Angle across strings when alternate picking...

[curiousgeorge]

Just wondering what angle everybody here picks at when going from the low E to the high E and back...Do any of you pick with a gradual arc or is it more parallel to the frets?...I'm thinking if I concentrate more on the angle it will improve my picking technique, but I've been known to be wrong on occasion... ;) I just thought of this when I was watching Rock Discipline last night, and noticed that Petrucci's angle is pretty much parallel to the pickups, and he just moves his forearm up and down slightly to accomodate...Or so it looks like..Is it Al Di Meola that picks like that as well?

[Bert S]

I keep the pick at a 45 degree angle (maybe slightly less) and try to keep it consistent through all of the strings. To accomplish it I definitely adjust my shoulder and elbow as I pass through the plane of the strings, and use wrist motion only for alternate picking. I tend to think of my hand and fingers as an immovable extension of my arm so that the picking only comes from my wrist. It's really helped me with the dynamics and speed, and it's let me obtain a much smoother sound and feel. I used to move in the gradual arc, but this just sounds and feels better to me.

[strider]

well yeah my picking motion seems to move in a gradual arc and Im not sure if its right or wrong. Would it be better to keep the same angle on all the strings and just move my arm down to the other strings? (while just moving my wrist to pick)

[AndyPollow]

Any is correct - Ive seen fast guitar players pick with the wrist and use the arm to move up and down the strings so the pick is straight at every string and Paul Gilbert uses only the wrist and the pick is straight at the low e and he goes in a 1/2 circle ( arch ) up ( down ) to the high e and the pick is almost sideways on the high e - I think that sounds best if you use a sharp pick if the pick isnt straight at the string but you dont have to.