Playing stringed instruments with a plectrum.
Questions tagged [picking]
85 questions
25
votes
8 answers
How to hide a flat pick in the right hand when switching to finger picking, Warren Haynes style
Watch any Warren Haynes video on YouTube and you'll notice that he often likes to mix it up and play solos with a pick but mid-way switch to using his fingers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMxG90vP-aU
Joe Bonamassa is another guy I see doing this…
asgeo1
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24
votes
10 answers
Pick weight - functional difference, or just personal preference?
I'm at the very beginning of learning to play guitar, and I recently needed to buy some more picks. This was more complex than I was expecting, since there are apparently many different weights of picks available.
I've gotten the impression that…
Chad Birch
22
votes
7 answers
Where does picking speed come from? Forearm, hand, or bicep?
Where specifically on the arm/hand should rapid picking speed come from?
bobobobo
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19
votes
4 answers
Alternate picking vs down picking
When I see professional musicians play their songs on guitar, I see them down picking certain parts where I would prefer to alternate pick.
Follow the url below to a riff that I play first using alternate picking and then down…
Kermit the Hermit
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16
votes
10 answers
Finger Picking vs. using a Pick on Bass Guitar
Before I played bass I played guitar, so when I started to play bass I naturally used a pick. Eventually I learned how to finger pick and now typically use both picking techniques interchangeably as a bassist.
I would like to know though what are…
Dom
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12
votes
5 answers
When using strict alternate picking, is it OK to play a downstroke twice in order to start a new phrase on a downstroke?
There are a lot of advocates of absolutely strict alternate picking, like Chris Thile (dead YouTube clip removed). I've been practicing that for a couple of weeks now, and I'm at the point where I can play just about anything without slipping into…
Alex
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12
votes
7 answers
Should the picking hand little finger be resting on the guitar?
I notice I tend to rest the little finger of my picking hand on the body of my guitar, typically on the edge of the sound-hole, for greater accuracy and steadiness of the picking hand.
After extended periods of time this finger can start to ache,…
Mike Tomasello
10
votes
9 answers
How do you strum an upstroke without striking an unwanted string?
It could be a silly question. I started learning guitar 2 months ago but the progress are not going very well.
Apart from the previous problem, which I haven't solved yet, I have a problem with the basic strumming of guitar.
For example, in C major,…
lamwaiman1988
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9
votes
4 answers
Right hand technique used in gypsy jazz guitar
I want to learn the right hand technique used by gypsy guitar, especially that of joscho stephan. His arm is perfectly still but the hand is moving so fast, how is he doing that? Any tips on how to develop such strumming? Specifically, here is a…
Nitin Labhishetty
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9
votes
4 answers
Is there a "correct" position for the right hand when playing guitar?
Normally when I am playing I support my right hand by putting my pinky finger below the E string, but when I try to play past a certain speed I have difficulty keeping up. I have found a couple sites where they advise supporting the hand by putting…
cdvv7788
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votes
2 answers
What is tremolo picking?
Are you just picking the same note a bunch of times or are you picking a lot in general and kind of hammering on to hit the notes? What does it have to do with an actual tremolo (whammy bar)?
Joe
8
votes
1 answer
What is a "flat wrist"?
Bass legend Carol Kaye writes that she uses a "flat wrist" technique when playing bass with a pick.
What does she mean by this?
slim
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8
votes
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Fingerpicks - which styles are they used for?
I'm currently learning how to use fingerpicks, like these:
The exercises I found are all blues or bluegrass related. I really like the strong sound and speed potencial, but I am more into the mainstream music, not blues.
So I have a question: are…
Silver Light
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7
votes
5 answers
Does Acoustic Blues Guitar Require Use of a Thumb Pick?
I've recently started going through some acoustic blues lessons at jamplay.com. The instructor plays with a thumb pick. I had gone through the first 8 lessons using a standard pick but the latest lesson requires plucking the 3rd and 6th strings…
JohnOpincar
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How to train for faster picking speed on guitar?
I've been training on speed picking on major scale as my daily routine, following this Justin Guitar's guide on scale picking for one year since last year June, but until now my G major scale picking rooted on 3rd fret of E string still couldn't…
nayiaw
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