Vision Music Forum Index Vision Music
Community Forum
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Right Hand Picking Technique

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Vision Music Forum Index -> Guitar: Blues, Jazz & Beyond
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
nylenny



Joined: 31 Mar 2007
Posts: 291

PostPosted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 2:11 pm    Post subject: Right Hand Picking Technique Reply with quote

I was reading Jimmy Bruno's book on picking technique, and he advocates keeping a stiff, yet relaxed wrist. Bruno instructs us that the motion should come from the elbow. This is appealing to me, as it encouranges similar techniques in strumming and picking (although Bruno tells us to strum from the wrist, which is diametrically opposed to what others teach).

I have heard good players instruct the opposite. For example, in Volume 2: Creative Guitar / Advanced Techniques, Guthire Govan tells us to initiate picking motion from the wrist.

I have also heard that initiating motion from the wrist is a great way to get carpral tunnel syndrome (although I heard this in the context of strumming).

Who is right?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Dean



Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 287
Location: California

PostPosted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 4:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think both are right,I think it is what works for you.Some people turn the pick around,and so forth.I'am like you ,I tried to figure out what was right ,and gave up ,to do just what worked for me.I'am sure others will have more helpful info for you.
_________________
What don't kill you makes you stronger
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Mark
VM Coach


Joined: 26 Feb 2007
Posts: 479
Location: Portland, OR

PostPosted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 6:03 pm    Post subject: Re: Right Hand Picking Technique Reply with quote

nylenny wrote:
Who is right?


Len,

As much as this is potentially a fascinating subject that warranted my attention for many years, I have to completely agree with Dean. There are just too many players who pick differently yet accomplish the same thing to make any general rules or to come to any meaningful conclusions regarding superior or inferior approaches. As a matter of fact, right-hand picking is so subjective that I finally gave up thinking about it.

If anything, when it comes to jazz I've been far more intrigued recently with how fluent and technically proficient Wes was without even using a pick, and as a result I've made major personal breakthroughs on the thumb front. Ironically, it's improved my picking and phrasing because of the greater responsibility given to the left-hand. I should also mention that Joe Pass did some terrific work without a pick, too.

In either case, I would encourage anyone to keep an open mind, observe others and experiment accordingly, but whatever works for you is what is right. All for now...

- Mark
_________________
"Anyone can make the simple complicated. Creativity is making the complicated simple" - Mingus
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
John G



Joined: 21 Apr 2007
Posts: 21

PostPosted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 1:57 pm    Post subject: Re: Right Hand Picking Technique Reply with quote

nylenny wrote:
I was reading Jimmy Bruno's book on picking technique, and he advocates keeping a stiff, yet relaxed wrist. Bruno instructs us that the motion should come from the elbow. This is appealing to me, as it encouranges similar techniques in strumming and picking (although Bruno tells us to strum from the wrist, which is diametrically opposed to what others teach).
...

I have also heard that initiating motion from the wrist is a great way to get carpral tunnel syndrome (although I heard this in the context of strumming).

Who is right?


That's ironic that you mention that, considering Bruno himself developed carpal tunnel syndrome and had it surgically repaired just a few years ago.

Anyway, five different guitar players are likely to have five slightly different picking styles. As Mark wisely said, whatever works for you is what is right.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
woland99



Joined: 31 Mar 2007
Posts: 155
Location: Austin, TX

PostPosted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 7:47 am    Post subject: Re: Right Hand Picking Technique Reply with quote

nylenny wrote:
I was reading Jimmy Bruno's book on picking technique, and he advocates keeping a stiff, yet relaxed wrist. Bruno instructs us that the motion should come from the elbow.


With all due respect to Jimmy B - but moving whole forearm just to
move pick by couple milimeters does not make a lot of sense - you
use too much energy and will get tired quickly. Altho I understand
that he probably meant that opposite extreme - movement just from
wrist alone does not make much sense - after all you must move forearm
to cross strings anyway. So why not use it. Looking at me own picking
I use combination of three movements: forearm, wrist and fingers.
I used to use finger movement a lot more by holding pick between
tip of index and thumb and flexing my the thumb. And in the same time
holding my ring and pinky flat against strings. That gives you nice sense
of spatial position wrt strings but also restricts you wrist movement.
I made a conscious effort to "tuck" ring and pinky in and to hold pick
between thumb and first joint of index finger - so hand is in sortta
relaxed fist position It is harder to gauge distance from strings that
way - you have to relearn that part - but fist-like shape gives you much
lower moment of inertia and you can use rotation of your wrist wrt
axis of you forearm as part of your picking movement.

As a related question - what picks (and strings) do you guys use?
I like medium "COOL" picks a lot - they come well finished - no need
to use sand paper to smooth the edge. And those friction patches allow
you to hold them without generating extra tension. But since I use
lower gauge strings (mostly 10s) you need to relax you picking hand
when you use thicker pick - otherwise you get "snappy" tone.
So recently I experiment with thinner picks but so far did not find good
combination.

What picking exercise do you do? I noticed that playing scales with
doubling each note (or picking it 3 or 4 times) and trying to smooth out
strings crossings (I use Jimmy's technique - if moving to thinner string
beging with down pick and vice versa) works well to improve and even
out picking.

JT
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Mark
VM Coach


Joined: 26 Feb 2007
Posts: 479
Location: Portland, OR

PostPosted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 8:21 am    Post subject: Re: Right Hand Picking Technique Reply with quote

woland99 wrote:
What picking exercise do you do? I noticed that playing scales with doubling each note (or picking it 3 or 4 times) and trying to smooth out strings crossings (I use Jimmy's technique - if moving to thinner string beging with down pick and vice versa) works well to improve and even out picking.


JT,

Thanks for sharing what works for you regarding the right-hand. However and with all due respect, "picking exercises" based on scales are a total waste of valuable time that could and should be devoted to real-world music. If you simply must practice scales/modes, restrict your efforts to no more than FIVE minutes out of every hour. Spend the remaining fifty-five minutes studying something that you would actually play for someone, like cool bebop heads or blues/jazz clichés, or solos. Make those your picking exercises as opposed to abstraction and "running the alphabet" from A to Z, and you'll be walking in the footsteps of Wes, Pass, Benson, and every significant blues guitarist that I could possibly name. Trust me. Wink

On the string/pick front, I use heavier strings on my archtops (.014 high E) but lighter on a solid-body. I go back and forth between ProPlecs and Pick Boys, on the heavy side (1.25 to 1.5mm). All for now...

- Mark
_________________
"Anyone can make the simple complicated. Creativity is making the complicated simple" - Mingus
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Vision Music Forum Index -> Guitar: Blues, Jazz & Beyond All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group