Guitar pick direction

Guitar pick direction

Hi there, I wanna play something like this very quickly
E||--3--------4--------6---------4-----|--3-------4-------6-------4-----||
B||----4---4----4---4---4---4----4--|----4---4---4---4---4---4----4--||
G||------5---------5-------5---------|------5-------5-------5---------||
D||--------------------------------|--------------------------------||
A||--------------------------------|--------------------------------||
E||--------------------------------|--------------------------------||

what's the correct pick direction? I'm currently using up down up down
alternatively. Should it be up up down up?

Thanks,

Jason

Re: Guitar pick direction

On Apr 15, 7:02 pm, Jason <Jian.Huang.a...@gmail . com > wrote:
> Hi there, I wanna play something like this very quickly
> E||--3--------4--------6---------4-----|--3-------4-------6-------4-----||=

> B||----4---4----4---4---4---4----4--|----4---4---4---4---4---4----4--||
> G||------5---------5-------5---------|------5-------5-------5---------||
> D||--------------------------------|--------------------------------||
> A||--------------------------------|--------------------------------||
> E||--------------------------------|--------------------------------||
>
> what's the correct pick direction? I'm currently using up down up down
> alternatively. Should it be up up down up?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jason

down, down, down,down,down, down......

Learn it using only downward strokes.

~DOnnie

Re: Guitar pick direction

On Apr 15, 8:19 pm, Evol <mockedunic...@gmail . com > wrote:
> On Apr 15, 7:02 pm, Jason <Jian.Huang.a...@gmail . com > wrote:
>
> > Hi there, I wanna play something like this very quickly
> > E||--3--------4--------6---------4-----|--3-------4-------6-------4-----=
||
> > B||----4---4----4---4---4---4----4--|----4---4---4---4---4---4----4--||
> > G||------5---------5-------5---------|------5-------5-------5---------||=

> > D||--------------------------------|--------------------------------||
> > A||--------------------------------|--------------------------------||
> > E||--------------------------------|--------------------------------||
>
> > what's the correct pick direction? I'm currently using up down up down
> > alternatively. Should it be up up down up?
>
> > Thanks,
>
> > Jason
>
> down, down, down,down,down, down......
>
> Learn it using only downward strokes.
>
> ~DOnnie

Hi DOnnie, thanks for your reply. I'm new here. I think one reason why
people use pick is that it can go up and down. Hence it can play
faster than fingers(maybe it's not true). But what's the advantage of
using only downward strokes? Is it a way of practising?

Regards,
Jason

Re: Guitar pick direction

Jason,

Alternate picking is used because it is very efficient. The way to
make it more efficient is to add economy picking.

If you are changing strings on a down stroke to a higher string,
instead of picking up, go a head and continue the downward motion and
pick that note also.

To continue the economy, you can sweep all the way thru ala Ywngie,
Gilbert, Gambale, etc.

Re: Guitar pick direction

> Derek <derek@ycoaoffice . com > wrote:

> Jason,
>
> Alternate picking is used because it is very efficient. The way to
> make it more efficient is to add economy picking.
>
> If you are changing strings on a down stroke to a higher string,
> instead of picking up, go a head and continue the downward motion and
> pick that note also.
>
> To continue the economy, you can sweep all the way thru ala Ywngie,
> Gilbert, Gambale, etc.
>


heh. If you want real economy (for certain things) then
use hammer on's or pull offs for various notes and don't pick at all.
(but hammer on's pr pull offs sound different than picked notes
especially playing clean - so for pure cleans not such a great idea)
With gain/distortion or hotter boosted stuff - probably not
such a bad idea as the higher the gain/distortion the less
likely you'll hear much of a difference between hammer on's or
pull offs and picked notes.

but that's just my 2 cents.

Re: Guitar pick direction

Hi Derek, thanks for the explanation. Now after a little googling I
know that I have to practise sweep picking and alternate picking
before economy picking. It's gonna be a long way. Thanks again.

Jason

Re: Guitar pick direction

Jason wrote:
> ... Now after a little googling I
> know that I have to practise
> sweep picking and alternate picking
> before economy picking...

Why do you "have to practice sweep picking
and alternate picking before economy picking"?

I think you are confusing some of the terms,
but in any case, why do you feel that you
have to learn any of them before any other?
Or for that matter, any of them at all?

> It's gonna be a long way...

Well, it's as "long" as you care to view it.
What is it that you believe you will have
reached once you travel that "long way"?

Do you have the rhythm/timing/chords to this
song figured out? Is it even a song or is it
some kind of isolated exercise?

It's all about MAKING MUSIC. Being able to
perform some combination of five notes fast,
is NOT music. How's the song sounding?


Lumpy

In Your Ears for 40 Years
w w w .LumpyMusic . com

Re: Guitar pick direction

Lumpy wrote:
> Jason wrote:
>> ... Now after a little googling I
>> know that I have to practise
>> sweep picking and alternate picking
>> before economy picking...
>
> Why do you "have to practice sweep picking
> and alternate picking before economy picking"?
>
> I think you are confusing some of the terms,
> but in any case, why do you feel that you
> have to learn any of them before any other?
> Or for that matter, any of them at all?
>
>> It's gonna be a long way...
>
> Well, it's as "long" as you care to view it.
> What is it that you believe you will have
> reached once you travel that "long way"?
>
> Do you have the rhythm/timing/chords to this
> song figured out? Is it even a song or is it
> some kind of isolated exercise?
>
> It's all about MAKING MUSIC. Being able to
> perform some combination of five notes fast,
> is NOT music. How's the song sounding?
>
>
> Lumpy
>
> In Your Ears for 40 Years
> w w w .LumpyMusic . com
>
>
>
I don't seem to get too, serious about the correct 'strumming pattern';
up, down, down, down, up ... etc., whatever it maybe. I guess that I am
just, lazy. I haven't learned very, many 'Songs' in my 2 years of
learning to play my Taylor 310CE. I have a lot of books and CDs and
DVDs, which I have gotten many chords, (mostly, 1st position), strums
and rhythms / strum patterns from, but haven't really, 'stuck with it'
long enough to learn a 'whole song'. I play chord progressions in
'strumming patterns' that "Sound good to ME". I experiment with the
'strumming patterns' and find patterns that "I" think sound good. I
guess that I have been wanting to throw this thought out for a while to
see what others feel about how I am playing my guitar, and this question
of how to strum motivated me to do so. I have been feeling that I Must
learn Songs in order to be a guitar player, but lately, I have become
content in just, playing what sounds ok / good to me and what feels fun
playing. I figure that I am never going to be playing for anyone else
but myself, (I have no opportunity to play with other players), I am
having fun playing what I play and it sounds good / ok TO ME. I am not
saying that I will be content to not be open to learning as much as I
can as I continue this 'adventure', but it seems that I will pick up
what I can as it comes and as I go along; .. I guess that I am just,
lazy. I feel like I am Making Music; although it may not appeal to
anyone else if anyone else would hear it. ... So, if one is playing
just, for the fun of it, I say strum the way it feels good and sounds
good ... to your ears anyway.
Thanks for letting me bend you all's ears.

MikeyG

Re: Guitar pick direction

MikeyG wrote:
> I don't seem to get too, serious
> about the correct 'strumming
> pattern'; up, down, down, down, up ... etc...

Never in my life have I ever consciously studied
any kind of strum pattern.

Like you, I am not a slave to the mathematics.
I simply play so that it sounds good.

For the life of me, I can absolutely NOT figure
out what is so freakin hard about "strum patterns".
Your hand goes down, it comes back up. You want sound,
stick the hand/pick into the strings. You don't want
sound, pull it out.


Lumpy

In Your Ears for 40 Years
w w w .LumpyMusic . com

Re: Guitar pick direction

Lumpy wrote:
> MikeyG wrote:
>> I don't seem to get too, serious
>> about the correct 'strumming
>> pattern'; up, down, down, down, up ... etc...
>
> Never in my life have I ever consciously studied
> any kind of strum pattern.
>
> Like you, I am not a slave to the mathematics.
> I simply play so that it sounds good.
>
> For the life of me, I can absolutely NOT figure
> out what is so freakin hard about "strum patterns".
> Your hand goes down, it comes back up. You want sound,
> stick the hand/pick into the strings. You don't want
> sound, pull it out.
>
>
> Lumpy
>
> In Your Ears for 40 Years
> w w w .LumpyMusic . com
>
>
>
>
>
>
Whew w w w!! I thought I was going to get the toughest reply / criticism
from you Lumpy, no offense intended; me being an absolute beginner and
you being an accomplished professional, and me obviously, taking the
easy way, (lazy way), out of learning / playing the guitar. Although, I
am having fun and it seems that I am Making Music .... to me it sounds
like music.

MikeyG

Re: Guitar pick direction

MikeyG wrote:
> I am having fun and it seems that
> I am Making Music .... to me it
> sounds like music.

I was a shy and unliked wallflower,
until I discovered the correct strum pattern.


Lumpy

In Your Ears for 40 Years
w w w .LumpyMusic . com

Re: Guitar pick direction


"Squier" <squier@strats . net > wrote in message
news:150420082303133850%squier@strats . net ...

> heh. If you want real economy (for certain things) then
> use hammer on's or pull offs for various notes and don't pick at all.

Isn't the whole notion of hammer ons that you must first pick the string,
then hammer onto it from a higher fret?

I had always understood hammerons/pulloffs to be techniques for speeding up
things when you're working across the same string.

In his example, the notes are on different strings so he still has to pick
them, no? (although with high distortion I can get a note to sound by
hammering on without picking first, just never knew if that was an
"accepted" approach).

Re: Guitar pick direction

"Big Daddy wrote:

> Isn't the whole notion of hammer ons that you must first pick the string,
> then hammer onto it from a higher fret?

Yes, but it doesn't give you quite the articulation as picking the
note as Squire was pointing out.


> I had always understood hammerons/pulloffs to be techniques for speeding u=
p
> things when you're working across the same string.
>
Yes, speed, and different tone than just picking every note.

> In his example, the notes are on different strings so he still has to pick=

> them, no?  (although with high distortion I can get a note to sound by
> hammering on without picking first, just never knew if that was an
> "accepted" approach).

People study techniques like this for accuracy and development of
speed. There are plenty of players who have what may be considered
"sloppy" technique, and that helps define their sound.

Jimmy Page would be a good example, Keith Richards too. He has pretty
sloppy lead technique even when sober, but his sense of musicality is
so good, it really doesn't matter.

In the jazz world, Pat Metheny would be the first to tell you the way
he holds his pick and wrist is not optimal, and not to mimic it. In
spite of this, he is lightning fast and is very articulate.

I agree with Lumpy though, spending too much time on technique
development and not enough on music is out of balance.

I spend 30-45 minutes most every day at the beginning of my practice
going thru various strength, dexterity and flexibility exercises on
the instrument to keep my technique up.

Doing so has really improved my hands over the years. I then spend
the next hour to 2 hours playing music/learning new tunes, licks,
etc.

Re: Guitar pick direction

Derek wrote:
> People study techniques like this for
> accuracy and development of speed.
> There are plenty of players who have
> what may be considered "sloppy" technique,
> and that helps define their sound.
>
> Jimmy Page...Keith Richards...Pat Metheny...

I think any time the musician (any instrument)
uses any particular technique, and tends to
exclude others, the result becomes boring,
or non-exciting pretty quickly for the listener.

Early Santana, Grateful Dead, Allman Bros
and lots of other examples of solos lasting
several minutes, but using the same scales
and other hooks. It's a groovy groove when
you and the other 5,000 kids are wafting
on the lawn at the open air festival. But
it gets old pretty quick for things like
radio play or music video and (usually)
even records (whatever current form, Vinyl, CD etc).

Even long solos by Stan Getz sound "long".


Lumpy

In Your Ears for 40 Years
w w w .LumpyMusic . com

Re: Guitar pick direction

Lumpy wrote:
> I think any time the musician (any instrument)
> uses any particular technique, and tends to
> exclude others, the result becomes boring,
> or non-exciting pretty quickly for the listener.
>
> Early Santana, Grateful Dead, Allman Bros
> and lots of other examples of solos lasting
> several minutes, but using the same scales
> and other hooks. It's a groovy groove when
> you and the other 5,000 kids are wafting
> on the lawn at the open air festival. But
> it gets old pretty quick for things like
> radio play or music video and (usually)
> even records (whatever current form, Vinyl, CD etc).
>
> Even long solos by Stan Getz sound "long".

Yeah, okay, each to his own. Personally, I dig how guys like Getz,
Wes, Breau would take chorus after chorus and really dig deep into
tunes, developing motifs, jacking with reharmonization,
exploring alternative melodies, etc.

I am pretty geeky about that sort of stuff. I also dig a 20+ minute
tune (movement?) by someone like Dream Theatre where they use
variations on a theme and tell a long story musically.

Santana wanking for 10 minutes on a natural minor/pentatonic minor/
dorian thing in the same key does begin to get stale, even though I
think he is very melodic with his playing.