I'm probably the only person I'll ever meet that does this... but does anybody else hold their pick with their thumb and middle finger as opposed to their thumb the index finger? Are the any inherent advantages/disadvantages to using your middle finger instead of your thumb?
I've always used my middle finger because a very proficient guitarist I knew when I was staring off told me that I could use either finger, and that I should choose whichever feels more natural. I chose the middle finger because it felt right and I always seem to do things a little differently than most by nature. The guy who said that fucking SHREDS too, he's gotta be the cleanest and most skilled guitarist I know. He's been playing for like 15 years now, so he's got plenty of experience. I wish I had some clips of this guy, he's got some mind blowing talent. I always wondered what he was doing not getting himself out there. There's no reason for me not to take his advice.
When I first started really refining my picking technique(about 2 years into playing), I ran into a little trouble with string skipping and fast down picking, but it was just a little extra time I had to spend with the metronome refining my movements. I'm still not as good as other players at down picking, even if my alternate picking is miles ahead of theirs. I just alternate pick more to compensate, it's a challenge getting the rhythm right on some riffs, but it sounds just as heavy and much cleaner. The only difference I notice is int the angle of my pick, it's not as vertical. I get a good enough slant that as long as I relax my hand completely, it works just as well. If anything, it forces me to minimize my hand motions a bit more--which is a good thing since minimal hand movement is a requirement to play quickly and cleanly. It makes tapping easy too, I don't have to switch fingers at all.
Is there anything wrong with using my middle finger though? I've been told that I might run into some problems if I ever attempt sweep picking.

Glen Drover (ex-megadeth?) uses his middle finger to pick.... Personally, I just use the side of my index finger and not the tip...

Ditto on that. Ive got a bit of a bent finger though now hah!

There's really no rule to what fingers you should hold a pick with...James Hetfield is notorious for holding his with both his index and middle fingers...So, really you can hold it howeever it feels comfortable to you...

EVH anyone?

QUOTE(Thirteen @ Sep 30 2008, 02:37 AM) [snapback]452128[/snapback]EVH anyone?
Haha, I just remembered that... I was weirded out growing up trying to learn eruption because of his weird picking styles...

theres absolutely no problem with that. As long as your comfortable with your picking it doesn't matter. But doesn't your index finger sort of get in the way? I tried it and its really tiring keeping my index away from the strings. Really uncomfortable when I withdraw it.