I'm self taught because I play upside down and backwards (don't ask) and guitar teachers won't even sit in the same room with me.

I've picked up a lot of technique from watching and listening and reading, but PICK ATTACK is such a powerful tool that I thought I'd pick your brains about it (sorry for the pun). Different kinds of picks, holding the pick differently, picking angles, etc.

For instance, a few minutes ago, I realized how I can get a much fuller tone picking single notes if I dig in so that the string reaches the finger which holds the pick before pulling or pushing the string. I normally pick so that the string only gets about 1/4" up the pick, which leads to a thinner sound. Conversely, you can strike the string at the very tip of the pick and it's even thinner.

There must be a lot of other tricks. What's the good stuff?

I'm mostly a finger style player. There is a technique borrowed from classical guitar called a "rest stroke".

Your pick is angled at about 45 degrees to the top. Lay the pick on the 5th string and press down till the pick slides off the string and comes to rest (laying evenly) across the 4th string.

You can experiment with the tone and power you get from this approach. Tony Rice and Clarence White both incorporated this technique in their playing.

rest stroke

Alan

This may not be where you wanted to go, and I expect I'm preaching to the choir, but I'll give it a go.

I use the blunt end of a very heavy pick, and I use almost as much middle-finger-knuckle/index-finger-tip/thumb-tip as I do pick ... I have *maybe* 1/8" pick exposed. This results in an extremely rich tonal pallet (I think it's mostly varying harmonic content), which is blatantly apparent on any electric guitar through a cranked amp, but is also interesting for clean electric and acoustic rythm. The one place it really doesn't work is flatpicking tradition bluegrass (but since I can't do that anyway, who cares! ).

My pick is maybe 30-45 degrees from vertical, and rotated counterclickwise about 15 degrees from the direction of the strings, kind of as seen below:

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Dave B,

I'm going to practice a bit tonight - I'll try these.

Elambo,

I ran into this link a couple of years ago. Way more than you want to know, probably, but a fairly extensive look at the subject. Cheers!

B

quote:

Originally posted by B Woods:
Elambo,

I ran into this link a couple of years ago. Way more than you want to know, probably, but a fairly extensive look at the subject. Cheers!

B

Tuck Andress wrote the best essay of picking that I have ever read. After several years I just re-read it this past weekend. It is B's link above.

umm, yeah. That could be more than I wanted to know--or worse yet, more than I can understand about pick technique. Even if I'm playing with a Blue Chip Pick. Or a Red Bear pick. Or a purple moose pick. etc.

elambo

I found this video that incorporates the rest stroke.

Double Down Up technique

Enjoy
Alan

E -

I don't use a pick very often at all with acoustic guitars, but when I'm playing lead-type stuff with electric guitars my approach often is like Dave B's above. If I really want bite (which I usually do), I'll have barely any of the pick exposed ... and it feels like I'm almost playing perpendicular to the strings.

This won't work for fast stuff, obviously, but for slower parts (i.e., the real good stuff) I really like the tone that is produced.

Lot's of good tips. I'll work on the down-down-up from Brad Davis tonight, then try some others.

I teach students to use the rest stroke when possible. It gives a fuller, more powerful tone. I also counsel them to keep the pick down--most people seem to instinctively pull the pick up and away from the strings. Practicing what I preach in this regard has helped my picking.

quote:

Originally posted by Dmargo1045:
I teach students to use the rest stroke when possible. It gives a fuller, more powerful tone. I also counsel them to keep the pick down--most people seem to instinctively pull the pick up and away from the strings. Practicing what I preach in this regard has helped my picking.

What do you mean, "Keep the pick down?"