The Picking Technique Debate

[Revenant]

I have tried to find the ultimate alternate technique since i made the "discovery" that alternate picking is essential for speed about 2 years ago.
I have tried several approaches: from the wrist and from the elbow. The latter seemed to be my curse for over a year, but half a year ago i started concentrating on using my wrist exclusively and now I have adapted to it.
However, I hear some people talking about the "floating hand", I read Eric Vandenbergs article on this too. Logically it seems like the ultimate technique since you won't encounter any muting problems like you do when resting your hand over the bridge.
I have tried to adapt to this technique, but can't relax while doing it. Because if I were to relax my hand 100% it would just be hanging down limp. So when i "float pick" I tense too much and I end up with pains in my hand/arm.

So, I'd like to hear how the veteran pickers go about floating and if anyone here has a reasonable advice on how to become fluent with the technique...
Also, other suggestions to picking techniques are appreciated!

[Sperzel]

Hello!

I think a search for the ultimate picking technique is pretty pointless. Kinda like finding the meaning of life :D

I spent the whole summer trying to find it. read every article there ever was and trying em' all. But in the end, it was up to me to find MY technique. Now I have, and it's not the floating hand. But it works very good anyways! :)

So, do yourself a favor and stop this search and jst sit down with your guitar, find a technique for you. And STICK TO IT!!

Cheers, Kalle

[Thorsten]

Exactly right Kalle!

There´s no ultimate technique for anything anyway.

Playing guitar is a very physical thing and since everybodys physics is different there´s no ONE right way to play.

There´s no short-cut. You just have to sit down and simply play a lot and analyse your playing and find techniques that work for you.

Floating, anchoring, wrist, elbow...it all doesn´t matter as long as YOU feel comfortable with it and you get the sounds from your instrument that you want!

Just play!
TK

[joeyd929]

Exactly right Kalle!

There´s no ultimate technique for anything anyway.

Playing guitar is a very physical thing and since everybodys physics is different there´s no ONE right way to play.

There´s no short-cut. You just have to sit down and simply play a lot and analyse your playing and find techniques that work for you.

Floating, anchoring, wrist, elbow...it all doesn´t matter as long as YOU feel comfortable with it and you get the sounds from your instrument that you want!

Just play!
TK

Ditto on that.!!

[joeyd929]

Check out this video..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgmYNi5Nnsk


I have always liked Steve Howe as a guitarist.. His famous tune "The Clap" is a ragtime-fingerstyle thing. I always wondered how he did it and if you look at his right hand it appears he is holding a pick and using his fingers..

Like Albert Lee or Gatton... Never gave it a thought that Steve Howe used this technique but it does explain how he achieved the distinct chord strumming in the arrangement that he mixes in with fingerpicking.

That was always my confusion, I knew he was fingerpicking, but I always thought the parts where he strums chords sounded like he had a pick in his hand.. Guess he did...