Picking Questions

[colchar]

Hey All,
I have some questions about picking.

First of all, I tend to hold the pick with my thumb, first, and middle fingers just because it is more comfortable. Are there really any drawbacks to using this method? I know people like Eddie Van Halen, James Hetfield, etc. use three fingers so I don't see this as a big deal but almost everything I read says not to do this.

Second, when picking should one brace their picking hand against the guitar? I tend not to do this but have recently started the Learn & Master Guitar course in which bracing is recommended. The problem is that I find bracing to be extremely awkward - is it necessary for a beginner? Also, I find bracing more difficult when holding the pick as I do and slightly less awkward when using only the thumb and first finger.

Third, where is the ideal place to strike the strings? If I brace my hand I find it more comfortable to do so by resting it on the bridge but then I am only striking the strings immediately above the bridge pickup. If I do not rest my hand there I can more easily strike the strings above the gap between the pickups (I play an SG so it only has two pickups).

As usual any answers, and any other picking advice, would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[469roadking]

Colchar,
Very good that you are taking right hand technique so seriously as it is normally what begins to slow people down after getting the left hand in shape. My original guitar instructor back in 78 used to drill pick technique into me.
First, there is no right or wrong way. Just normal and unusual. Yours is unusual in the traditional sense but will not be a hindrance unless you want to try hybrid picking a little later on. Remember that whatever decisions you make now concerning technique will be there to bless you or haunt you the rest of your life. It is easier to learn than unlearn. (Cue sinister organ music).
My personal advice would be to use the thumb and forefinger to hold the pick as you then have three fingers left for finger picking and bracing.
As per bracing, I rest my ring finger and pinky against the pickguard for bracing. I do this for two reasons. One, it makes quick palm muting easier and more "dynamic" so to speak. And two, I've always done it that way and its quite comfortable for me. That is to say, I have more control over my right hand and the strings this way. ;D
As per the "ideal" place to strike the strings, that would depend on what tone you want from the strike. The more toward the neck the lower or sometimes muddier the tone. The closer to the bridge to more trebley the tone. There are a couple of songs in our set that require me to sweep the strings right at the bridge for a very stinging chord tone. A psycobilly song we wrote last night will be getting this treatment also. Generally though I pick just forward of the bridge pickup.
I would also advise you to disipline yourself to pick in alternate down and up strokes. This will be difficult and take concentration at first but become second nature before long. I will increase your speed exponentially though and well worth the effort.
Later you can learn cool stuff like pinch harmonics and so forth.
Hope this helps. Stay with it brother.

[Mohikanas]

Totally agree with roadking. A great way to practice picking in alternate down and up strokes is to do so with penthatonic scales. I personaly hold my pick with my thumb and index, pinky and noname finger I use to steady my hand right below the strings.
So try some blues scales for example E moll penthatonic scale (E 0-3 A 0-2 D 0-2 G 0-2 B 0-3 E 0 and backwards) do so while alternating your pick up and down. Good luck

[pwfirst]

First of all Roadking I didn't know you played the organ (Cue sinister organ music) HA HA.
Your picking recomendations are right on. I have found that when I am playing I strum near the neck and pick closer to the bride to produce a fuller more complex sound. And bracing is essential for picking control.
Begining players often times pick and strum too hard and the get strings that buzz and a sounds that may be distorted.
The other consideration is what pick do you use? thin, medium or stiff.

[colchar]

Thanks for the advice everyone - I think I'll mess around a bit over the next day or two in order to find a spot for bracing and a style of picking that is comfortable to me.

I will also try to get into the habit of only using two fingers on the pick as I don't want to develop any lousy habits now that are going to come back and bite me later on.

As for picks - when using two fingers I prefer a heavy pick (I tend to use Fender Heavy picks) but when using three fingers I am fairly comfortable using a medium gauge pick (just generic ones from my local music store).

[urs]

Speaking of alternate picking and in addition to mohikanas' advice. I've stumbled across a super-boring, but quite worthy exercise: with any two strings, pick the first one twice, the second one once while strictly alternating between upstroke and downstroke. So on every second iteration you reverse the updown-pattern...

(But then again, what do I know? - I start to feel I should just embrace the enemyship with this thing in my hand. Knopfler-Style )

[colchar]

Apr 19, 2010 18:15:42 GMT -5 colchar said:

Thanks for the advice everyone - I think I'll mess around a bit over the next day or two in order to find a spot for bracing and a style of picking that is comfortable to me.

This is more difficult than I thought. I am having a real issue finding a technique with which I am both comfortable and confident. But I'll keep plugging away at it...

[469roadking]

Never give up, never surrender.....the only thing we have to fear....is fear itself. Don't worry man, in two weeks it will be second nature.
Good exercise from urs as well.