Guitar Picking

Hello,
Im new here, but Ill get straight to the point, Ive been playing guitar now for a little over a year, but serious playing, I play everyday for at least 2 hours. When I started playing I never used a pick and I used my fingers, but for the last 6 months I decided I need to learn how to pick. So I ve been picking and trying to get this down, I have been doing tons of excercises,alternate picking, sweep picking. But whenever I play songs I am always hitting the wrong string, all the time, and it is so frustrating, or the guitar pick comes down to hard, or to soft, or it gets snubbed on the string, especially when I use medium picks and hard picks. I never had a problem with this using my fingers, I can play faster with my fingers, and more precise, so Im wondering if there are artists that play electric guitar with there fingers, or are there any other alternatives to not use a pick. Im probably the only one with this problem, I see my freinds that dont play as much as me pick up a pick and be able to play just fine, no problems at all, but then I always hit wrongs notes etc.. So please let me know if there is some way around this or any help appreciated!
Thanks

Hey.. I'm reasonably new here as well. Nice site. I've been playing a little longer than a year (try way longer) and am jealous I can't fingerpick better...I always found guitar to be a comfort thang. I use light/medium picks, specifically Dunlop 0.50 and 0.60, then again I play acoustic as well and am not looking for a heavy hand. If its electric you play let the amp do it's job. If it's acoustic, what's with the pick anyway?

Originally Posted by: Old SchoolHey.. I'm reasonably new here as well. Nice site. I've been playing a little longer than a year (try way longer) and am jealous I can't fingerpick better...I always found guitar to be a comfort thang. I use light/medium picks, specifically Dunlop 0.50 and 0.60, then again I play acoustic as well and am not looking for a heavy hand. If its electric you play let the amp do it's job. If it's acoustic, what's with the pick anyway?

I started on acoustic guitar, and went straight onto electric guitar, Im into U2, so I had to get all the effects etc.. to get the The Edge sound. I do let the amp do the work, I dont know what my problem is, the hardest thing for me is to skip strings like A to G, I dont have a problem with E the strings. For example- Radioheads "Knives out" song is all picking, and I have no problem playing that with my fingers, but with a pick I hit a few sour notes, and no matter how much practicing I do, I can not get over this lump in the road.

I use Dunlop Tortex 1.14mms for my electric guitar. They are not hard to use at all and I find them better than light picks because I get more control of where the pick is going.
My brother has the same problem with hitting other strings. He has a problem concentrating on it though. It's like a hand-eye co-ordination problem.
Keep practicing with different kind of picks and it will work out.
I couldn't use a pick at first but I didn't want to use my fingers and kept at it and now I don't have to look where to pick, you just know.

yeh i agree there is no right or wrong way to do anythign really... with the whole picking thing man just stick at it dont give up, i also have been playing a lilttle of a yr and man i could not tremelo pick to save my life but slowly and surely its coming along, people find diffrent thigns easy and diffrent things hard, just stick at it thats the best advice any one can give you!!!

Hey thanks for all the reply's, I guess Im going to have to stick with it, I was hoping I could grow out my finger nails and use them like a pick. I want to get some Herdim picks, as I hear they are really good, and they give you that chime sound, but I think I will try out some of your suggestions first. Thanks again, and ROCK ON!

Use a metronome and go slow....and go and go and goooooo. Dont increase the bpm till you ur flawless and them move up the bpm and do the same. No magic bullet here....practice...no matter what pick you use...

Get a bunch of picks and see which one works best with you. I started with medium guage picks because they were very durable and my hands were'nt used to picking so it made it much easier for me and as I progressed I moved on to higher guage picks because they gave me more control.

I started out playing with my fingers but wanted to learn with a pick. At first it's hard but you get use to it. I find it easier to look at the strings your going to strike, but I only do that during complicated songs. Mostly I like to play without looking at the guitar.

donno if anyone has said this, but get some finger picks. they (obviously) can help you with any finger picking probs