The Best Guitar Picks for Alternate Picking (2023)

Anyone who’s ever tried learning how to alternate pick will tell you, it’s not easy. The only problem… it’s so damn useful. 

You can find it in almost any guitar genre, from blues, to pop, metal, and even hip hop. Alternate picking is a highly versatile technique that any guitarist needs to have in his locker of skills.

While the technique is challenging, there are ways we can make things easier and a good place to start is with our gear. 

Using the right guitar pick is a guaranteed way to improve your alternate picking and get you comfortable showcasing the technique.

So let’s take a look at some of the best guitar picks for alternate picking.

What to Look for in a Guitar Pick for Alternate Picking

To get your alternate picking down pat and sounding solid, you’re gonna need to focus on two things: speed and accuracy. 

Pick design has gotten really fancy over the last couple of years and these new plectrums have been engineered to get the most out of your unique playstyle.

Here are a few things you want to look out for when choosing a pick for alternate picking.

Thickness

Guitar plectrums come in a range of thicknesses. From the super thin 0.40mm picks to the extra thick 1.40mm plectrums, choosing the right thickness of pick is highly important for both playability and comfort. 

For alternate picking, you’re gonna want a thick pick, something hard and with little flex. Anything above a 1.20 is perfect here as it’ll give you enough responsiveness against the string and not flex when used.

You want to avoid softer/medium gauge picks as these tend to bend too much against the string and can really throw your timing off. 

Softer picks also need more pressure to create a solid sound and this can make precise picking patterns feel a lot harder than they actually are.

Material

So, if our goal is to find a pick that gives us both accuracy and speed, then the material isn’t too much of an issue. Realistically choosing the picks material is going to be more of a personal preference than anything else.

Nylon is a popular choice for guitarists everywhere because of its warm tones and durable build quality. Nylon picks also usually come with a built in textured grip for your fingers, making them easier to play and more accurate.

Casein is a great option for anyone who wants to get better at alternate picking as it’s a super hard, stiff material with a bright and clear tone. The extra stiffness helps improve your accuracy and keep you in time with your picking.

Delrin has long been the industry standard for guitar picks and for good reason, it’s bright, clear, and best of all, hard. Using a delrin pick will help you to stay in control and the sharpness of sound is great for improving your notation and clarity.

Shape

Plectrum shape is one of the more important aspects to consider. With so many pick shapes to choose from, these differences can make or break your ability to accurately alternate pick.

Choosing a traditionally small shaped pick, like a jazz or a teardrop plectrum will make your strokes feel quick and efficient while you play. Whereas using a wide or rounded pick can make this technique feel cumbersome and slow.

A plectrum with a sharp tip is also ideal here as it’ll help increase your accuracy especially when we increase speed. Again rounded tip edges make string accuracy harder so those are best avoided.

The Best Guitar Picks for Alternate Picking

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1. Dunlop Jazz III

This isn’t the first time we’ve talked about the Jazz III and it definitely won’t be the last. These picks are great!

Known by guitarists as the “king of fast plectrums” the Jazz III is a versatile shredding companion used by everyone from Kirk Hammet to Joe Bonamassa.

It’s small, which helps with keeping things fluid, and the sharper tip means you can stay accurate even when you increase your speed. 

Available in a range of materials like Nylon, Ultex, and even hard Carbon Fiber, this pick is a great place to start and will definitely help you tighten up your alternate picking technique almost instantly.

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2. Gravity Picks Sunrise Mini

When it comes to variety you’re gonna struggle to find a guitar pick manufacturer with more options than Gravity. 

Available in nine different shapes, four different sizes, and three different thicknesses, these picks are designed to do it all.

The jazz line of Gravity picks, AKA the Sunrise Mini’s, are great picks for lead guitarists who want to improve their alternate picking. 

A sunrise profile gives you a sharp point of contact, perfect for connecting with the strings at speed and producing clear and bright tones.

They start at 1.5mm in thickness which already puts them on the heavy side, and you can go all the way up to 3mm, making these a sturdy, flex-free choice for lead guitarists who need sharpness and response from their picks.

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3. ChickenPicks Badazz III

This has now officially become a “no flex zone”. 

Thanks to its thermosetting plastic and thick profile, the Badazz III from ChickenPicks is a shredder’s dream, gliding across the strings and giving you a well-rounded tone in the process.

The beveled edge helps to keep your movements feeling fluid and fast, providing the least possible amount of resistance between you and the strings. The pointed tip also helps keep you accurate when shredding those lead lines.

It’s worth noting that these picks start at 2 mm of thickness, which can be pretty thick if you’re not used to it. As a result, they offer almost no flex making them some of the most responsive picks on the market.

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4. Fender 351 Shape Wavelength

This updated classic is a great option for anyone looking to improve their alternate picking techniques.

The traditional 351 shape is something you’re probably already familiar with meaning it’ll feel comfortable and fluid in between your fingers. 

But Fender have taken things to the next level, adding a grip pattern to the pick to help increase your control and accuracy while tackling complicated lead lines.

Available in a range of thicknesses, the Wavelength’s celluloid body has a warm tone and the unmatched control from the grip makes an already perfectly designed plectrum feel even better.

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5. D’Addario 351 Casein Pick

Did you know guitar picks used to be made from tortoise shells back in the day? Crazy right? We’ve thankfully stopped doing that and instead rely on materials like Casein to mimic those once highly sought-after tones.

The 351 Casein pick from D’Addario is just as loud, warm, and hard, just with a lot less animal cruelty involved.

What makes this pick so good for alternate picking is its incredible hardness and inflexibility. The Casein starts at 2 mm of thickness but that size gives you a one-of-a-kind tone and great pick response.

It’s also an incredibly comfortable plectrum to use, gliding along the strings effortlessly and bouncing back with every stroke. It also comes with a pointed tip to help with accuracy.

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Tips to Improve Your Alternate Picking Technique

Alternate picking can be a tricky technique to get down, but there are a few tips you can keep in mind to improve your playing:

• Make sure you’re gripping your pick in a way that feels comfortable and fluid.
• Try to hold your pick nearer the tip as this will give you more control.
• Angle your pick 45 degrees from the strings instead of flat, to minimize the chances of your pick getting caught against another string.
• Keep your picking pattern tight and as close to the strings as possible as more movement means more chances to mess up.
• Make a side-to-side motion with your wrists, not an up-and-down one.
• Practice, practice, and more practice. 

Conclusion

Alternate picking is one of those techniques you just have to learn, it’s so versatile and elevates your sound almost immediately when used properly. 

Like with anything, you just gotta practice man. So get your pick, plug your six string in and get to work, your 10,000 hours starts now…