Rest Stroke "relax" - how? And a few other questions

Bones · October 2015

When I look at the video that I posted in slo-mo I'm noticing a lot of what I think is extraneous motion coming from the fingers and not enough motion coming from wrist rotation. I think I have a lot of work to do just getting the basic technique correct.

Buco · October 2015

I don't think that's a bad thing, I notice that a lot of the best players sort of help their rest stroke by pushing down with their thumb.
You can spot some of it at the Bireli video that's just been posted and I remember Adrien M doing the same thing.

Bones · October 2015

Ok thanks Buco. I'll check that out and maybe some vids of Stochelo as well.

Jazzaferri · October 2015

Hey Bones...it is very easy to get caught up in the details. Is there a particular problem you are trying to resolve? As Buco pointed out the thumb motion may not be an issue. When I watch your vid with the sound off it looks pretty fluid to me. I think that during each practice session that in the middle of plsying focus your attention on how much tension there is in your wrist and arm and put a number on it 1 being almost 10 really tense.

Then stop, tense your wrist and arm as tight as ypu can and play a few notes. Think to yourself, thats a 10. Then go the opposite way and make your wrist and arm so floppy that you cant play properly and the pick may actually fall out of your fingers. Then close your eyes, think to yourself just a little more grip than that, then just go back to practicing whatever you are working on. They that once or twice every practice session for a week and let us know if you feel any changes.

Hemert · October 2015

@Bones

Your technique in the video looks pretty good to me. About the finger movement: Adrien Moignard uses this a lot and it definitely works. So if it works for you, by all means do it!

Bones · October 2015

Ok thanks for the input folks. I'm going to process all this and work on the exercises for the next week and see where I end up. I want to settle on a technique and then stick with it so that it is as consistent as possible so that it will become second nature. I have years of bad habits that I need to get rid of.

woodamand · October 2015

At least you seem to know how to concentrate. Right now, between my class and the books I bought I am on overwhelm. Just to try and keep up with the material - basically a song a week - its all I can do to try and learn the tune. There are still a lot of GJ chords I don't know yet. Fascinating, love it, but I am not finding the time to work on the rest stroke at all. And my pompe is piss-poor, but I am ***********trying*********** to at least keep a light grip on the pick in all cases. Just seeing the discussion helps to remind me of that, at least so thanks all for keeping chiming in on this. What cool stuff to learn for an old geezer like me!

Bones · October 2015

Hey Wood, if ur just getting started be sure to get ur 'basic' pompe down and also ur proper right hand technique first thing. Don't make my mistake and develop bad habits that u have to fix later. I feel like I am starting all over again.