Pick vs. Fingers — Why It’s Not a Battle but a Choice

Joe Squillacioti
Dec 12, 2025
2 min read

12/12/2025

Here we are in Week Eight of my Essays on Guitar and Music.

This week we discuss the "Battle" between using a Pick or playing with your Fingers...

Somewhere in the great guitar universe, a mythical battle has been raging for decades. It’s not Les Paul vs. Strat. It’s not Tube vs. Solid State. It’s not “Do we really need 12 different overdrives?” (We do.)

No — the most absurd war of all is this:

Pick players vs. fingerstyle players.

The funny thing?

There is no war.

Never has been.

Never should be.

Both approaches are tools — like a screwdriver and a hammer. Nobody says, “Real carpenters don’t use a screwdriver.” Well, nobody except maybe your cousin who once built a shelf and now thinks he’s Bob Vila.

Let’s break down why this “battle” isn’t actually a battle at all.

1. The Pick: Precision, Attack, and Rock Swagger

The pick is a tiny triangle of power. It gives your strings a clear, articulate attack. Want to shred? Use a pick. Want palm-muted chugs? Use a pick. Want to play “Sweet Child O’ Mine” without sounding like you’re strangling your guitar? Use a pick.

Picks give you speed, consistency, and—let’s be honest—look cool when you dramatically flick one into the crowd. Even if the “crowd” is your dog.

2. Fingers: Warmth, Control, and Emotional Nuance

Fingers give you dynamic control that a pick simply can’t. You can pluck gently, dig in aggressively, play basslines and melodies together, and shape each note like clay. James Taylor. Mark Knopfler. Lindsey Buckingham. Wes Montgomery. Tommy Emmanuel. All fingerstyle masters.

Fingerpicking gives you intimacy. You’re touching the strings directly — no middleman. It’s like switching from texting to a face-to-face conversation.

3. The Hybrid Approach: The Best of Both Worlds

Some players grab a pick for strumming but switch to fingers for arpeggios. Others hold the pick with their thumb and index finger while freeing their remaining fingers for plucking. This is how country legends like Brent Mason and modern players like John Mayer do it.

It’s like having four-wheel drive on your guitar.

4. The Sound Dictates the Tool

You wouldn’t play “Blackbird” with a pick unless you hate beautiful things.

You wouldn’t fingerpick “Master of Puppets” unless you enjoy pain.

And you wouldn’t try to strum “Wonderwall” with your bare fingers unless you want to sound like a lonely metronome brushing against the strings.

Some sounds just live in one technique or the other.

5. The Real Truth: Nobody Cares Except Guitarists

Audiences don’t hear you and think:

“Oh wow, that clearly sounded like a .73mm nylon pick.”

They think:

“Nice song.”

So really, pick vs. fingers isn’t a battle. It’s a palette. A toolbox. A set of colors.