plectrum

A plectrum is a small flat tool used for plucking or strumming of a stringed instrument. For hand-held instruments such as guitars and mandolins, the plectrum is often called a pick and is held as a separate tool in the player's hand.

The rondalla is an ensemble of stringed instruments played with the plectrum or pick and generally known as plectrum instruments. It originated in Medieval Spain, especially in the ancient Crown of Aragon: Catalonia, Aragon, Murcia, and Valencia.

The Latin word plectrum comes from the Greek plēktron, which means “something to strike with” - and that's exactly what it is: a small flat object used to pluck or strum the strings of an instrument.

A guitar pick (also known as a plectrum) is most often a triangular tool used to “pick” the strings of the guitar, hence the name. Even though we're talking of modern guitar picks used to play an electric or acoustic guitar, picks or pick-like tools have been used to play various stringed instruments for centuries.

The plectrum is held in the hand and used to pluck a string. This makes a hard, metallic, "twangy" sound. The instruments most commonly plucked include the guitar, lute and mandolin. The strings of a harpsichord are also plucked, although the plectra in this instrument are called "jacks".

Definitions of plectrum. a small thin device (of metal or plastic or ivory) used to pluck a stringed instrument. synonyms: pick, plectron.

guitar pick A guitar pick (American English) is a plectrum used for guitars. Picks are generally made of one uniform material - such as some kind of plastic (nylon, Delrin, celluloid), rubber, felt, tortoiseshell, wood, metal, glass, tagua, or stone.

To create a sound on the harpsichord the player depresses the key. As the other end of the key rises, it lifts a long strip of wood, called a jack, to which a plectrum is attached.

Stahl's Popular Selections For Plectrum Guitar of 1931: As far as this website is concerned, playing the plectrum guitar means playing an archtop guitar with a plectrum, rather than fingerstyle. And it also implies playing this way both as a solo instrument, and in group situations too.

Examples of plectrum Her plectrum vibrated evenly and rapidly, and the metallic twang, her gravest fault, was not nearly so evident as usual. His lyre shall be jocose, his plectrum of the lighter sort. To calm himself he drew it to him, took up the plectrum, and began to play.

Playing with your fingers allows you to play multiple notes on distant strings at precisely the same time and to play cross rhythms with ease. It is, on the other hand, a lot easier to learn to use a plectrum and it is especially much easier to learn to play fast using plectrums.

The harpsichord The term denotes the whole family of similar plucked-keyboard instruments, including the smaller virginals, muselar, and spinet. The harpsichord was widely used in Renaissance and Baroque music, both as an accompaniment instrument and as a soloing instrument.