Help with flat picking single string accuracy

[Blueser100]

I struggled with string/note accuracy too when I started to flatpick. You might try picking with a larger pick for a while, like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Fender-Shape-...der+large+pick

I still use them and they help keep my fingers out of the way too.

[LivesForever]

I've been studying for several months using Flatpicking Essentials, Vol. 1, and I feel like it's helped me make a big breakthrough in this regard! It's also helped me to understand more of what I'm doing and make my playing waaaaay more interesting. Even my wife thinks so.

It starts out teaching you bluegrass alternating bass rhythm, and then adds bass runs and licks. You may or may not find the included music to be your favorite, but as I've worked through it and practiced consistently with a metronome, I've found my string accuracy has magically improved a ton without even thinking about it!

Also, I've been attending a bluegrass jam session fairly regularly, and this has given me an outlet to use what I learn on the fly. That also makes a huge difference! BTW, before this year, I had never really played with others at all. I can't speak highly enough about the book.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by Challenger

I've been playing for about 3 years. Started late in life at 55. I am pleased to a degree with my progress after having gone through some of the same struggles other due with needing to build fingertips etc. Also chord change frustration etc etc. I have the basic pretty well down but I'm getting bored with all the songs within my ability. It just seems like the YouTube.com songs are either for a beginner or advanced. The ones that are supposedly intermediate seem to all fall on one side of the fence or another meaning beginner or advanced. I'm sure it's just me being too lazy to take the steps needed to scratch my way out of the beginner skill level..
To stave off some boredom I want to start picking songs with a flat pick. Finger picking makes my *** ache for some reason. I really like the idea of using a flat pick to play individual strings. Mainly because I like the tone of a string that is picked as opposed to played with a finger.
What is the best way to improve my flat picking accuracy? I have real trouble hitting the same individual strings. Seems like the strings move around on the fretboard while I'm trying to play so where I think I hit the A string it is now the E string. The strings are far enough apart that I feel I should be able to get this easily but noooooo. I'm feeling like if I had a song and only had to use the 4,5 strings I'd regularly hit the 1 thru 6???
Thanks

Galaxy S4, Slimkat
If I wasn't married I'd quit fishing

Hi. First off, congrats on starting to play at 55. That's terrific. There's a lot of scientific evidence showing that music keeps our minds young.

If you haven't done so yet, you might want to see if you can find a local teacher just to get you started down the road. The main thing, though, is I would just find some scales to work on somewhere on the Internet. I'm not a great lead player myself, but the most important thing to master is the back and forth motion of the pick over the string.

Another thing that helped me was finding fellow players on meetup.com would through me a lead once in a while in a song circle.

Best of Luck,
Scott