Right hand picking accuracy

I,m looking for advice or an exercise that could help me with my picking accuracy. I've been playing about a year and I'm having trouble picking the correct string. My vision is very poor so I could use some help improving this part of my adventure.

Well I'll leave the tips to someone else who can point you to lessons and such, but I will say that vision has nothing to do with it. You can be blind and still play guitar (Jeff Healey among many others).

It's like saying, "I can't touch my nose with my finger because I have very poor vision".

I say find a position to maintain your picking hand in one position...
then work on open strings consentrating on feeling the string and fortifying right hand muscle memory.. even practice with your eyes closed for a few minutes..

When you build speed or accuracy, you need to EXAMINE your technique VERY CLOSELY. Take note of what picking hand is doing:

Ask yourself these questions:

1. Can I make my picking motions smaller?
2. Can I keep my pick closer to the strings?
3. Can I use directional picking instead of alternate picking?
4. Can I use inside picking instead of outside picking?
5. Am I gripping the pick too tightly?
6. Am I tensing my body or arm somewhere unnecessarily?
7. Am I striking the string with enough power (you should be hitting the string as hard as you can)?

Now, this is what you'll need to do to improve these problems:

1. Decide WHICH of the issues above you will work on today (one at a time!)

2. SLOW down your guitar playing to playing ONE note every TWO seconds. Playing at this speed will make sure you're playing near perfect.

3. As you start to speed up, WATCH YOUR HANDS!!! Make SURE you're FOCUSING and CONCENTRATING on the specific issue you decided to work on.

4. KEEP WATCHING YOUR HANDS!!! As soon as you start to notice the problem appear, SLOW DOWN, until it goes away again.

5. Practice at that perfect speed for 5 minutes... then try to go a little faster.

6. Repeat steps 3-6 until you've reached a speed you feel comfortable with!

Also repeat the process with each of the points. Remember you'll need to select a SINGLE problem to deal with at a time. Don't try to focus on solving every problem at once, or it will be much too difficult and frustrating.

Originally Posted by: ianroxI,m looking for advice or an exercise that could help me with my picking accuracy. I've been playing about a year and I'm having trouble picking the correct string. My vision is very poor so I could use some help improving this part of my adventure.

Pick small picking drills and work on them until they get comfortable. Make sure you don't use excessive tension in your fretting hand and also to get a good picking articulation...this is key ion developing a strong picking hand and also one that is accurate.

Originally Posted by: maltmnWhen you build speed or accuracy, you need to EXAMINE your technique VERY CLOSELY. Take note of what picking hand is doing:

Ask yourself these questions:

1. Can I make my picking motions smaller?
2. Can I keep my pick closer to the strings?
3. Can I use directional picking instead of alternate picking?
4. Can I use inside picking instead of outside picking?
5. Am I gripping the pick too tightly?
6. Am I tensing my body or arm somewhere unnecessarily?
7. Am I striking the string with enough power (you should be hitting the string as hard as you can)?

Now, this is what you'll need to do to improve these problems:

1. Decide WHICH of the issues above you will work on today (one at a time!)

2. SLOW down your guitar playing to playing ONE note every TWO seconds. Playing at this speed will make sure you're playing near perfect.

3. As you start to speed up, WATCH YOUR HANDS!!! Make SURE you're FOCUSING and CONCENTRATING on the specific issue you decided to work on.

4. KEEP WATCHING YOUR HANDS!!! As soon as you start to notice the problem appear, SLOW DOWN, until it goes away again.

5. Practice at that perfect speed for 5 minutes... then try to go a little faster.

6. Repeat steps 3-6 until you've reached a speed you feel comfortable with!

Also repeat the process with each of the points. Remember you'll need to select a SINGLE problem to deal with at a time. Don't try to focus on solving every problem at once, or it will be much too difficult and frustrating.

+1
This is exactly what you should be doing.

Originally Posted by: maltmn
7. Am I striking the string with enough power (you should be hitting the string as hard as you can)?

Really? I've only been playing a couple of years, but am surprised to see this recommendation. I should be hitting the string as hard as I can?

Originally Posted by: Bruce JReally? I've only been playing a couple of years, but am surprised to see this recommendation. I should be hitting the string as hard as I can?

It can be a very rewarding process to build on your picking articulation. Not because you always want to play like this but this wil increase your range to name just one benefit of picking really loud and with good articulation. he key here is that one must still be in control and this isn't some sort of wishy washy type drill :)

Originally Posted by: ianroxI,m looking for advice or an exercise that could help me with my picking accuracy. I've been playing about a year and I'm having trouble picking the correct string. My vision is very poor so I could use some help improving this part of my adventure.

This is a very good exercise to improve your rhythm hand coordination and accuracy, it is derived from a drum "paradiddle".

On one string use this picking pattern:

down, up, down, down, up, down, up, up.

Play this pattern in straight 8th notes or 16th notes and apply it to every string and you can finger which ever fret you want (thats where it can be fun if you start to get board). Practice to a metronome at slow tempos at first and gradually work your way up. All great things start small :)

Originally Posted by: Bruce JReally? I've only been playing a couple of years, but am surprised to see this recommendation. I should be hitting the string as hard as I can?

The problem for many players with picking is that their picking gets weaker and weaker the faster they play. This leads to a lot of problems like a lack of synchronisation between your hands for example.
Another thing is that it is essential for your soloing that every note can be heard as a single note (unless your are playing double stops or things like that) - good picking articulation is key for that!

David