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#1
01-16-2001, 06:40 PM
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Right hand picking technique
Is your right hand (picking hand) working well enough for you? Two simple tests to find out. I got these from a guy I once saw playing in a shop. Amazing speed and accuracy. Utterly amazing. He gave me a couple pointers that really helped me. Test 1. Using a metronome (of course!) just start playing downstrokes on one note over and over. It doesn't matter if you're playing quarter notes, eighth notes or 16ths - just make sure that they are all downstrokes and the notes are clean. Now, no matter what speed you are going at - no matter how fast- you should be able to effortlessly add in the upstroked notes. You should be able to do this whether you're fretting an open string, a note down low on the neck, or way up on your beautiful cutaway Taylor. Can you? I couldn't. I wasn't even close. The funny thing is that you should actually be able to play faster with the upstrokes added. The distance to move the pick back up through the string is a let less than the distance you have to go to avoid the upstroked note. If you passed this test, good for you. If you flunked, we'll fix it. Test 2. This might sound corny, but it is very telling. Listen to the jingles on commercials. Just pick a little section of the song and find the notes on your guitar. Can you CLEANLY and EVENLY play them at the same pace you heard them? Most folks won't be close. Not even close. Again, if you can, yahoo! If you can't, you've got a right hand that needs some help. Now, you don't need to practice like a speed metal player but the reality is that music really does move along quite quickly and a small improvement in technique can greatly improve your ability to make music. Later.....I've got to go get my groceries. I'll post a couple of very simple tips later if you're interested. 
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#4
01-27-2001, 02:16 PM
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Hello,
Also, very imporatnt -- memorize Scales, and play them as an excerise. Use alternating down and up strokes. I can't stress how important doing scales is for fingering, picking and impovisations. Alway use a metronome, and do anything you do "perfect-in-time", whatever that time count may be for you. Then increase it. Certainly you have a book of scales? Later, -GRM
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