Six Different Guitar Picking Styles To Make You A Better Guitarist

Jun 2
10:05

2012

Phil Johnson

Phil Johnson

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Beginning guitar players will occasionally overlook their right-hand to concentrate on the action in the left. However the right hand holds the keys to many different textures and styles. This summary of various picking methods will allow you to discover many of these textures and incorporate them in your guitar playing.

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Beginning guitar players will occasionally overlook their right-hand to concentrate on the action in the left. However the right hand holds the keys to many different textures and styles. This summary of various picking methods will allow you to discover many of these textures and incorporate them in your guitar playing.

Downstroke
It's the very first one every person learns. Using your pick you will stroke down,Six Different Guitar Picking Styles To Make You A Better Guitarist Articles toward the ground, and let it come to rest against the following guitar string (called a "rest stroke"). Make sure that that you do not pick out away from the guitar into nothing. Doing so creates a greater distance to arrive at the next note and there is a larger chance that you might come back to the incorrect string. Using the rest stroke lets your pick to move in a very finite space each time, teaching your muscles to return accurately for the upcoming note.

Double Stroke
Double stroke or "alternate picking" means alternating down strokes with up strokes. It's most often employed for 8th notes and faster. Although every now and then you will employ all downstrokes for 8th notes depending on how much aggression the tune calls for. Just as with the downstroke, you need your pick to come directly back upwards, as opposed to out into thin air. For you to accomplish this, be sure you're moving sideways from your wrist not rotating your forearm at the elbow. Make sure you're alternating: down - up - down - up. You will find picking techniques that will sometimes repeat a down or up stroke, but you must learn this even double picking initially so you don't create bad habits.

Sweep Picking
This kind of picking style may be used for really fast arpeggio runs. The idea entails stringing together all downstrokes and / or all upstrokes on adjacent strings to sound a fast set of notes. Picture it like this: Grab a barre chord and, instead of a normal strum, pick through every single guitar strings using a down stroke all in one smooth motion toward the ground. And then do the very same with up strokes. The most important distinction will come in your left hand. For a sweep picked melody your left-hand should not press down all the notes simultaneously, but one at a time, much like a regular single note line. Your major mission at this point is to have clean articulation between the notes instead of letting them ring simultaneously. All using that steady single movement of your right hand.

This isn't a method everyone needs, however it is a striking tool in your guitarist toolbox. This can also be used in a more simple way, for just two or three notes rather than a massive flurry.

Performers to listen to: Yngwie Malmsteen, Herman Li (of Dragonforce), and Frank Gambale.

Fingerpicking
This method entails ditching the pick altogether and simply using your fingers. It is popular in classical music as well as folk and world music styles, but can be used for just about anything you would like. Generally speaking, the thumb is going to manage the lower two or three strings and the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fingers will deal with the top few guitar strings. You can also experiment with a rest stroke, which is similar to the picking idea previously mentioned where by your finger tip comes to rest against the next string. You can also use a free stroke by which the finger tip completes its motion hovering over the strings. Free strokes are usually employed for chord arpeggios where you are looking for the notes to ring against one another. Rest strokes can be used for melodies in which you need cleaner articulation between your notes.

Performers to listen to: Mark Knopfler (of Dire Straits), Andres Segovia, Merle Travis, and Joao Gilberto

Hybrid Picking
This technique uses a pick, held as typical between your thumb and second finger, along with your additional fingers used bare. It can be good for articulating clean bass melodies as you are playing chords or melodies on the higher strings with your fingertips. You might also use it along with ordinary picking methods when you need to hit notes on non-adjacent guitar strings.

Performers to listen to: Buckethead, Brad Paisley, Albert Lee, Brian Setzer

Finger Picks and Thumb Picks
These are guitar picks which are attached to each finger (except for the pinkie) and thumb by way of a plastic band. The procedures will be essentially the same as the ones for fingerpicking. The big difference is that the picks give you a crisper, louder sound than regular fingerpicking. Many guitarists will use only the thumb pick as a replacement for a standard pick. Finger and thumb picks are generally used by banjo players, but also by slack key, Dobro, and slide players.

Performers to listen to: Nils Lofgren, Chet Atkins, Robert Johnson

Each one of these picking styles have traditional uses in specific styles, but never be afraid to try them in whatever style you are playing. Every technique is just an additional tool for getting to the music you hear in your head.