Back to the woodshed - Right hand technique

Doug

Inspired
I've decided to head back to the woodshed in 2013 to improve my picking technique, even if it means blowing up what I've been doing forever. I'm looking for either a video, book, article, whatever to help me return to proper technique. Any recommendations? I'm talking about everything from how I hold the pick, position/angle of my hand, pick angle, etc.
 
It is not just the hand, but the pick too. Try V-Picks. You can find them on the web. Tell Vinny John C sent you. Using the V-Picks helped my right hand tremendously... and I do mean tremendously. You'll read the claims about V-Picks and think, "Can't be that good". They ARE that good. If the V-Pick does not help you play better, you can PM me and tell me I'm a jerk.
 
u might think ur right hand is the prob.. but it actually might be ur left

Or synchronising the two. I had a young customer in a store I worked in who could super tight chunky rhythmic riffing on the low (open) e string and also some flashy left hand legato stuff, but suddenly sounded quite amateur and sloppy when he had to use both hands together. I had a quiet word to him about it (fortunately he didn't have a big ego problem and took it in the spirit it was offered), and he went away and worked on it and came back picking like frickin' Di Meola. Self taught is great and all, but sometimes can miss some of the basics.
 
Or synchronising the two. I had a young customer in a store I worked in who could super tight chunky rhythmic riffing on the low (open) e string and also some flashy left hand legato stuff, but suddenly sounded quite amateur and sloppy when he had to use both hands together. I had a quiet word to him about it (fortunately he didn't have a big ego problem and took it in the spirit it was offered), and he went away and worked on it and came back picking like frickin' Di Meola. Self taught is great and all, but sometimes can miss some of the basics.
Talking of Al D, it's been a while since Ive seen it, but his REH video had a ton of pretty tricky right hand workouts that might be useful for the OP. Looks like a fair chunk of it is on youtube
 
Thanks for the suggestions guys, there is some good stuff.

It's a good point regarding whether my left hand could improve - all aspects of my playing can be improved, I think that applies to nearly everyone. I'd like my right hand to be quieter and more efficient, like Gilbert.
 
I watched a video of him spending 30 minutes of him talking and filing his nails in one of his lessons.

Why would you do that.? Did someone force you into watching the video?

Thousands of jazz and classical students probably found it informing and appreciated his oppinion on propper hand maintenece. He also has one on left hand stretching warmup routine.

Mr Brown is a great teacher and has dozens of free technique video's.

If you don't like him, just STFU and move on to the next thread.
 
I did the same thing in 2011. Warning: You are going to get WORSE.. and I mean a lot worse... before you get better. My picking hand is twice as good as it used to be, along with improved synchronization, but holy crap did I suck for a year. I was embarrassed to play out for month or two at the beginning.

Through all of it, I noticed every guitarist has a different style of picking as well as holding the pick and which pick is good. The trick was figuring out who has the most closely related style to what you're already doing and figure out what they're doing to improve upon what you have already. For me, that artist was Paul Gilbert, even though I wasn't a big fan of his previously. That said, make sure you look at as many styles as possible and pick out little things from each that you like.

Some guys that I checked out/studied:
Paul Gilbert
Al Di Meola
John Petrucci
Troy Stetina (tons and tons of material here)
Mark Tremonti

I did have a "mindblowing" moment when I got a "speed pik", the ones with the cones for tips. When I read the instructions it talks about feeling the string "fall off" the tip of the pick instead of attacking it. I hadn't really thought of that before and it was quite the eye opener. That changed everything for me.

This is a great video of Mr. Gilbert.



Edit: Can't believe I spelled Al's name wrong.
 
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Thanks, I'm a big fan of Gilbert's picking, I need to work on that. The video you embedded isn't available, I'd love to check it out though.
 
Does anybody find they can do things gripping the pick in one direction on the higher strings that they can't do on the lower strings? For example, I can only play low string thrash type riffs like Megadeth's Holy Wars by pushing the middle joint of my thumb down and angling the pick back so that it slices over the string but I have more stamina for tremolo picking if I curl my picking-hand index finger under the pick (which is how I notice most shredders playing). I simply cannot play fast alternating picked stuff on the low strings like this, although I've been trying seriously for months. For country stuff where I'm hybrid picking a lot I also find it easier to hold the pick my natural way. I really don't know what to do for the best, and I've even been to teachers to help me try and fix it.
 
I did have a "mindblowing" moment when I got a "speed pik", the ones with the cones for tips.
I forgot about that thing. Yeah, I spent some time with one of those and it made me change my technique substantially. I bet a lot of people who trained with the speed pick now play Jazz III picks, or something similar.
 
I forgot about that thing. Yeah, I spent some time with one of those and it made me change my technique substantially. I bet a lot of people who trained with the speed pick now play Jazz III picks, or something similar.
Do you mean the Stylus Pick? I found that very helpful. It's styluspick.com. No affiliation, btw.
 
I forgot about that thing. Yeah, I spent some time with one of those and it made me change my technique substantially. I bet a lot of people who trained with the speed pick now play Jazz III picks, or something similar.

I have to be the only guy on the planet that doesn't like Jazz III's. They're just too small and too heavy for me. I REALLY like the tip though, so now I use Tortex Sharp .88mm.

Do you mean the Stylus Pick? I found that very helpful. It's styluspick.com. No affiliation, btw.

Yes, that's the one! I carry one of those in my pocket at all times. Extremely helpful in picking technique as it really forces you think about it.
 
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