picking/wrist motion questions

[rattandroll]

Hello,

I am new to these boards and was wondering if anybody would be able to help me with some serious problems I am having with my playing.

A few months ago I came to the realization that my right arm technique was flawed and had to change. As a result, I now have pretty much no picking technique. But I have come to these questions, which I never considered before.

1. Should an upstroke encounter the same amount of resistance when striking the string as an upstroke? If so, how is this achieved? (I have tried different angles but I cannot solve this problem.)

2. What sort of motion should my wrist be making? Should it be up and down or should it be a sort of inward and outwards motions? At the moment I just want to get a nice chunky palm muted sound happening and it's driving me insane.

3. When I pick, it seems very unnatural. I cannot get the pick to glide through the string/s. Instead, it feels like the pick is being forced against it's own will through the strings.

4. New picks always sound scratchy until I've worn them in a bit. Is this the same for everyone or is it something that I'm doing wrong?

If anyone can help me with these questions it will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[gersdal]

Welcome to IBM :)

I'm not an expert, so I would like to refer you to Eric Vandenbergs artcles on picking. Check out:
http://www.ibreathemusic.com/article/43
http://www.ibreathemusic.com/article/45
http://www.ibreathemusic.com/article/49

I few things on your questions...
2. What sort of motion should my wrist be making?
I try to make my fingers do as much of the motion as possible.

3. When I pick, it seems very unnatural. I cannot get the pick to glide through the string/s. Instead, it feels like the pick is being forced against it's own will through the strings.I place a couple of fingers (little finger and ring finger) on the pick-board of the guitar and let the hand float over the strings. Maybe this is an approach you should test. It requires that you do most of your picking motion with your fingers, though.

4. New picks always sound scratchy until I've worn them in a bit. Is this the same for everyone or is it something that I'm doing wrong?I'm very sesitive to the picks I'm using. Some of them just doesn't sound good. I play Jim Dunlop Jazz II and III, and these are "normally" ok. Haven't analysed if the bad ones get better with playing :confused: . Good idea :D

[Padawan]

I wrote a huge story about your problem but it got all deleted! :mad:
Anyway don't take it too serious, also concentrate on composing, music understanding and improvising, your alternate problem will get solved sometime, even if it takes 3 or 4 years.
I let the others write how to approach the ap problem, I'm to lazy and have no time to write everything again :mad:

[nat_louie]

Hello,

I am new to these boards and was wondering if anybody would be able to help me with some serious problems I am having with my playing.

A few months ago I came to the realization that my right arm technique was flawed and had to change. As a result, I now have pretty much no picking technique. But I have come to these questions, which I never considered before.

1. Should an upstroke encounter the same amount of resistance when striking the string as an upstroke? If so, how is this achieved? (I have tried different angles but I cannot solve this problem.)

2. What sort of motion should my wrist be making? Should it be up and down or should it be a sort of inward and outwards motions? At the moment I just want to get a nice chunky palm muted sound happening and it's driving me insane.

3. When I pick, it seems very unnatural. I cannot get the pick to glide through the string/s. Instead, it feels like the pick is being forced against it's own will through the strings.

4. New picks always sound scratchy until I've worn them in a bit. Is this the same for everyone or is it something that I'm doing wrong?

If anyone can help me with these questions it will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

hey man,

im sorry to hear about that, but that same thing happened to me too a year back.. and now im coping up with it. i can already play with slayer tempo riffs before and one day came then i just tried to change my picking style because of playing classical, little by little my technique in picking is going away.

anyways just try to continue to keep playing. practice always and remember to relax and try the most comfortable position yoiu have. dont tense up youre shoulders and wrists. just focus on the sound and do everything slowly.

try to gripping the pick not so much tight and not so much loose. also try doing exercises like 3 notes per strings and stuff.

good luck to you and hope that everythings goes well and hope tha ti helped.
Godbless and a Happy New year to all!!!