A Guide to Proper Picking and Exercises to Help By David Wallimann, in association with JamPlay, LLC Many guitar players rely on picking each note that they play to blaze through the fretboard. The most important thing to keep in mind while practicing the following techniques is to be as precise as possible. Many guitar players can pick fast, but picking with precision demands much more dedication. This section is designed to help you develop a strong consistent picking technique no matter how long you have been playing. Holding the Pick One of the most common questions when starting to seriously practice alternate picking concerns the guitar pick. Several ways to hold it have proven themselves to be effective. If you've been playing for a while and are comfortable with the way you hold your pick, don't worry about relearning your position. Many positions are valid and you should consider the following approach only if you encounter problems in your playing. Hold your pick between your thumb and your index. Your index should be slightly curled. Only a small surface of that pick should be in direct contact with the strings. This will facilitate your precision and give you more control. While actually picking the strings, try attacking them at a 45 degree angle. This will insure you better success when playing faster licks as you will have less resistance when playing.
Precision One of the most important aspect of picking is muting. Making sure that no unnecessary strings are heard while playing will make you sound much better. Muting comes from both hands. The palm of the right hand is useful to mute all the strings placed below the fretted note. The index of the left hand will be used to mute the strings placed above your fretted note. The following exercises are designed to train your fingers in that matter. Make sure to use alternate picking for each note played and play this exercise very slow first. The goal is to program your fingers to hit each string with precision and clarity.
Mechanics of Speed Playing fast with accuracy requires your fingers to be comfortable in any situation. In this section we will work on little exercises designed to prepare your muscles to respond effectively. Don't skip this step as it will enable you to play longer and faster. Remember to pick everything using alternate up and down strokes. While working on these, try to use a single finger per note played. When playing, remember the following: Always alternate up and down strokes. The movement should come from your wrist, not your elbow. Start very slowly and start speeding up when you feel comfortable.
Finger Independence In order to play fast, your fingers need to be comfortable in any given situation. Training your fingers to move independently from each other is key in order to master the art of playing fast efficiently. The following two exercises will help you in that matter. They both are based on triads and can a lot of melodic appeal to your leads if played precisely.
Sequences and speed Using sequences in your playing can help you develop a strong alternate picking technique. These sequences should follow a logical formula allowing your fingers to follow that pattern. As you work with the following ideas, keep a straight alternate picking technique. Stay as relaxed as possible and be patient. Starting at a comfortable speed will help you clean up your technique.
Final Words Remember that cleanness is the most important aspect of picking. Practicing at a very comfortable speed is the only way to learn correct finger placement and precise playing. Be patient and don't give up. Always remember that speed in itself is of no value. Speed is only a tool that enables you to express yourself with the instrument. Practice well!
ABOUT JAMPLAY, LLC JamPlay.com is a community where guitar players come together to learn how to get better at our beloved instrument. With hundreds of in-depth video courses all online, you can pop on and progress your playing when it's convenient for you. And because we bring in the best guitar teachers on the planet, you'll always know that you're learning the right stuff. Courses are regularly updated, with new lessons added daily. That's right, we are the most active publisher of STRUCTURED video guitar lessons on the planet. 5,111 Lessons in HD Live Workshops JamTracks & More Each lesson is professionally filmed in our studios located in Greeley, Colorado and Kent, Ohio. All lessons are offered in highdefinition quality and presented with 3-5 cameras depending on the material taught. Our lessons stream to you in 5 different qualities, with the additional capability to stream all video lessons to your mobile device. We also offer live instruction in two different formats. Our weekly workshops are filmed in 4k and broadcasted live to you in 1080p! These workshops are task-based, focused lessons about a designated topic of guitar. Also, our Live Q&A offers open dialogue and discussion with our teachers.. for up to 8 hours a day. Get pro help, anytime in a live format with a JamPlay Membership. We have worked for the past decade to bring you awesome learning tools, educational reference libraries, training games and more. While any dummy can film a few guitar lessons and toss together a website, few can compete with the years of development and range of features we have built for our members. 79 Instructors Beginner to Advanced Interactive Tabs Progress Tracking Slow Motion & AB Looping Video Bookmarks Over 400 song lessons Learn More Here Chord Library (950k voicings) Scale Library (any key, tuning) Filmed in 4k, stream in 1080p JamTrack Library (800+) Guided homework with tabs Educational Games Interact with instructor Earn Badges with teacher reviews Live Video Call-in Capability Tasked based / sequential Rock, Blues, Fingerstyle & more Learn More Here Lick & Riff Library Live chat with community Learn More Here