are they in your pick hand, or your fingering hand? I don't know about you, but my limits for a long time have been synchronization problems, and the left hand is the culprit, not the right. Different picks shift the degree of the problem around, but ultimately, it's my left hand that needs work.

Or maybe I should stop listening to so much Allan Holdsworth and admit that I'll never have good legato technique...

[angus99]

Just tried their acoustic model on a couple of Martins and I dunno . . . The tone seems slightly muffled to me--it doesn't seem to ring out quite as much--and there's a bit of annoying string squeak that I don't hear with my other picks. As someone else noted, I do think the beveled edge helps me alternate pick faster.

Anybody else surprised by how thick these are? I may give their lighter models a try with my acoustics.

Also hope to try them with my electrics soon.

angus

[aarondavis]

I bought a set of V-picks and played them for some time, I liked them initially until I went out and played a couple of sets which had straight sixteenth note funk rhythms. The pick seemed to slip off my grip easily due to the glassy surface.

As for the funk rhythm issue, I totally agree. That's why I prefer the Large size for rhythm. I've scarred up a handful of my V-Picks trying to add a scoring/grip to them. Nothing ever worked. Although not a huge issue, I wanted to get help with the grip. Vinnie recommend I try the new large injection molded ones, cause they have a more "gripable" material. I just got them in a few days ago, Haven't had a rhythm heavy gig, but I think this material could make a big difference.

As for these V-picks helping technique, yeah I don't know about that. The do glide over the strings much easier, but your technique needs to already be there. The only way to get good picking technique is spend years with a metronome playing proper exercises at slow, perfect speeds... increasing the tempo incrementally.

[Nick31]

I got my picks. I ordered the small and medium pointed, shredder, psycho and psycho shredder. However, the psycho shredder pick wasn't in the enveloppe, so I sent them an email about that and they sent me the pick right away ... I haven't received it yet they mailed it yesterday, so I won't get it before a week ...

The medium and small pointed are really easy to get used to. I played Jazz IIIs before that and they have the same shape, except a little bigger so it's even easier to play. I'd say they have more dynamics than the Jazz IIIs. They offer a tad more high end, I don't know how noticeable it is in reality but it's felt in the hand.

I still haven't got used to the shredder shape, I'll play with it today and I'll have a better idea at the end of the day but it holds great potential for sure.

Also, the 3 end of the picks are the same, so even though 1 pick costs 3 or 4 times more than a regular pick, at least you can use all 3 ends and I'm sure they'll last a lot longer and for what I've played thus far they seem to offer better sound or at the least better feel.

[Shredmonster]

Went from Jazz III pics to the V picks. Tried a bunch of the V picks and like the smaller pointy ones - but not the ultra pointy ones.

I found the thickness resulted in my wrist having to travel less distance so from a pure physical perspective my whole arm was more relaxed and I could pick faster.

The Jazz III picks had a more stacatto attack to them I still think - but a weaker attack. I can get killer harmonics with the V picks.

But if you don't already have good technique like the guys here have said the V pics won't do much. Practice is the only thing that will get you there.

And it takes a bit of playing to get use to the V picks. I went back and forth with the Jazz III's for a day or so and decided I definitely liked the V picks better.

[aarondavis]

Regarding how long they last. I have been using my V-picks for about a month each and set them asside. I love them so much, I've not lost one. As for even a month, they would last much longer, it's just that after a month of use, they get just a tad dull. Suffice it to say, they last MUCH LONGER than the picks most people are used to.

No reason, but I feel like using this emotocon cause I like the new ones...!:banana

[Ed DeGenaro]

I think Ed Degennaro endorses the V-pick, doesn't he? Not that he needs ANYTHING, but I wonder what his take is on it. I've never used one myself.
Well, it doesn't hurt to have a V-pick. But it's no miracle.
That said it does slice through the strings easily enough.

[gennation]

Well, it doesn't hurt to have a V-pick. But it's no miracle.
That said it does slice through the strings easily enough.

Thanks Ed. I've been asking around but no one around here has them yet, nor have they even heard of it yet. I don't live in the biggest city but it ain't small by any means. Even GC didn't know what I was talking about, OK that's kind of par for the course I guess.

Do they need to be ordered directly or what???

[aarondavis]

Do they need to be ordered directly or what???

Order here bro. Yeah, not going to be very many large music stores that deal them (yet), just like most "boutique" gear. Order direct from Vinnie, he'll take care of you. Usually takes about a week for my pics to arrive. Even if you just buy one, every one should at least try them...:)
http://www.v-picks.com/OrderVPicks.html