A pick scratch, pick scrape or pick slide is the rough sound made by moving the edge of a pick along a wound string. The edge catches successive windings. It is different from a fretted slide, where a fretting finger moves between two notes.
Make a short scrape
Choose a wound string and use an ordinary plastic pick whose edge you are willing to wear. Rest the edge lightly against the string and move it a short distance along the string. Keep the movement clear of the guitar’s finish, pickups and hardware. Start with light pressure; pressing harder is not the aim.
Try both directions and compare the texture. Keep the amplifier at a comfortable level. Distortion or compression can make the scrape more prominent, but it is not what creates the contact between pick and winding. Avoid compensating for a quiet result with a sudden large increase in volume.
Original recording
The recording is retained from the original lesson. For technique references, see Yamaha’s pick-scrape overview and Guitar Alliance’s description.