Need serious help with palm muting/pick holding

[Crusader]

Hi All,

I really appreciate your help in advance. I am really going mad because i don't know how to hold my pick. To make a long story short, I cannot palm mute to save my life!!! I can palm mute on downstrokes, and that isn't perfect either...

So I ask you to please tell me how you hold your pick when you solo, and when you play palm-muted lead... I tried to make up a way so that I can do both, but I couldn't...

You can tell me at what angles the thumb and the index fingers are in relation to the pick, according to this diagram:

http://img160.imageshack.us/img160/8305/pick2wr.jpg

Also, you can tell me if your thumb and index finger joints are bent at all, as well as what your angle of attack of the pick onto the strings is.

Thank you (I hope that some people will actually be bothered to answer :( ) !

[Asperjames II]

here i took these...this is my sexy hand


http://tinypic.com/9k2gli.jpg

http://tinypic.com/9k2iar.jpg

http://tinypic.com/9k2gr8.jpg

http://tinypic.com/9k2i3o.jpg

http://tinypic.com/9k2i6a.jpg

you DON'T have to copy the way i hold exactly, there is no right or wrong way, only better choices. do whatever is comfortable, but MAKE SURE YOU'RE RELAXED!

[Crusader]

Asperjames II, you are holding the pick almost the same way I am holding it right now... and this way feels natural to me... BUT, once I try to palm mute, I can only do downstrokes, I don't really know what's wrong, but once I put my palm down to mute the strings, I cannot pick up, I cannot tilt the pick (its top) towards me so that I can do a propper upstroke, and the pick doesn't feel firm at all, it loses its balance, it slips, etc... Asperjames II, do you change the way you hold your pick at all when you palm mute, let's say playing power chords up and down ?

[Asperjames II]

well i dont really play much rock rhythm guitar, or palm mute much, but i can't upstroke while i palm mute either lol. i know what you're talking about and it's probably because we're used to making small movements with our thumb/fingers to pick fast, instead of using large movements with our entire wrists to hit chords. i really can't help you there sorry

[Crusader]

damn... thanks anyway... I guess I have to change my picking technique altogether... :(