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Back to the basics... Holding the pick.


Corre

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Posted

Since I have been playing mostly classical guitar, using a pick has always felt a bit awkward. I've noticed that I really haven't found one good way to hold the pick that suits every situation.

 

For alternate picking I try to keep the pick's tip almost straight towars the body of the guitar. For fast downpicking (MoP, Blackened, Creeping Death) and tougher alternate picking riffs (Battery) it just feels better to have the tip pointed slightly towards the headstock (not straight towards the body) and also to tilt the point to a slight angle so it "slips" from strings easier. I'm not saying this is the way it sounds best but that's how the pick feels best in my hand. You obviously need to hold the pick a bit firmer when hitting the lowest strings hard...

 

My biggest concern is that when I have the pick between my fingers, the point is not forming a 90 degree angle with my thumb. It's more like a rough ~70 degree angle . But of course (?) I don't play with my wrist completely straight when alternate picking so that's how the pick's angle with the strings comes pretty close to 90 degrees. When I do heavier riffing I keep my arm straighter and that way keep the tip more towards the headstock of the guitar.

 

So, is this completely wrong or a habit that I should try to get rid of? I can play the above riffs pretty decently with the way I hold the pick. But when I put the pick between my fingers so that it forms a full 90 degree angle with my thumb I can't play half as good. Alternate picking works fine both ways. My current way just feels more natural.

 

Thanks for any effort to help.

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Posted

It's hard, and I'm not sure if it's right, to tell some how to actually hold the pick, etc...

But, it is right to put thoughts into peoples heads...but not to the point where they are preoccupied by it. Meaning...

Could I encourage you to pick like me? No, that would be wrong. But, I can encouage you to try somethings to make you aware of what is right for you.

The key peice to this would be...as long as you slow things down, and look of course, you are going to realize A LOT about how you play guitar.

One of the first things you'll realize is that you hold the pick, attack the string, have levels of tension, differently when you play soft or hard, or slow or fast.

So, once you realize these things you can approach them for yourself.

Me telling you that you are doing anything wrong would be like telling EVH he hold the pick wrong, or telling Steve Morse he's not holding the pick right.

Even with just those two you can see that they have their own "perfect" technique. It has nothing to do with any other players style.

If you are able to mature it, then it's right.

You should practice many different techniques as you might find another that's as comfortible/natural, but can produce more speed, maybe more dynamics, articulation.

I don't think there's one guitar player around that doesn't use a number of picking techniques...they might not realize it...but that's just because maybe they haven't slowed it down and looked, and focused on these things.

Probably doesn't completely answer your question but, just don't dwell on it I guess. IOW, don't change it, just make it better.

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Posted

Yeah, it's good that people put thoughts in my head because I haven't paid too much attention to my playing for a little while. Now I've suddenly started to worry about everything that I do differently than the virtuosos.

But yeah, I guess the thing is to try lots of stuff and try to take the best parts of each style and fit them into your own pick holding and picking technique.

Anyways, for instance Battery, when played at high temp, is really hard especially on your right hand. So everytime I screw it up I think if I'm holding the pick right and after changing the grip I suddenly play it a lot better but then the other riffs and alternate picking might feel very difficult. Seems like it's about lack of practice...

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Posted

Someone had a link to an article by Tuck Andress here. I think it was in a thread about economy picking. It's very interesting, and it could change how you pick completely.

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Posted

The info in that article seems very useful, and I escpecially want to try alot of that stuff. However, it is hard to understand exactly what to do with just verbal explanations. Does anyone know of a video demonstration of this stuff? It would help immensely.

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Posted

Originally posted by jayd0484

The info in that article seems very useful, and I escpecially want to try alot of that stuff. However, it is hard to understand exactly what to do with just verbal explanations. Does anyone know of a video demonstration of this stuff? It would help immensely.

 

 

I know Jimmy Bruno demostrates/discusse it on his DVD. I haven't personally scene it though.

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Posted
Originally posted by gennation

It's hard, and I'm not sure if it's right, to tell some how to actually hold the pick, etc...


But, it is right to put thoughts into peoples heads...but not to the point where they are preoccupied by it. Meaning...


Could I encourage you to pick like me? No, that would be wrong. But, I can encouage you to try somethings to make you aware of what is right for you.


The key peice to this would be...as long as you slow things down, and look of course, you are going to realize A LOT about how you play guitar.


One of the first things you'll realize is that you hold the pick, attack the string, have levels of tension, differently when you play soft or hard, or slow or fast.


So, once you realize these things you can approach them for yourself.


Me telling you that you are doing anything wrong would be like telling EVH he hold the pick wrong, or telling Steve Morse he's not holding the pick right.


Even with just those two you can see that they have their own "perfect" technique. It has nothing to do with any other players style.


If you are able to mature it, then it's right.


You should practice many different techniques as you might find another that's as comfortible/natural, but can produce more speed, maybe more dynamics, articulation.


I don't think there's one guitar player around that doesn't use a number of picking techniques...they might not realize it...but that's just because maybe they haven't slowed it down and looked, and focused on these things.


Probably doesn't completely answer your question but, just don't dwell on it I guess. IOW, don't change it, just make it better.



I'd have to agree with this.

I went through the whole pick grip/motion/form thing a little while ago and looked at a lot of "shredders'" picking motions in videos. Basically, what I learned is that everyone does it differently. I tried many styles, including that one Tuck Andress describes, and.... well, ended up going back to my original way because it's most comfortable for me. It's probably a fairly "standard" type motion in general, but I still find myself drifting in between different styles of picking.

Maybe this explains why I still suck (inconsistent).


Or, maybe that's because I don't practice much. :p

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Posted

In terms of that Tuck Andress article, probably your best bet is to find youtube videos of George Benson, as he's the guy he's mainly concerned with. I'll admit that I haven't gone down this road, and maybe I won't, but as you seem to be fairly new to the picking thing, you're in a very good position to really examine the best ways to pick before you get stuck in habit.
For me, if I were to change my picking style that dramatically, it would be 6 months before I could catch up with where I am now, at least, so it's hard to justify it at the moment.

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Posted
Originally posted by bardsley

In terms of that Tuck Andress article, probably your best bet is to find youtube videos of George Benson, as he's the guy he's mainly concerned with. I'll admit that I haven't gone down this road, and maybe I won't, but as you seem to be fairly new to the picking thing, you're in a very good position to really examine the best ways to pick before you get stuck in habit.

For me, if I were to change my picking style that dramatically, it would be 6 months before I could catch up with where I am now, at least, so it's hard to justify it at the moment.



I'm at the 7 month mark of my "year of learning". And from day one it started with looking and redirecting my picking technique.

I practice with the metronome religiously, even when I'm just messing around...I do it in time now.

After 30 years, it's going to take a little longer than 6 months.

It's changed drastically, it's more relaxing. But, it's still needs to mature...I guess I have slowed down some, but it's matured me musically I think. But, it still needs to mature to be balls to the walls.

I'm glad I did it, and it's been worth the time. I wish I would've stuck with it years ago, but I was too concerned about being a hotshot I guess ;)

  • 2 weeks later...
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Posted

I want to thank the original poster... I couldnt figure out what it was while I was playing but sometimes I would be able to play really well and other times I just couldnt pick right at all...

but then I read this and looked at the way I pick... if I tilt the tip of the pick towards the headstock a bit, 15 - 20 degrees, it makes a world of difference


I can now nail the intro to bark at the moon, Im not jake E Lee, but it sounds like the song :) albeit a bit sloppier :p

but wow, did that ever help, now Im conciousnly making that position now, and picking is soo much more accurate and chords and things are easier to transition to from alternate picking.

thank you :)

I also get the added benefit of being able to fit my index and middle finger easier on the pick allowing me to pick with more hold without extra pressure!

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