Anatomy of Sound Heart Beat 3D Guitar Picks

Most guitarists I know – myself included – have a go-to guitar pick. The concept of “my pick” is widespread and, in some ways, surprising when you consider how basic and rudimentary the product is. How can one pick be all that different from another? Sure, there’s the obvious – width and overall size – but aside from that you typically just have different approaches to achieving “grip,” materials used, and then it just comes down to personal aesthetic and intuitive preference.

At $17.99 for six, Anatomy of Sound’s Heart Beat 3D guitar picks are considerably more expensive than the picks I’ve been using for well over a decade, so what’s so special about them? Let’s start with the whole “3D” thing. As the name suggests, “Heart Beat” picks are shaped (wait for it…) like hearts and are (here comes the next shocker) three-dimensional, with each half (ventricle?) of the pick bulging out and back and tapering in vertically down the middle. This allows for more overall surface area to make contact with a player’s fingers and it – and this absolutely surprised me – unquestionably affects feel and playability. Simply put, these picks are extremely comfortable and positively impact a guitarist’s ability to execute. Who would have figured that something as simple as a plectrum be improved upon – especially so many years in?

Anatomy of Sound also claims that these picks deliver “incredible tones.” On that point, I’ll have to take a pass because I honestly can’t tell the different between picks when it comes to how (or if) they impact “tone.” Someone playing guitar or bass with fingers as opposed to with a pick? I can hear the difference. Someone playing guitar or bass with “pick A” versus “pick B”? Not so much. These things certainly appear to be well engineered and constructed with quality materials, so there’s that. Even the thinner gauges convey sturdiness and durability.

In short: Heart Beat 3Ds are innovative guitar picks with considerable, noticeable upside. Is it enough for me to abandon “my” pick? Probably not, but odds are there are plenty of guitarists out there who would consider making the change.