#1
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Accuracy in Picking Bass String
I found this old thread on the topic. The problem that this person describes is also what I have.
Besides what the responders have said, (practice slow, use a metronome, practice until it becomes instinctive) is there a particular technique I can use while applying these suggestions? For example, I find that angling the pointy part of the pick upward (more so than the angle I would do in a normal down strum) as I hit down, will give me a higher percentage of striking the right string. I hope you are getting the picture I am describing. Is this a good technique and are there other things like that I can try? |
#2
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I'm just curious. Can you hit the right strings when you play with your fingers?
__________________
"Militantly left-handed." Lefty Acoustics Martin 00-15M Taylor 320e Baritone Cheap Righty Classical (played upside down ala Elizabeth Cotten) |
#3
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First, I would look at your grip. Is the wrist straight and the pick point perpendicular to the thumb?
Second, probably help to have a stiff, heaver pick. Once you play it a while, using a good grip, you will instinctually know where each string is relative to your hand /pick. You'll want to strike the strings with the leading edge of the pick at about 30-45 degrees in angle. Practice just hitting the bass strings as you would when playing. Hit the low E-strum-D-strum and also the A-strum-G-strum. Practice the string skips the doing root-5th type patterns. |
#4
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You mean strumming with fingers vs finger style? I strum using a pick only so I couldn't say.
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#5
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Quote:
I just put up a link of me playing a song in the Show and Tell section so you can get a better idea. To get this one take, it took me like a bunch of tries cause I kept missing the bass string here and there. You can hear few miss hits on this one, but this is the best I could do. Maybe a few mis-hits are OK? |
#6
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#7
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Yes, I meant using your thumb to hit the bass note.
__________________
"Militantly left-handed." Lefty Acoustics Martin 00-15M Taylor 320e Baritone Cheap Righty Classical (played upside down ala Elizabeth Cotten) |
#8
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I don't play much finger picking, but the few songs I can play using travis picking style, yes, I can pick the bass with the thumb with no trouble. I suppose because the thumbs stays relatively near the bass strings, vs when strumming, the pick has to find its way back to the right bass string.
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#9
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I believe you are talking about walking the bass line... like what you hear in Johnny Cash's "Walk the Line" when he changes keys... something I actually decided to learn for the reason you stated. But yes, that can be applied in all chord changes, although that will require basic undertanding of theory on my part =)
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#10
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