Originally published in Guitar One magazine · April 2007
John Petrucci comments on Dunlop Jazz III picks
ArticleJohn Petrucci1 min read
Red or Black: Black – they match your clothes better! Seriously, they're stiffer than the red ones; there's some sort of extra Ingredient. That stiffness allows for a direct transfer of energy from your hand to the string – there's no lag time.
How I Discovered It: I was watching a Michael Angelo instructional video, and he was using one, so I thought I'd try it.
Why It’s My Pick: Because it has a point on it, if you angle the pick a certain way, not parallel to the string, but at an angle to it, there's very little resistance. And I like the tone of it, the way the strings sound when the pick comes in contact. There's a certain fatness, or sweetness, and the high end comes through great. It seems funny that a pick can do that, but if you experiment with other materials, gauges, and shapes, you can hear it for yourself.
Why It's The Player's Pick: It's for everything I stated above. It's very conducive to playing fast; that is, it doesn't give way, or antagonize what you're doing. The point just glides on the strings, and it sounds very precise with lots of clarity.