Right Hand Technique

[lyles]

I am having a heck of a time getting the pick to strike the srings right. As long as I'm just working to 100 bpm or less I can groove with the tune, hit the leads and crawl in and out of the chords, but the minute I've got to step up the beat I start driving the pick into the strings instead of across them. In some cases I've actually hit the pups on my strat that's how far in the pick has travelled.

I can't always keep the pick out so that it does what it is supposed to do and just pick the string.

Does anyone have any right hande exercise that they have used to help them here? I need to work on this and any help is much appreciated.

[Offshore Angler]

Sounds like you need to loosen up your wrist. When you use too much arm you shove the pick just as you described. Always play with a loose, free wrist. This will improve your timing on faster beats as well.

[Tele-Bob]

I have the same problem lyles and I overcome it by relaxing. When I know a quick part is coming up I often tense up and dig in. When I remember to just relax, I can then handle those moves as smoothly as any other part of my playing.

[Sven]

I think Tele-Bob is right, relax.

Also, you can practice it as well. Play scales slowly while alternating your picking direction each time. Use a metronome. Start slow, and speed up very gradually. Then go back to slow, and double pick each note, still alternating your picking. Speed up very gradually. Then, go back to slow, and triple pick each note, slowly increasing metronome speeds.

Now, I know it only took one paragraph, but don't be surprised if, in actual practice, it takes weeks, or more.

[fusion58]

Does anyone have any right hande exercise that they have used to help them here?

Here's an old G.I.T. exercise that helped me.

The exercise addresses not only right hand technique, but left and right hand synchronization as well.

The exercise is played on the third and fourth strings, exclusively.

Use strict alternate picking, i.e., down/up/down/up, etc.

The fingering is as follows:

(Number on the left side of the slash mark = string, number on the right side of slash mark = fret.)

4/7 4/9 4/10 3/7 4/10 4/9 4/7

Use your (L) index finger to play 4/7, your (L) ring finger to play 4/9, and your (L) little finger to play 4/10. Use your (L) index finger to play 3/7.

Start by playing the phrase as sixteenth note triplets at a slower tempo, e.g., MM=50, and, once you can play each note in the phrase evenly and articulately, increase the tempo by increments of 5 bpm.

Keep in mind what everyone else said about relaxation also.

Good luck!

[lyles]

This is great stuff.

THANKS

I bought a metronome and have started with the cross picking and trying to keep the wrist loose. You're right it's a slow process but I already see a change in my approach after only about 4 hours at it.

Fusion, this looks like a great exercise I'll 'woodshed' it tonight and see how it goes.

As for the relaxing, That's gonna take some work. I tend to get really nervous when the solos come because I am worried about digging in to deep and messing the thing up. Confidence is the thing. I hope that this will all change as the exercises take hold.

Again many thanks for all the help.

[Dexmo]

My right hand technique is fine. I could use a little work on the left though.

[Cogs]

I guess so:lol2

[Zhangliqun]

I picked it up naturally somehow and didn't analyze until later, but when I did, I noticed that whenever I nailed a fast part, two things changed in my pick attack:

1) I turned the pick almost perpendicular to the string.
2) I not only didn't dig in, the tip of the pick was actually much shallower relative to the plane of the strings than during my slower playing. This reduces the resistance.

I recommend a thick, smooth pick so that there is no give to it. When the strings are vibrating/flapping around it's hard enough as it is -- don't complicate the "rendezvous" of string and pick by using a thin pick that's going to be flapping too. That's like shooting a basketball at a moving basket. That pick needs to be completely still relative to your hand.

Those see-through purple Dunlop Stubbies (2mm) are the greatest thing since sliced bread to me. The edges have a round, smooth bevel to them that reduces friction.

They also make a 3mm but it's a little TOO thick to me. The strings just seem to kick it out like a Hell's Angel handling an unruly fan. It's almost like trying to pick with a pingpong ball...