Pick with the wrist, pick with the arm?

[unit11]

I've been playing for a while now, and when I started I was entirely a wrist picking kind of guy. I got good really fast, but I lacked stage presence (told all the time by my friends). Then I started doing arm (bend at the elbow if not use the whole arm) picking for anything rhythm and a fair bit of solo-ing. It was nice for a while, but it is hard to be precise like that.

 

Now I'm trying to get faster again and I find myself beginning to revert to a predominately wrist based technique... is this good to do for speed? Am I ultimately hurting my playing technique or possibly even my wrists?

 

 

 

Also, a question on holding. I hold with the thumb and index - on the tip of the thumb and the side of the index. Is this good or should I do tip of thumb and index?

[Kuroyume]

Wrist for picking and speed. Small forearm movements for adjusting up/down strings. Do whatever you want when strumming chords.

 

Yes, hold the pick tip of thumb, side of index. This is standard.

 

Surely, you can move your entire arm after hitting a note that you'll hold for a bit for 'stage presence'. But I don't think it would be practical or possible to do that for every note in a quick solo run.

[unit11]

That's what I expected to hear, I just thought I would get a second opinion in case I was going down the wrong path. Thanks!

[Jeffmo]

when you are NOT strumming

use your WRIST,WRIST, WRIST ,WRIST WRIST....did I say WRIST??!! LOL

[Santuzzo]

I'd say do whatever works best for you.

For some people wrist picking just doeas not work as well as arm picking does (I am one of those). So, experiemtn, try different ways of picking, give each some reasonable time and stick with whatever technique works best.

With either technique you use, DO NOT tense up, this is especially important when using your arm/elbow for picking, keep your arm and wrist relaxed!

Good luck!

[Existentialist]

No definitive answer to this. Micheal Angelo Batio is a hell of a picker and says he does it from the elbow. When he explains why, he says, not holding a guitar move your wrist up and down as fast as you can with your arm rigid. Now do the opposite; lock your wrist up and move your elbow/arm up and down as fast as you can. Generally the elbow will generate a lot more speed and get tired much more slowly.

 

I'm a 50/50

[Kuroyume]

I'd say that a slight elbow action in there isn't bad. Not totally necessary but, as you insinuate, it depends on the player.

 

To be very specific here, for speed picking, I don't just move my wrist side to side but rotate it a bit via the forearm. It is more difficult to master without practice but you can get incredible speed and it isn't as tiring as only doing wrist side to side motion.

[heavy D]

I've been playing for a while now, and when I started I was entirely a wrist picking kind of guy. I got good really fast, but I lacked stage presence (told all the time by my friends).

 

 

I don't know what wrist picking has to do with stage presence. Unless you're doing windmills like Pete Townshend.

 

 

 

This guy seems to be picking from the wrist and has decent stage presense:

[justfingerpicke]

When I wanted to improve my stage presence at church, I took a cheap video camera and filmed myself playing and singing. I kept my same style but worked on smiling, moving and the occasional big arm movements. Other then that I played the same that I always had, excepted I improved my techniques and got lots more complements for some very minor changes not really related to using my wrist or arm except I had more fun and confidence when I knew what I looked like playing. (I know church is more mellow, but the more you know about yourself from different perspectives helps, often in ways you don't expect.)

[mikey4402]

to be more precise while strumming with your arm, learn to mute strings with your fretting hand.

[Jeffmo]

I'd say do whatever works best for you. For some people wrist picking just doeas not work as well as arm picking does (I am one of those). So, experiemtn, try different ways of picking, give each some reasonable time and stick with whatever technique works best. With either technique you use, DO NOT tense up, this is especially important when using your arm/elbow for picking, keep your arm and wrist relaxed! Good luck!

 

the problem with that is that most people that pick with the elbow have a tense and stiff wrist!

[Santuzzo]

the problem with that is that most people that pick with the elbow have a tense and stiff wrist!

 

Exactly, that's why I am saying that one should watch out for not tensing up the wrist when picking from the elbow.

[jrd]

Wrist for picking and speed. Small forearm movements for adjusting up/down strings.

 

[nuclear arsenal]

i just focus on the sound and what i'm trying to play, and the technique is a result, as opposed to approaching it from a technique causing a result. i do notice more elbow involvement at higher speeds, though.

[Kuroyume]

Elbow involvement makes sense if you are moving around the strings in the process of playing at higher speeds. Also, forearm twisting could be mistaken for elbow work when it is not. Additionally, it could be result of adjusting the picking area along the strings - moving your hand towards or away from the bridge (which would necessarily involve shoulder motion which would also affect elbow movement compensationally). This is common in classical playing to change the sonority of the strings (in the same ways as pinch harmonics to an extent).

 

One of the things that I love about the forearm construction is the two bones (ulna and radius) allowing the wrist twist. You have a 'joint' which allows three degrees of motion (side-side, up-down, twist). But one must be considerate of the limitations. CPS is a result of bending the wrist too much and collapsing the carpal tubes that envelope the tendons, pinching the tendons and causing inflamation. This is why conscientious playing technique as well as economical playing are the best ways to go.