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Old 11-18-2018, 12:55 PM
mikev0882 mikev0882 is offline
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Default When picking notes...

Is it a rule to always pick towards your next note? Or does it depend on what your playing?

Thanks!

Mike
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Old 11-18-2018, 01:09 PM
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Is it a rule to always pick towards your next note? Or does it depend on what your playing?

Thanks!

Mike
Rule #1: there are no rules. Anyone who tells you otherwise is wrong. If you encounter a teacher who says there are....find a new teacher.

There are only suggestions.
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Old 11-18-2018, 01:35 PM
KarenB KarenB is offline
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Please explain what "pick towards your next note" means.
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Old 11-18-2018, 03:04 PM
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Is it a rule to always pick towards your next note? Or does it depend on what your playing?

Thanks!

Mike
Depends on the notes before, during and after, whether you are flatpicking or fingerpicking.
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Old 11-19-2018, 04:57 AM
JonPR JonPR is online now
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Is it a rule to always pick towards your next note?
No
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Originally Posted by mikev0882 View Post
Or does it depend on what your playing?
Yes.

The main rule is economy of finger movement - in both hands.
Sometimes it's quicker (easier, smoother) to pick towards the next note, sometimes not.
(A secondary rule is what sounds best. You might think that should come first, but generally the most economical finger moves are what sounds best.)
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Old 11-19-2018, 05:11 AM
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Is it a rule to always pick towards your next note? Or does it depend on what your playing?
LOL. Yes. Because if you weren't you would have stopped!
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Old 11-19-2018, 01:29 PM
FwL FwL is offline
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Alternate picking = down up or up down repeatedly no matter what you're playing.

Economy picking (slip picking, sweep picking, speed picking etc.) = minimize the pick moving in the opposite direction of your next note when switching strings. Playing on a single string typically resorts to alternate picking.


Which way you go is entirely up to you. They both have advantages and disadvantages for certain situations.


There's also a third option that could be called haphazard picking.

Haphazard picking = just let the picking hand do whatever it has a mind to do and don't concern yourself about it. Some players find this approach has the most merit.


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