Members LGK_Dude Posted August 19, 2012 Members Share Posted August 19, 2012 I'm a new guitar player (been playing only a few months) and I'm a bit worried about my right hand technique. Any good resources out there that really explain proper right hand technique for rock guitar playing with a pick? My main problem is when I switch strings for scales, leads, etc, I sometimes inadvertently strike the wrong string with the pick! For example, I'm expecting to hit the 4th string, but I hit the 3rd. I'm guessing this has to have something to do with my right hand technique, as I should be able to play any string I want to without worrying if my right hand is going to strike it correctly (so I can focus my attention on the notes I'm playing). Or maybe I'm over thinking this and it will come with practice? Any advice or resource references would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pitar Posted August 19, 2012 Members Share Posted August 19, 2012 I never could hold a flat pick. When I started out I placed emphasis on fingerpicking and got that down. Interspersed with that I tried countless ways to get nuanced control over a flat pick and never did. I didn't use the pointy end to pick the strings. I used a Fender medium pick and used one of the rounded corners. Then, as I progressed with the fingerpicking I began using a thumb pick and found I had better control using it for flat picking than I did with a conventional flat pick. Now I put my index and thumb together as I would when pinching a flat pick and use the blade of the thumb pick in the same manner. The great thing is it doesn't slip around at all and I can deftly switch between strumming, flat picking and finger picking on the fly. That didn't develop immediately but once I got the discipline to make it work I haven't looked back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poparad Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 String accuracy will definitely come with practice. There's no secret or shortcut to it, you just have to build the muscle memory to always go to the right place. A good way to practice it is to practice music that requires you to do a lot of string skipping. Try taking a chord progression and come up with an apreggio pattern that jumps around a bit, and practice through that. I never have to think about where my pick is at, and I almost never miss the string I'm going for, yet I never practiced any specific exercise or learned any trick to it other than just playing a lot of music that required me to practice a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mosiddiqi Posted August 19, 2012 Members Share Posted August 19, 2012 I honestly can't remember doing anything specific to deal with this when I started playing..I think it's just repetition and muscle memory as Poporad said. Just keep at it!. It's a good thing that you know it's a problem..that's half the battle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members speechless Posted August 19, 2012 Members Share Posted August 19, 2012 If you DO want to work on it specifically you need to figure out what exactly is going on when you miss the string, and what exactly you need to do differently. If I had to guess - and it is only a guess, based on my own experience - I'd say you're probably using too much wrist. The elbow should be responsible for getting the hand in position, and the wrist should pretty much just be responsible for the stroke. For a few minutes try keeping your wrist straight and see how you can use your elbow to move the pick to each string, then keep your elbow still and try using your wrist to accomplish the same thing... and see where the wrinkles come in. The principle is to use bigger muscles for bigger movements and smaller for small. But bearing in mind that they never work in isolation, you will of course as mentioned need to practice with some appropriate music because in reality there's interplay of all the moving parts - it's a bit more involved than "elbow does this, wrist does that." uhh feel it out, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LGK_Dude Posted August 22, 2012 Author Members Share Posted August 22, 2012 Thank you speechless!! This was RIGHT ON!! I have noticed that I am trying to do to much with my wrist vs my elbow!! WOW!! Great insight!! I'm going to have to focus when I practice and really try to use that elbow when switch strings instead of my wrist! THANKS!! Do you guys basically keep your wrist straight then? Is there any right hand wrist movement at all in proper playing? I also found an interesting article about holding the pick: http://guitarteacher.wordpress.com/2008/03/10/how-to-hold-a-pick/ Turns out I naturally keep my thumb curved when I hold it, but straight didn't feel bad at all either. I'm going to have to spend some practice time and decide which method I like better...or maybe I'll discover each has their place? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members speechless Posted August 23, 2012 Members Share Posted August 23, 2012 First of all: AWESOME. Awesome to the max. I'm glad I could help, that was a very very gratifying post for me to read. High point perhaps of my... uhh "sharing-knowledge-on-the-internet-career." CoolSecond: take the notion of "proper playing" and {censored} on it. There's no proper (right) or improper (wrong) per se, there are only varying degrees of effectiveness. I'm sure that's what you meant ("effective playing", right?) - and what exactly that means, you'll have to discover yourself, by trying everything. Semantics, whatever.Third: I consider a straight wrist the most effective neutral position, because it is essentially free of tension. Kink it and your tendons pull (if only slightly), and their inherent springiness (muscles or something) pulls back. BUT you do need to use yer wrist for the fine movements of actually making the pick stroke - try tremolo picking with only your elbow, to see that those muscles are just too big to do some things effectively. Problems arise when you deviate too far from neutral position for too long - that's when the tension cascades. If you use your elbow to position your picking hand you won't ever need to have your wrist moving so far that it hasn't the time to relax again before the next movement.Fourth: This is getting remarkably pedantic, mere sentences after I said there's no right or wrong. Time to save face and defer to the experts - pretty much everything I know about picking came from here. Check out sections 1.2.1--1.2.3 especially, if you can't be bothered to read the whole thing. Which you should. It will make you wisemaybe I'll discover each has their place?oh ja, I bet you will...! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jeremy_green Posted August 23, 2012 Members Share Posted August 23, 2012 I honestly can't remember doing anything specific to deal with this when I started playing..I think it's just repetition and muscle memory as Poporad said. Just keep at it!. It's a good thing that you know it's a problem..that's half the battle. +1 this would be my answer including the listen to Poporad part Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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