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

woodamand

Jazzaferri wrote: »

Every time ypunplay something with tension, you are remapping the brain and training it to play that way. The hardest part of GJ is slowing down ones practice enough so one is practicing it right. Progress comes much faster that way.

I will print this out and put it on the wall of my studio!!!!!!!!!!!

Buco

This all inspired me to record La Gitane which I've practicing for a while now. I returned to it this morning a took a few takes trying to stick to the things mentioned here. Like I mentioned earlier, there are parts here that immediately became smoother as I relaxed my hand even further. You can kinda see that my right hand is sort of a hybrid between anchoring with a pinky and free floating hand.
Not a recording quality take plus as soon as camera is rolling my ability to play this drops a few percent and parts that I know are a 100% on, become not so much. But anyway, still a work in progress.
Hope you don't mind me posting here Dana.

Jazzaferri

Heres a little something to try.

If you watch Buco's wrist in his vid its prett flat. I cant play flattish like that as my knuckles scrape the strings.

Watch how the pick moves with with a roll of the wrist keeping the wrist fairly flat ( this is not wrong, there are just differences) and then watch how the pick moves with a wrist roll if the wrist is like 60-70 degrees bent.

Decide for yourself what works for you.

woodamand

That's great Buco - wish I could play that well. And why would I mind hearing good music???? Thanks

Buco

Thanks man, I have a slow version on YouTube that I put up last October so I've been at it for a while.

Jay, my index finger knuckle is scraping and is partially my anchor. I have a pretty good callus where it's scraping. I used to anchor with a pinky and with that my wrist was angled more. I'm not sure now how the change came about but this feels more comfortable.

Jazzaferri

If my hand was a flat as yours @Buco my strings would have a red arc where I pick LOL

Youre looking and sounding pretty fluid. I think that for lead playing it only matters that the wrist isnt resting on the bridge...comfortable and relaxed is best. For even rhythm strokes I find it easier with more bend and that has become comfortable for me.

Buco

My right hand is at least 10% (maybe silly to put a number to it but suffice it to say it's improved) more relaxed following this thread. Thinking about what I do in order to give advice put light on things that could be made better.
I'm also realizing, I think this is correct assumption stop me if I'm wrong, that this grip is a dynamic thing. In a sense that where you have a fast run, lots of downstrokes, apply light and loose. On the slower passages, or where space allows and more attack and volume is desirable, apply firmer grip but without being detrimental to your wrist mobility.

Jazzaferri

Did you try the arm waggling finger tightening exercise. It seems to help with relaxing the arm while gripping a little more firmy.

Buco

How's that done Jay?

Scoredog

so this thread has been helpful for me too. Last night I turned my amp up a bit and used a lighter touch and was able to play many of things I practice and usually don't attempt on a gig. My feeling though is if I play this way in a unamplified jam session, i'll probably get swallowed up. I have heard many fine GJ players can be heard well even w/o amps in a crowded noisy room, i think I'll never get to that point.