Question for EricV (picking style)

[rrhea]

Hi Eric!

I am new here, mainly a spectator, and I have learned a ton of stuff since discovering this place.

My question for you is about my new teacher and my picking style. I just started taking lessons after 16 years of playing guitar. I put down the guitar for about 9 of those years, only playing every now and then, but recently got back into it about a year ago. Since then I have been playing on average about 2-4 hours everyday and making some remarkable progress along the way. ;)

So, I now have a new teacher which took me 16 years to realize I needed :D ... and now she'd like me to change my picking style. I play anchored with the pick between my index and thumb, open hand (no fist). Watching the Petrucci "Rock Discipline" video, I'd say my left hand style is almost identical to his (though I am nowhere near as fast :D ).

I am very with comfortable my way of picking. However, my teacher is pretty insistant on getting me to "float" my left hand using a fist and curling my index over the thumb. This feels very akward to me... almost amaturish. But, I do know that Paul Gilbert switched over to this method, and his playing cannot be disputed. :)

According to your articles, and one in particular, on picking you say that it's sometimes best to do what feels natural. I want to do that. I want to do what feels best for me, but at the same time I don't want to miss an opportunity to get better. My fear is if I dedicate time to this new picking style I might ruin the one I already have. I fear I'll end up with two "bad" or uncoordinated techniques instead of one. Or the least worse secenario, I don't ruin anything, but I lose precious time working on something that gives me nothing in return and end up going back to my original picking method having made not progress with it in the meantime.

What do you think I should do? I know this might be a tough piece of advice to give because you don't know me or my skill-level. But I know you went through the same thing. Any advice?

Thanks so much!

Ryan

[LarryJ]

16 years of doing something one way, is going to be one hell of a habit to break.

I'll let Eric answer this (I'm with the whatever you're comfortable with school of thought) but I think you should ask yourself this question first: Has your playing come to a plateu because of the picking style, or is there something else you could do first? Maybe hit that metronome a bit harder, or work on some skipping or inside out picking like in rock discipline. If you feel theres absolutly nothing you can do to improve your picking, then try messing around with a different picking style.

I've seen micheal angelo batio do 4 different picking styles equally well in the 'speed kills' video, which I reccomend. Good luck.
-larry

[schematics]

... and now she'd like me to change my picking style.
I am very with comfortable my way of picking. However, my teacher is pretty insistant on getting me to "float" my left hand using a fist and curling my index over the thumb.

1. why does she want you to change. Did you ask her? I mean, she must have a reason for it, otherwise......

2. Petrucci = anchored, Gilbert = float, both are fast, so what the heck.
Everybody has a different posture, what works for one guy (or gal) doesn't have to work for someone else.

By the way, I've tried the "float method" and it doesn't work for me.
I tried the Petrucci approach, doesn't work either. So I keep picking like I used to (never had problems with it, tried the other styles just out of curiosity).

[Carvinite]

HEY! MY NAME IS RYAN ALSO!

But thats beside the point....I had a whole big disscussion on this at one point....when I FIRST discovered Eric, his articles and playing (it been a great ride that hasnt ended yet ;))

Anyway here is a link you may wanna check out!
http://www.ibreathemusic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3275&highlight=Eric+Picking+hand

PS: My name was kramer_man until I had guni change it after I got my carvin :d (buy one) :D :D

Later,
Ryan

[btangel]

I asked this same question in another thread. Personally I anchor most of the time and float a bit depending on what I play. I think playing what you feel most natural to you is most important. It's proven, anchored (steve vai) or not (PG) you can play fast either way. I feel more control over the pick when I anchor. I wouldn't change the way you pick unless it's really limiting your playing.

[Bizarro]

Maybe it's time to look for another teacher?

[rrhea]

Well, I went in last night for my second lesson with my teacher and she patiently explained to me that the floating method is the most efficient one they've come accross so far. And to watch her and the other instructor play, it's obvious that it works. Neither one of them began playing like that either... they had to learn how to do it, as well. Even though I am fumbling with it now, there are moments when I can clearly see that someone could blaze with this method once it is mastered.

I am going to give it a try. I feel that I still have more "head room" with my current picking method and that with more metronome practice I could get the anchored style I use much faster. Bear in mind that before, I had little discipline and no real practice sense, especially when I was younger. Now that I am playing again I have much more focus, better equipment, and certain goals. I think that is going to make me better regardless of any particular style.

At any rate, I have decided to learn this method and in corporate it into my playing. I have already begun to alter a few things in my "old" style by adding in some of the things I like about the new picking style (but not all) and can see how the changes could produce some improvment in the near future. (i.e. pick angle, not digging into the strings as deep, etc.)

I am developing a great relationship with my new teacher, and after only the second lesson I can see that she understands my situation and realizes that there is a chance I'll never totally adapt to their way of doing things. And I think she's ok with that, although she'd probably never admit it because they really would like for me to switch over.

There are two types of instructors, as most of you know. The type that let's you do whatever, and the type that are really strict about technique. I am up in the air right now on which I prefer, but so far I like this teacher and plan to stick with it for the next month and see what happens.

I still prefer my picking method! :D I don't care what they say. But my fear of messing up my current style is gone now. I see now that there is no way I could ever confuse the two, and now when I practice I use both. One session of scales with the new method, one with the old. Problem solved.

Time will tell which one will win. The only way I can ever know which is best for me is to learn the new one well so I can make that determination.

Thanks to all for the advice!

Ryan