#16
|
||||
|
||||
Everyone has to follow their own muse but if strumming is going to be what you do, you'll make getting a good sound much easier if you use a pick. For my part, I spent my first three years learning fingerstyle and classical playing so for the occasional bit of strumming it didn't make sense to spend time getting used to a pick. Now that I'm wanting to do some stuff that sounds best with a pick I've learned to use a flatpick...which took about 2-3 weeks before I was comfortable holding it.
As for learning classical technique "messing you up" there is very little that I've found in learning guitar that makes knowing or practicing one style of playing injurious to your ability to do other styles. The controlling principle is Ars Longa, Vita Brevis. You only have so many hours in a day and so many days in your life, obviously if you spent a couple of years getting really good at your classical-guitar technique that's a couple years of time you could have spent getting really good at flatpicking. So there's a tradeoff in that sense but it's not like your skill to play in one style gets ruined by learning to play in a totally different way.
__________________
Grabbed his jacket Put on his walking shoes Last seen, six feet under Singing the I've Wasted My Whole Life Blues ---Warren Malone "Whole Life Blues" |
#17
|
|||
|
|||
We've just about beaten strumming to death, and if you are still checking the posts --- here are a couple more:
Strumming is a feel thing - what do you feel is right for this specific song. I for one do not worry about duplicating the original artist's strum pattern. Most have their 3 to 4 strum patterns and they mix and match them to the specific song. Here is a hint my instructor gave me on how to practice a pattern. Take your guitar to the couch and watch TV. Deaden the strings by holding the neck around the 5th fret +/- you get a dull thud sound - no problem. Strum your pattern while watching TV - in an hour that pattern belongs to you. Same thing would work for finger picking patterns. Google is full of instructional video these days. Google finger picking, clawhammer banjo, or flailing guitar -- that should give you some things to consider. IMHO what ever works for you is correct. Good luck on your journey. Last edited by Malcolm; 06-12-2009 at 06:34 AM. |