Technique OVERHAUL

[Quencho092]

I need to fix some things in my technique. First thing to get out there-

Do you guys 'fist pick', or 'open hand pick'?

I usually pick with my right hand open but I was checking out this Peter Bernstein video-



Right hand is fist, left hand neatly keeps fingers very close. Also noticed the pick is wedged between the surface of thumb and middle fingertip. I usually rest the pick on the side of my index finger, not the tip of the middle, perhaps there are benefits to this.....

This is what i aim to sound like, speaking of which I kinda want to start transcribing some of this, I'm digging the symmetrical phrases and intervals.

got carried away, but my point is that I anchor my ring finger or pinky on the pickguard and I like the sensitivity I get in my picking but I find some runs inconsistent because my index finger gives way slightly when the pick hits the strings and I want to clean that crap up.

I played through some exercises using a fist type grip, and it feels awkward, but I felt some gains in how clean I was playing between the lapses in consistency since it's not my home base technique. I think I'm going to move to 'fist picking'.

What do you guys think? Are you fist pickers, or anchor/open hand pickers? Especially those of you who have fast and clean metal technique, I know you guys are on here!

I've also started to work on tremolo picking and applying it to more 16th note runs, I can only 'wrist pick' so fast, and I need to develop the trem picking to extend to faster stuff.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Technique OVERHAUL

http://truefire.com/tftv/?channel=t...os/bagp25-guitar-lesson-picking-consideration
this site is a goldmine.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Technique OVERHAUL

That's a cool website.

I like the right hand relaxed with fingers able to grab notes, and my palm able to mute.
And, a light touch with authority.

Tight fists or holding a pick with 3 fingers looks ham fisted to me.

 

[crusty philtrum]

Re: Technique OVERHAUL

My palms and fingers are curled tightly around the broom handle while i'm sweeping.

I don't analyse technique. The music dictates what i need to do, and when, and i find ways to make it happen.

 

[Quencho092]

Re: Technique OVERHAUL

it's always good to think about.

I find that non classical guitarists become very restricted by technique, thus restricting the music they play until they clean up those parasitic motions that make playing certain subdivisions nearly impossible.

I was watching plenty of cats and doing metronome drills all night, as well as listening to some takes of standards and cleaning some things up. My pick attack is a touch too intense, that video was a great tutorial. I'm going to try mellowing out my sound and reducing the pick attack.

People swear by different things though. One of my profs in school is a doctorate in classical studies and a local legend jazz guitarist and he says on his 175, it responds better when he turns the amp DOWN and picks a bit harder.

I think I'm going to keep my palm open for picking and just tighten up the motions that come off as sloppy with metronome therapy.