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What’s new at Zystrix? Read on… June 23, 2025 Guitar Picks for the Metal Guitarist In the last issue we looked at the best bang-for-the- buck guitar open string tunings for metal (click here for a refresher). This time we’re looking for the best bang-for-the-buck guitar picks for the metal guitarist. Many are common, and some are rarely used. So sit back and relax. Welcome to Zystrix, the heartbeat of the universe. Where creativity and free- thinking have more value than conformity. Background Artwork The colorful artwork that surrounds the edges of this website is invisible to many cell phone users. It’s included here for your enjoyment. Multiple copies are tiled together for a cohesive and seamless background seen all around this page. Enjoy. Guitar Picks for the Metal Guitarist Introduction Probably the least expensive part of playing metal guitar that a person can experiment with (except probably the different tunings we explored in the last issue) is guitar picks. And there are many to choose from. We are going to cover the most economically popular, maybe a few that are not so popular, and the obscure. It’s the guitar pick where the “rubber meets the road”, and whether it’s precision sweeps, gallops, drones, speed picking, or cross-picking, they all make a difference in the pick choice. I’ve even taken scissors and cut out picks from plastic bleach and milk bottles. Just use a marker and trace the pick shape onto the plastic. I can’t say I like them but the price is right, and they worked in a pinch when I was stuck is a seedy hotel and the nearest music store is 50 miles away. So let’s look at some observations on guitar picks. Shape Although there are many variations on the flat-pick theme, the most popular shape is called a standard or 351, although in that definition there are some that are slightly more pointed or slightly larger. And one with a sharper point emphasizes the attack a little more, and with a rounded point the notes tend to be more even sounding. The Jazz III is similarly shaped and is also very popular. Another guitar pick shape that offers a lot of financial mileage is the triangle. If you break off one tip simply turn the pick to the next point and continue playing without a hitch. And just like the carnival amusements to win the giant stuffed teddy bear with balloons, you get three tries before it’s pay-to-play again. Another shape that’s often ignored is the shark fin with the option of a point, a rounded side, or the multi-ribbed side. Yet another usually ignored way to pluck a string is the finger-pick and/or the thumb-pick. For strictly bang- for-the-buck, the metal versions last an extremely long time -- years -- and they usually go to the guitar pick cemetery because they got lost or stepped on. And if bent to an extreme they never quite fit right again, so all that time you spent breaking it in was for naught. Obviously these picks fit around your thumb or finger tip. I’ve seen bass players use a thumb-pick for a powerful attack sound, and metal guitarists who emphasize cross-picking and rapid open string runs using finger-picks (audio example). Another one that’s often ignored is round (like the American quarter dollar or 25-cent piece). It’s a little clumsy for getting a well defined multiple attack, but it’s great for a quick pitch shifting kiss (audio example), bird sounds (audio example), extreme trills, drones (audio example), bizarre bends (audio example), and impossible sounding “fret-board tapping” type runs (audio example). Colors Picks come in all colors and there are also lots of designs. There’s a lid for every pot. Even the metal ones come in copper or nickle-silver. And the ones made of stone or wood are quite eclectic depending on the whims of mother nature. I usually choose the white ones because they are easy to see on a dark stage when I inevitably drop one. I always get emotionally attached to a pick, especially a metal one, and I seriously hate to see them go. Thickness Metal guitarists generally seek out heavier picks (about 1.0mm or greater) because something thicker offers more precision and control. Thinner picks tend to have more give or flex and are nice for strumming, but don’t last when something forceful is needed. It’s not rocket surgery. Of course, use what feels right for your style, but thicker is usually better, and it can take a pounding. And if the pick has a tapered tip (or at least a bevel) instead of a squared edge it tends to be a little easier and smoother to quickly transition from note to note. Material As mentioned earlier, there are many materials used in the manufacturing of guitar picks: various plastics, nylon, copper, nickle-steel, felt, stone, wood, bone, and so on. As the material becomes more exotic or dear so does the price. I usually choose a flat-pick made of some form of inexpensive plastic like celluloid, but metal is nice too because of the attack it produces. I don’t trust myself using expensive or exotic materials because just as sure as sh*t I will lose it. Best Bang-for-the- Buck Guitar Picks Fender Regular or 351 HEAVY or EXTRA HEAVY This celluloid guitar pick is relatively durable and stiff, and it comes in many patterns and solid colors. It even comes in white so it’s easy to see on a dimly lit stage. The surface that hits the string is rounded and smooth, and it’s easy to maneuver on a single string or from string to string. The tone is smooth, warm, and pleasing. This one gets our highest rating for flat-picks. Ernie Ball Prodigy This one features a beveled edge instead of a rounded one, a sharp point similar to the Jazz III, and it’s made of a material called Delrin that boasts a non-slip grip. Choose your thickness -- this one also comes in white. Dunlop 471 R3 C This is a nylon guitar pick with a carbon additive for rigidity, and it comes in red and black, it has the Jazz III shape, and has raised ridges or bumps to indicate what they call Max- Grip Technology. Honorable Mention Guitar Picks There are many guitar picks to try, and this list is by no means exhaustive. As usual, any list on this website is more about bang-for-the-buck. But here’s a few honorable mentions you may also enjoy. Fender Triangle This one also comes in white celluloid although there are other colors as well. They are moderately popular, budget friendly because of the three picking areas, but somehow I could never get used to the size and shape, but some guitarists really like them. They also come in a more pointed shape instead of the rounded shape. The price is low enough to try both. Dunlop Fingerpick thickness 0.025 These Dunlop fingerpicks last a very long time, and they also come in brass along with the usual nickle-steel seen here. Once they are fitted to the finger they retain their shape fairly consistently. Make sure the tip extends beyond the pad of the finger (see example above), and adjust the pick for the proper picking angle to the string. National also makes a very similar version of this pick, and I hear they are very good, although unfortunately I’ve never had a chance to try them. USA Quarter Dollar Coin This “guitar pick” is priced right and lasts quite a long time. If you are going to do drone sounds the deeper reeded edge is more difficult to control, and worn too flat doesn’t grab the string properly. Experimentation helps to find the ultimate reeded feel. Any mint date works great after about 1965, but my favorite is the 1776-1976 (see example above). It takes a while to get the hang of all the possibilities. For a pleasant tone try using it through a compressor pedal to control the peaks. Personalized Picks Once you know what kind of pick you like and you are going to commit to it for a while, have some made with your name, band name, logo, drawing, photograph, signature, or your favorite saying. Personalized guitar picks have come a long way in lowered prices and in print style offerings, and some are even printed on both sides. For not that much more money it’s possible to own a dozen dozen (144) of one that’s truly yours. Guitar Picks Conclusion There are many guitar picks to choose from, and many different ways to utilize one. The guitar pick(s) of choice have quite an impact on your sound whether you play extremely fast, expressive, aggressive, technical, or some kind of hybrid. And the metal guitar genre is malleable enough to take in any of these approaches. I hope this guitar pick list has given you food for thought, and maybe an inspiration to go to the local music store to hold some picks and get a feel for them for the ultimate tactile learning experience. Don’t touch that dial… Stay tuned next time… We’re going to examine some extreme metal guitar sounds like Whitesnake (1987 album), Metallica (black album), and Black Sabbath (album 13) and how to achieve a very similar sound or your own individual rendition or creation using only a small portable pedal setup. Think variations on a screaming tube theme. Dangerous Neighbors also has a new piano MP3 and/or video you may enjoy called Games of Respect. Some people have already seen the reduced size video in advance on “Farcebook”. Maybe I’ll see you then. The best part of watching a show with my girlfriend is when she falls asleep I can watch my shows.

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ZYSTRIX POPULAR FREE DOWNLOADS The Best Free Synthesizers of 2024 It’s another epic issue, and there’s lots of FREE downloads here. And the Honorable Mention Synthesizer List might surprise you. This list is long, so prepare yourself. And if it seems like too much to take in, I warned you. Click here for the official list of The Best Free Synthesizers of 2024. The Best Free Mastering Plugins Your DAW (digital audio workstation) will be so happy. And so will you. Here are the best of the best for EQ, compression, limiting, tube and tape emulation, reverb, delay, and honorable mentions. This list is a must have with lots of downloads. Check out The Best FREE Plugins for Mastering 2024. Here’s a free download of almost one and a half hours of original neo-classical solo piano by Dangerous Neighbors. This full length album called Piano Top to Bottom consists of 18 original piano pieces with the final piece in two movements. There is a bonus track making 20 files total. 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There is a free glossary of the largest list of mortuary slang in the world. The Free Dangerous Neighbors Album The Fluid, Embalmed for Life comes included as part of the audio book and parts are available here as a free download. The paperback book is available for sale at Amazon dot com. I have no control over these sales; because of the Amazon agreement I cannot offer complete paperback or complete audio books here. And for some reason most book sales go to Japan. Who would have thunk it? Click here for free audio books, book reading samples, music samples, etc. Take me back to the top of the page. Zystrix Privacy Policy THE FINE PRINT: Zystrix is a world leader in personal privacy and we take your privacy very seriously. We do not store, sell, give away, or barter with any of your personal or private information including your email, IP address, links clicked, location, habits, tastes, online activities and behaviors, or anything else considered personal or private information. 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