View post (How do I pick with my fingers?)

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noticingthemistake
Crime Fighter
Joined: 08/04/02
Posts: 1,518
noticingthemistake
Crime Fighter
Joined: 08/04/02
Posts: 1,518
06/15/2003 3:11 am
I think you can actually get alittle faster by picking with the fingers, just because of the control of motion you have. What I mean is the distance at which your pick travels is easier to control at small distances with the fingers than the wrist. If your precise enough the distance you pick a string may only be fraction of a millimeter greater than the string you picked, which is pretty much a picking distance on the width of a string. The shorter the distance you pick the faster you'll be.

Ok since I don't know any videos, the way I would show you is. Take a pick and hold it like you normally would between you thumb and index finger. Set you picking hand to the strings like you were going to palm mute a single string. Now instead of using your wrist to pick the string. Push your thumb down to play a down-stroke, and push you index finger up to play a up-stroke. Play only one string, and try to play a consistant alternate picking pattern on that one string. That's picking with your fingers. It's takes alittle practice, but it's very easy once you get used to it. If you still need a video, just check out someone who plays like that and watch them. Even someone on MTV. ;)

In the end, you should learn how to pick with both your fingers and your wrist so that you can take the advantages of both when they are needed. Instead of settling with the disadvantage of only knowing one. Also learn to strum with your elbow, that will also come in handy.


"My whole life is a dark room...ONE BIG DARK ROOM" - a.f.i.