Plektrum

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 main purpose of a plectrum is to protect the fingers and fingernails, as well as to produce a louder, brighter tone. Plectra can be made from a variety of materials, such as nylon, celluloid, wood, metal, or stone. They also come in many different shapes, sizes, and thicknesses.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Finally, in general there is a different approach to the use of the right hand between the two types of guitar. Very often acoustic players will use either a pick (plectrum) or finger picks, while classical players use either fingernails or the flesh of their fingers.

Physically, "Fingerstyle" refers to using each of the right hand fingers independently to play the multiple parts of a musical arrangement that would normally be played by several band members.