Picking Tip

Jazzaferri

Hi All

This is one of those slap the forehead saying DOH moments BUT :oops: :oops:

I was running up against a speed wall, where even holding my pick really loosely my fingers could go faster than I could pick the notes because hitting the string was slowing me up a wee bit.

After a few weeks of frustration with trying different things , more power tighter grip (bod more tension) etc etc. This morning in practice all of a sudden things felt completely different. Now I could pick faster than my fretting fingers could go, cleanly. After reveling in the feeling for a while so it didn't go away, I figured out that I had unconsciously changed the angle of the pick very slightly to crossing the strings at a few more degrees from parallel.

I tried going a wee bit more and attack got limp but have found the sweet spot. Now I am even more amazed by how slick this pick is. 8)

Lango-Django

Jay, could you explain this just a little bit more for all the rest of us DOH guys?

Jazzaferri

I will measure angles s best i can tonight however concept is as below

........PP
...........PP
..............PP
STRING OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
.................PP
....................PP
.......................PP

PP is the body of the pick very exaggerated.


When i pick the body of the pick isnt quite parallel to the string. A bit of an angle as above.

When the angle gets too big the pick slides really easily but loses all crispiness in the attack. To close to parallel and there is much more resistance to the pick going through the string, even loosely held

Getting the angle right can hold the pick without tension but not being sloppy and i get a really fast crisp attack with no pick noise at all. Tis is with my blue chip

Once i get my studio back under control i will do some recordings and see what others think of the difference

Bones

Interesting. I think I may be too parallel.

Can you post a picture or vid of the angle?

thanks.

Lango-Django

OK, I'm not being deliberately obtuse here but I still don't understand... DOH!

Jazzaferri

Well here is an exercise that might help.

Start picking just one note in a slow down up pattern. Concentrate on a relaxed no tension hand.

Once this feeling is grooved, consciously start to turn the pick a little at the time so the front edge strikes the strings., just a few degrees at a time. Listen for attack and concentrate on the feel. Assuming you are using a shaped edge pick, as the angle gets further away from parallel there will come a point that the crisp attack goes away, and by going further the pick will slide over the strings with a brushing motion. This obviously is too far.

Depending on the pick you are using. You hopefully will find a point that the pick moves much more easily but still has a crisp attack.

i will try and get my wife to take a piccy

Lango-Django

Thanks, now I understand!

DOH!