Right Hand Form

[darknailblue]

Hey Guys,
I've been noticing that when I play I have two right hand forms. When I solo I usually keep my right hand in a fist. This way I'm able to pick pretty fast. In fact, any kind of linear fast picking I do in this fashion, and being that I'm in a prog metal band I usually keep this form most of the time. However when I have to play horizontal type things, especially arpeggiated passages where the strings have to ring out, I have to open up my hand and anchor my fingers to the guitar. I just can't seem to find where I am if I play the horizontal type things with a closed fist. Has anyone else experienced this?

~darknailblue

[EricV]

Kind of. I might slightly alter my right hand for certain things, although it usually isnt much of a difference. I think it´s ok to change it for certain techniques, yet you shouldnt alter it when speeding up the SAME technqiue from slow to fast. ( Hope this makes sense... )
Eric

[DemonSorcerer]

Same here...I tend to play the technical stuff a la Paul Gilbert style...with my hand almost closed...but when it comes to rythm playing, my hand tends to change slightly...it's kind of weird, i think it's jsut a matter of being comfortable...i guess one does it without being aware of that??

David

[EricV]

I think so, yes. And for some rhythm-playing, like fast funk stuff, or acoustic strumming, it makes sense to relax and open the hand a bit. I don´t think about details then, it just happens.
Eric

[Jimmy]

I've noticed a similar thing with my picking also... I've also noticed that a lot of players have their joint in their thumb in a downward V shape. This is impossible for me! My thumb is always bent upwards. I guess maybe concentrating too hard on this and that's way I mess up fast passages sometimes.

Also, I'm really struggling with Economy picking... dyu think practicin sweep picking might help?!!

[EricV]

Jimmy, I doubt that practising sweep picking will help to get into economy picking. It MIGHT work, cuz when you practice sweep picking, you focus on the "continuous pick direction on adjacent strings"-deal.
However, one thing that was beaten into our brains at the GIT was "Alternate picking is the foundation. Work on that before you attempt to sweep, cuz for sweeping, really good coordination is required, and alternate picking will help to achieve that"

Regarding economy and sweep picking, I actually would recommend to go the OTHER way: work on economy picking and THEN go to sweep picking.
I always considered EP the "missing link" between AP and SP ( sorry, got sick of typing out the full names of those techniques =) ). It´s a mixture, and I think to get sweep picking to feel natural, it would be a good idea to try some EP first.

Eric

[Jimmy]

Thanks Eric! I shall get back to it and stop moaning!

The tune "Technical Difficulties" by Racer X is what I'm workin on right now and is a real work out for alternate picking... my teacher recommended I try using economy picking..... practice, practice, practice ARGGGH! ;)

[EricV]

It might be a good exercise for EP, but I´d try to use AP for it, since the fast runs require hard picking in order to get that agressive Gilbert-sound, and I find it hard to get such a hard attack with EP. Then again, I never worked on EP a whole lot
Eric

[Jimmy]

Cheers Eric,

I'm up to about 1/2 speed using only AP, also using a heavier pick now which has also helped!

Thanks

Jimmy;)

[DemonSorcerer]

Hey, kiddo...

The heavier the pick, the better it is for fast picking...the reason is because it doesn't flexes around when it hits the string...of course, don't go extreme and try to find 3mm picks...personally, i love 1.5mm dunlop picks...the purple one...many others prefer Jazz III picks, but i hate small picks for some reason...

David