When he mentioned supporting the pick on both sides, I think it clicked for me. Now I visualize pushing down with my thumb on the down strum and pulling up with my index finger for the up strum. I'm still figuring it out but I think that tip just helped me jump a hurdle.
Very new to guitar, but my swim coach would always say, "only perfect practice makes perfect." I like the concept of micro relaxation. After 20 min it's already feeling better. Thanks!
I thank you for teaching me the right way to hold a pick! I’ve watched many videos and no one has ever said anything about holding the sides of the pick. Again thank you, your video was very informational.
Definitely the best video I have seen on the subject. This should be picking 101 for all new guitar players, so we stop our bad habits before they start.
Perfect lesson for me after a long practice. I will be re-watching this a few times as I internalize your instructions. I am struggling with pick issues and need to refresh my brain. I like your cognitive breakdown of each variable involved. Thanks!
Thanks so much for letting me know. Glad you found this helpful. FYI - I'm rebooting the channel and have added new content recently, with more to come.
So much that I never thought about. Thank you so much for a very helpful video that that was presented in an excellent way. Now I will begin to rethink a lot wrong things that I "taught" myself to do. Thanks again!
So funny to watch some of these videos again...thinking about all the picking problems I had few years ago..but with some cool tips from videos like this it totally changed everything...Cheers 👍
Thank you Dan! I avoid using a pick when strumming because the upstrum always gets stuck or sounds harsh. But, in the time it took to watch this video, I fixed my sticking pick problem. And happened to be using a stiff red Jazz III (pretty stiff for open chord strumming). Every single tip you mentioned, I tried, and before the video ended, I forgot how to get the pick stuck. It was like that very moment one realizes they just rode down the street, looked back, and realized no one was holding on to the bike. There's no going back once you've got it in your muscles. Your a awesome teacher.
Cesar M. Are you still using jazz 3 I switch jazz 3 to jazz 3 xl so it’s normal size but jazz 3 thickness any suggestions for upstrum.. my alternate picking is good it my up strums when strumming chords I really don’t want to use a thing pick because I like to feel the pick I like jazz 3 how did you solve your problem?
I tried the technique of pulling my pick hand out from the string before moving down/up from the next string I also found that I wasn't looking down at my pick hand I could run up and down without looking ;-) works for me !
Bro !!! I solved my problem of getting stuck on the strings... I been trying for a year to figure it out... my picking slanting, picking leaning, and doing 30-45 degree angle on pick... and I’d still get stuck.... come to find out it was my arm angle !!!😂 right away it fixed it when I made my wrist straight with arm for a neutral position .... thank you so much!!!! I also noticed my forearm would get fatigued on the side like 6 inches above wrist because my range of motion with my up picking was very limited, so when I would gallop or play metal I was doing a lo of chugging
I now use a very thick pick as my primary. They're Dunlop Big Stubbys in 3mm; I also use their 2mm Stubby too. Very thick with a somewhat sharpish tip and beveled edges which I find helpful. I'm just quite comfortable with them now and I believe that they do indeed help with my speed. I've never had good results using a thin pick, though I really never kept at it because I just don't like the feel. To keep in practice with using what is "the norm", I switch and play for a while with a regular 1mm heavy pick too ( Clayton BeeHold). They're black & yellow (Steelers!!) and have a hole cut out in the grip end. Guess it's different for everyone. I'm so glad I was given that initial Big Stubby to try. I would most likely never have even looked at those as an option and then it turns out that they made enough difference as to become my go-to picks.
Hey, man, greetings from Brazil! Your channel has helped me a lot. Thankyou! I noticed that your website (which I never got to visit) does not exist anymore, and there are no recent videos on the channel. I hope everything is okay with you and I would be glad if new videos were uploaded.
Jesus christ, the exercise at 10:28 is incredible. SO SIMPLE, yet SO USEFUL. I've been struggling to get past 190 BPM while playing sixteenth notes without getting stuck for MONTHS. I've seen a lot of these videos, and while they were really helpful, nothing helped me as much as that one exercise you mentioned. I'm beyond grateful for this amazing video, man. All the best.
Most interesting video. I can see where I need to change using the pick now. It's going to be quite a challenge to change how I pick after all these years. I recently started learning surf guitar and it's a lot of tremolo picking technique. Have subscribed.
Thanks for the sub. I've recently re-booted this channel, and have added a bunch of new videos over the last few weeks. Stay tuned for even more new stuff!
Hope you're doing well with your picking. Have you been improving? FYI - I'm rebooting the channel and have added new content recently, with more to come.
as a Classical guitar player thats played for 5 years now but is new to picking on electric, this was the right amount of time needed for me to fix my bad habits. I can actually pick 16ths without killing my forearm and for my pick to just get stuck.
This is one of the best vids on this subject. I created 2 exercises (using tritones) to help me learn this important skill: 1: pick down on say the D string and then up on the G-string. 2:pick up on the D and down on the G. An easy version of these 2 exercises is: make the tritone shape on fret 1 for D-string and fret 2 for the G (that is the interval of a tritone). Do the Down-Up ex. and move that tritone shape up and down to say the 15th fret on ALL PAIRS OF STRINGS. Repeat on all string pairs but now using Up-Down. These 2 exercises will eliminate the two most common reasons for tripping up by getting your pick stuck in the strings. (I do a version of this where I can stay in one position.)
This is awesome. Creating exercised for yourself is a major key to taking ownership of your improvement. FYI - I'm rebooting the channel and have added new content recently, with more to come.
Excellent overview of the issue. Extremely valuable. Nice to relate to someone who's had similar issues in the past. Thanks for posting! It's certainly a gnarly issue and there are many factors. A few thoughts: 1) String tension seems to be a big factor. I find that lower tension increases the likelihood of failure. This is affected by string gauge and the scale length of the guitar. Shorter scale like Les Paul or even shorter scale guitars are worse. 2) Which strings you play is a factor. The lower wound strings may stick less often than higher strings 3) How far from the bridge you pick is a big factor. Closer to the bridge tends to stick far less often for me. But of course, this can adversely affect the sound. 4) The design of the tip of the pick is key. Try rotating the pick 120-degrees and picking with the rounded, top part. I find that I can pick like crazy and it never ever gets stuck. On the downside, the attack of the notes suffers and the action isn't as precise. Perhaps a compromise. Choose a pick with a less pointy point. 5) The thickness of the pick is a factor, as mentioned. Relatively thin picks (ie EVH) recover from sticking so it eventually pulls away and doesn't totally fail or break a string. But...the hardness of the pick material is also a factor. I mean how plastic/elastic the material is and the durometer rating. This is never spec'd by pick makers. Some picks historically have been made with metal, glass and all sorts of hard (and sticky!) materials. I find softer is more forgiving. Not sure how bluegrass pickers use metal finger picks so successfully. I struggled and gave up years ago as the picks kept catching and flying off my fingers ballistically.
Thanks for the information. My issue was not supporting both sides of the pick as my index finger was in the middle of the pick causing problems with the up strum motion...now the issue is getting used to holding the pick in a new way...practice, practice i suppose...
Not even close. Hopefully you found something helpful in there. FYI - I'm rebooting the channel and have added new content recently, with more to come.
Great lesson on a problem that I've had for years which has really stopped me progressing. It becomes a curse. The thin pick option is not for me as it loses all the tone. One thing that has helped, not mentioned in the video, is to curl (or retract) my first finger up further behind the plectrum into more of a fist-like grip. It gives a little more contact and support on the plectrum without any tightening of the grip.
I found a solution to mine, I turn the point of the pick about 45 degrees left so it hits the string more with the rounder part of the pick almost like a coin(Brian May style), atleast I feel like Im playing guitar instead of fighting with it when I used to have the point perpendicular with the strings.
I need to talk about thumb joint pain. I experiment tirelessly w my technique and the mechanics of my pick attack and still I'm getting consistent shock related pain in the middle joint of my thumb. I have really tried investigating these mechanics so that that joint is not being allowed to flex backwards. I know tons of players play with that joint already bent basically backwards which I can never understand. Maybe I need to try loosening up? I also play a lot of bluegrass guitar or I am producing maximum volume to compete with a banjo and fiddle and mandolin... But even besides that I have this issue.
Joshua Shelton My first thought would be (and usually is) more motion. For example, on repeated downstrokes extend on windup and flex on the stroke itself. Remember that motion is the enemy of rigidity. They cannot exist at the same time. Exaggerate the motion at first to ensure that you're not backsliding into old habits. Be very careful here. Pain is your body's way of telling you that something is wrong. Don't overdo it in the name of figuring it out quickly or you could permanently injure yourself.
Great video on picking improvement. I was a little confused by what exactly the pick "getting stuck" in the strings means...you refer to this a lot so maybe an example to ensure understanding of that problem would be helpful.
If you don't know what "stuck" means than it doesn't happen to you. The title came about because I was looking at search terms to see what kinds of problems people were looking to solve. "Stuck" is literally that. You're picking and your pick gets jammed into the strings and it brings whatever you're playing to a grinding halt.
@@Whyisuckatguitar actually that does happen to me, I have a habit of really digging in when I am in a moment, but I play cleaner and faster when I play lighter
Trying to tighten my picking up so I can learn some iced earth. That John Schaefer is a monster rhythm guitarist and I keep snagging my pick on the riffs I'm trying to learn cause there picked so fast and so precise.
Great video! I have been re-working my picking technique for a few weeks now and this video will definitely go into my arsenal of re-education! I learned to pick from the elbow but I see here that bringing in some wrist motion makes getting from string to string much easier. I liked what you said about using multiple techniques too. I thought that I was crazy because as I was relearning to pick I discovered that mixing in different approaches even with in the same "lick" would make everything come together much easier. I thought, "That can't be right!" LOL! But now that I watched your video, I understand that it's completely okay to do that. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience! :)
John Petrucci uses completely different picking technique when he plays slow vs. fast. There are a bunch of videos out there where you can see it plain as day. Glad you're on the right path. FYI - I'm rebooting the channel and have added new content recently, with more to come.
Hi. Such a great video and useful tips and advice. Just a question, I have been having this problem of my pick get stucked between the string when i play. If I play mostly Metallica kinda music, would it help if I used a thinner pick until I get use to the motion, then only upgrade to a thicker pick? Currently im using the Dunlop James Hetfield White Fang (1.14mm). Thanks for your help
I would say no. Your picking motion will be different with a thinner pick. If you don't want to switch back and just see if using a thinner pick works better for you, go for it. If you want to keep using the thicker pick then I'd say learn to work with it. FYI - I'm rebooting the channel and have added new content recently, with more to come.
Firstly thanks for share all your experience, a great video.. in my case I use to play my music and solos and technique slow, but the problem appears when I get to 120bpm and I want to play in sixteen notes.. I've tryied a lot of things holding the pick different, but no results..
i did not expect any useful information here to be honest, because i was disappointed by some of the videos i've seen so far. Thx for taking the time. It's not funny when someone tells you how to hold a pick the fast way and you realize it doesn't work afterwards.
Thank you for the information.I am having trouble getting my pick stuck while I am strumming, especially on the upstroke.Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
When he mentioned supporting the pick on both sides, I think it clicked for me. Mow I visualize pushing down with my thumb on the down strum and pulling up with my index finger for the up strum. I'm still figuring it out but I think that tip just helped me jump a hurdle.
Hard to diagnose specifics in writing. When strumming you can move at the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and fingers. I'd try focusing on forearm rotation (from the elbow) and wrist movement in support. FYI - I'm rebooting the channel and have added new content recently, with more to come.
Appreciate ur detailed explanation & is helpful indeed….. however, I'm curious about the best pick angle to prevent it from catching or creating uneven sounds while strumming up or down. Should I focus on strumming with the pick's tip or its side edges for smoother play?
"Support the edge of the pick making contact." Duh. Completely obvious. [Changed the way I thought of the pick and the single most helpful tip I have gotten to improve my picking.]
Watch Troy Grady's channel two way pickslanting is the motion you use to play fast through the strings combined with the pick angle allows you to pick and clear the string with less effort
I have a problem with picking that is similar to one of your techniques you call lifting. I have what I call a dipping or dunking motion as I go from stroke to stroke. this extra movement slows me down a lot and is not consistent. How can I unlearn this or should I just refine it.
You need to take ownership of your movements. Do some trial and error on a picking motion that works for you (I actually have a new video on this) and then you need to spend time unlearning your existing muscle memory. It won't happen right away, but it is possible. I've done it myself. FYI - I'm rebooting the channel and have added new content recently, with more to come.
@whyisuckatguitar My pick doesn't get caught, my thing is, my first finger rubs the strings wearing down my the nail causing pain below the nail. I have developed a bad habit. I never noticed it before. I also need to learn to do Galloping power chords as in , The Trooper by Iron Maiden. I haven't gotten that technique yet. it sounds so Cool !
Hard to diagnose specific pick grip issues in writing. And I realize this comment is from like two years ago. Hopefully you're on the right path now. FYI - I'm rebooting the channel and have added new content recently, with more to come.
Carvin FTW! Now Kiesel... which are also really nice but really expensive. Carvin back in the day had unreal value for the money. That guitar was $1,100. Neck-thru, locking tuners, stainless steel frets, and semi-custom to my specs. FYI - I'm rebooting the channel and have added new content recently, with more to come.
im so used to holding the pick with the side of my nail on my index finger, when I try moving the pick to be more on the ball of the first knuckle its so uncomftroble I always go back the my normal grip. After this video im going to practice like that for a few weeks and hopefully it sticks. tired of not making progress with my speed
***** Check out my lessons on finger independence. Search for "finger independence" on my blog (whyisuckatguitar.com) and they will be the firs two articles that come up.
I no it's not guitar but picking is the same for all string instruments I Play tenor banjo trad music gdae tuning pick is always getting caught on strings could be the tension of the strings when I try speed up no matter where I put my hand we play 8notes per bar reels when I slant the pick it don't sound the same as flat picking ,and also any advice for chunking in 8 notes per bar would be appreciated for building up speed left and right hand together cheers 👍
Hi Kaylee - Just added some new content (rebooting the channel) and as luck would have it the most recent video is on increasing picking speed. Check it out!
I use medium picks and I'm going to move to a dragon hearts pick because of the rounded and pointed edges. So going into a fast part I'll move to a rounded part a a slow part I'll move to a pointed edge or normal edge
Maybe this is a bad analogy but should you hold the pic similar to the way that you would hold a pencil or pen in other words closer to the tip that you're writing with or in this case where you're going to make contact with the strings. I'm going to assume that this is the point you're trying to make and I'm just being redundant but I just wanted to clarify
Not necessarily. If you want to shred, then sure that's an approach that a lot of players use. I don't want to make that assumption about all viewers, though. If you want to play funk you'd bloody your fingers against the strings, I think. FYI - I'm rebooting the channel and have added new content recently, with more to come.
The difference is this video is solid instruction to help you succeed, not 20 minutes of misdirection and double-speak like a politician. It's called being a teacher.
I have to agree. its one thing to explain accurate details, but I lost interest after 5 minutes. thing is..im happy with my playing. im simply bored watching you tube videos.
I have an opposite attack angle when playing. Most people hold their picks at a slight angle downward following the shape of the forearm but maybe 15-20 degrees angle. Mine is opposite. It’s served me well for years, but I’m at the point where doing fast runs and sweep picking are frustrating. I can play chunky rhythms and two string stuff fast all day without missing a beat. But my soloing bites. Will I essentially have to adopt a normal pick angle of attack to improve? Or can I make adjustments to overcome like you did with a slight weaving motion? Great video. I’m just dreading having to potentially unlearn years of muscle memory. Thanks for any help.
There are some great players who pick this way... Vernon Reid, Shawn Lane. Ola Englund picks this way too. Your mechanics will need to account for the inverse edge picking angle, but the proof is out there. This does work. FYI - I'm rebooting the channel and have added new content recently, with more to come.
My long term 'sticking problem: Especially with the upstroke and a real hindrance when moving from string to string with alternate picking. The upstroke tends to 'fly up and away' (palm facing up) when it frees itself from the string. I'm trying to correct it by careful attention/analysis of the mechanics involved to how much I'm lifting when "turning the lock" but still can't find a way to 'calm it down'. I know that there's a solution but trial and error, it still reverts back to the learned 'neuro' habit. Frustrating yet I persevere.
I have the same problem my bro. If I'm playing a lick that string skips and expands from the G to the low E, by the time I get to the low E I'm barely connecting with it. It's so frustrating!!!
Check out Troy Grady's Cracking the Code series. He's done waaaay more research on string crossing than I ever will. FYI - I'm rebooting the channel and have added new content recently, with more to come.
Strumming the 5th (A) string only gives me a lot of trouble. I’m either getting stuck or hitting the string above and or below it. 😱 I’m using a Stratocaster with 10’s
Probably something to do with your arm / wrist placement. Sometimes you have to adjust your arm to get the right angle on each individual string. Guessing maybe you need to pull back a bit if your wrist is getting too folded over (because you're not adjusting your arm as you move to the lower strings). FYI - I'm rebooting the channel and have added new content recently, with more to come.
the main reason i was getting my pick caught was because in my mind i was strictly alternate picking, but in reality I was doing about 1/3 hybrid picking, whenplaying 3 note per string scales
A verry good video !..great idee !...becouse it whas a BIG problem meself!..and no other learning vids covered the REAL problems in playing !..i found it meself a year and a half a go,there whas only frustration ,becouse i stuck in me playing ,becouse ,IT IS ALL TECHNIK !..now i understand if you have NOT the technic to plat sommething ,you cant play the song to ,how much you try !!...this is me opinioin now ,and i think this vid go in that direction !!...
Hi! I am from Argentina and I am playing a classical guitar (not electric). I am having some issues with my picking technique and not finding info as all classical guitar videos use finger picking. I think my problem is that I need to put my right hand over the guitar hole, and cannot relax my wirst over the bridge (it is too far from the hole). So my hand and wirst are in the air. When I practice my picking techique in that way I feel I lose a lot of precision and cannot improve my speed and accuracy. What would you recommend? Should I switch to electric guitar to practice the picking technique or I should put my wirst and arm in some position that I am not figuring out yet? I would appreciate your answer, thanks!!!
Christian Gelman I would go with an electric guitar then. You can do some decent strumming on a classical guitar, but the string tension is different, the action is different and the string spacing is different. It's not impossible if it's the only instrument you've got (others have done incredible things with far less) but if you have the means grab an electric and I think you'll be happier. At least you'll be able to trade ideas with other pop and rock guitarists without having to adjust for the differences in your instrument.
My pick used to stuck on the strings. Then I turn it so the tip of the pick starts aiming to the 12th fret instead of stomach (not 6 o'clock straight, but 7 o'clock, that kinda angle) ↙️ instead of ⬇️ if you look down on your pick
and don't forget to mention that you have to build muscles in your picking hand and arm and even to the shoulder. The more you train, the less you are going to have issues with picking, cause the strings won't give you that much of response.
Yes and no. I would say building coordination vs. strength is more accurate. We already have more than enough strength to play the guitar. Most people are setting their muscle groups against each other ("the claw") without realizing it and it makes their muscles tired / overworked. FYI - I'm rebooting the channel and have added new content recently, with more to come.
Another tip if your pick gets stuck on the strings may be to use a coin, because as it has rounded edges, it gets through the strings with more fluidity.
Somewhat. Different players have different technique for this. Part of your technique will be dependent on what kind of pick you use. Heavier picks with more of a point are great for this displacement technique. Thinner picks with a more rounded tips don't lend themselves to this quite as much. FYI - I'm rebooting the channel and have added new content recently. The latest video actually covers increasing picking speed.
When he mentioned supporting the pick on both sides, I think it clicked for me. Now I visualize pushing down with my thumb on the down strum and pulling up with my index finger for the up strum. I'm still figuring it out but I think that tip just helped me jump a hurdle.
This was a revelation for me, too. I kept holding pick dead center.
Yes!
FYI - I'm rebooting the channel and have added new content recently, with more to come.
Getting stuck when doing upstrokes was my main issue. Supporting the pick on both sides solved it. Thank you so much for this great video!
Glad you found it helpful!
same here
Same here. I got to the point where I just keep all my picks in a glass next to me, so when I drop one, I just grab another one and keep on playing.
Very new to guitar, but my swim coach would always say, "only perfect practice makes perfect." I like the concept of micro relaxation. After 20 min it's already feeling better. Thanks!
I thank you for teaching me the right way to hold a pick! I’ve watched many videos and no one has ever said anything about holding the sides of the pick. Again thank you, your video was very informational.
Glad the video helped you out.
FYI - I'm rebooting the channel and have added new content recently, with more to come.
Thank you so much! I've watched countless tutorials but this is the first time I understand what's the right way to do it! You explained very well!
52 years in and I still find things to make me a better player. :-)
47 years in here. Right there with you.
FYI - I'm rebooting the channel and have added new content recently, with more to come.
Definitely the best video I have seen on the subject. This should be picking 101 for all new guitar players, so we stop our bad habits before they start.
Thanks!
FYI - I'm rebooting the channel and have added new content recently, with more to come.
Perfect lesson for me after a long practice. I will be re-watching this a few times as I internalize your instructions. I am struggling with pick issues and need to refresh my brain. I like your cognitive breakdown of each variable involved. Thanks!
Glad you found this helpful.
FYI - I'm rebooting the channel and have added new content recently, with more to come.
Jeez man this video is probally the most helpfull video i have seen, thanks man😁
this is exactly my problem and I appreciate the multi-faceted approaches to solve it!!!!
In the first 10 minutes of this video I'm already picking better. Priceless information here
Thanks so much for letting me know. Glad you found this helpful.
FYI - I'm rebooting the channel and have added new content recently, with more to come.
Positioning my index finger more to the edge than in the middle fixed it for me. Thank you so much. Video was very helpful
So much that I never thought about. Thank you so much for a very helpful video that that was presented in an excellent way. Now I will begin to rethink a lot wrong things that I "taught" myself to do. Thanks again!
Glad you found some useful tips!
So funny to watch some of these videos again...thinking about all the picking problems I had few years ago..but with some cool tips from videos like this it totally changed everything...Cheers 👍
Glad you found this helpful.
FYI - I'm rebooting the channel and have added new content recently, with more to come.
Thank you Dan! I avoid using a pick when strumming because the upstrum always gets stuck or sounds harsh. But, in the time it took to watch this video, I fixed my sticking pick problem. And happened to be using a stiff red Jazz III (pretty stiff for open chord strumming). Every single tip you mentioned, I tried, and before the video ended, I forgot how to get the pick stuck. It was like that very moment one realizes they just rode down the street, looked back, and realized no one was holding on to the bike. There's no going back once you've got it in your muscles. Your a awesome teacher.
Cesar M. Are you still using jazz 3 I switch jazz 3 to jazz 3 xl so it’s normal size but jazz 3 thickness any suggestions for upstrum.. my alternate picking is good it my up strums when strumming chords I really don’t want to use a thing pick because I like to feel the pick I like jazz 3 how did you solve your problem?
Thanks for the kind words!
FYI - I'm rebooting the channel and have added new content recently, with more to come.
As a 47yr old new student of the guitar, this has been very helpful. Much thanks indeed 💕💕
So good! Tons of great info here. Gonna take a while to digest and implement (which is kind've the point), but can't wait to get started!
FYI - I'm rebooting the channel and have added new content recently, with more to come.
Check out the new stuff!
I tried the technique of pulling my pick hand out from the string before moving down/up from the next string I also found that I wasn't looking down at my pick hand I could run up and down without looking ;-) works for me !
Bro !!! I solved my problem of getting stuck on the strings... I been trying for a year to figure it out... my picking slanting, picking leaning, and doing 30-45 degree angle on pick... and I’d still get stuck.... come to find out it was my arm angle !!!😂 right away it fixed it when I made my wrist straight with arm for a neutral position .... thank you so much!!!! I also noticed my forearm would get fatigued on the side like 6 inches above wrist because my range of motion with my up picking was very limited, so when I would gallop or play metal I was doing a lo of chugging
I now use a very thick pick as my primary. They're Dunlop Big Stubbys in 3mm; I also use their 2mm Stubby too. Very thick with a somewhat sharpish tip and beveled edges which I find helpful. I'm just quite comfortable with them now and I believe that they do indeed help with my speed. I've never had good results using a thin pick, though I really never kept at it because I just don't like the feel.
To keep in practice with using what is "the norm", I switch and play for a while with a regular 1mm heavy pick too ( Clayton BeeHold). They're black & yellow (Steelers!!) and have a hole cut out in the grip end.
Guess it's different for everyone. I'm so glad I was given that initial Big Stubby to try. I would most likely never have even looked at those as an option and then it turns out that they made enough difference as to become my go-to picks.
Love to see your face on the videos. You're very intelligent!
Hey, man, greetings from Brazil! Your channel has helped me a lot. Thankyou! I noticed that your website (which I never got to visit) does not exist anymore, and there are no recent videos on the channel. I hope everything is okay with you and I would be glad if new videos were uploaded.
Jesus christ, the exercise at 10:28 is incredible. SO SIMPLE, yet SO USEFUL. I've been struggling to get past 190 BPM while playing sixteenth notes without getting stuck for MONTHS. I've seen a lot of these videos, and while they were really helpful, nothing helped me as much as that one exercise you mentioned. I'm beyond grateful for this amazing video, man. All the best.
On the best video about picking IMO. Thanks
Thank you so much for saying that.
FYI - I'm rebooting the channel and have added new content recently, with more to come.
This was super helpful. Thanks!
excellent lesson and content. very thorough. thanks.
Glad you found it helpful.
FYI - I'm rebooting the channel and have added new content recently, with more to come.
Most interesting video. I can see where I need to change using the pick now. It's going to be quite a challenge to change how I pick after all these years. I recently started learning surf guitar and it's a lot of tremolo picking technique. Have subscribed.
Thanks for the sub. I've recently re-booted this channel, and have added a bunch of new videos over the last few weeks. Stay tuned for even more new stuff!
this video is SO important man thank you
I like the way you explained it. I wish I had seen this in 2015 when it was published.
Never too late to improve! I'm 47 years old and still improving every day.
This is fantastic news for me. I have to start over slowly but I can see now what works
Hope you're doing well with your picking. Have you been improving?
FYI - I'm rebooting the channel and have added new content recently, with more to come.
as a Classical guitar player thats played for 5 years now but is new to picking on electric, this was the right amount of time needed for me to fix my bad habits. I can actually pick 16ths without killing my forearm and for my pick to just get stuck.
Great tips, especially around wrist angle and movement, thank you
Glad it was helpful!
This is one of the best vids on this subject.
I created 2 exercises (using tritones) to help me learn this important skill:
1: pick down on say the D string and then up on the G-string.
2:pick up on the D and down on the G.
An easy version of these 2 exercises is: make the tritone shape on fret 1 for D-string and fret 2 for the G (that is the interval of a tritone).
Do the Down-Up ex. and move that tritone shape up and down to say the 15th fret on ALL PAIRS OF STRINGS.
Repeat on all string pairs but now using Up-Down.
These 2 exercises will eliminate the two most common reasons for tripping up by getting your pick stuck in the strings.
(I do a version of this where I can stay in one position.)
This is awesome. Creating exercised for yourself is a major key to taking ownership of your improvement.
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Excellent overview of the issue. Extremely valuable. Nice to relate to someone who's had similar issues in the past. Thanks for posting! It's certainly a gnarly issue and there are many factors.
A few thoughts:
1) String tension seems to be a big factor. I find that lower tension increases the likelihood of failure. This is affected by string gauge and the scale length of the guitar. Shorter scale like Les Paul or even shorter scale guitars are worse.
2) Which strings you play is a factor. The lower wound strings may stick less often than higher strings
3) How far from the bridge you pick is a big factor. Closer to the bridge tends to stick far less often for me. But of course, this can adversely affect the sound.
4) The design of the tip of the pick is key. Try rotating the pick 120-degrees and picking with the rounded, top part. I find that I can pick like crazy and it never ever gets stuck. On the downside, the attack of the notes suffers and the action isn't as precise. Perhaps a compromise. Choose a pick with a less pointy point.
5) The thickness of the pick is a factor, as mentioned. Relatively thin picks (ie EVH) recover from sticking so it eventually pulls away and doesn't totally fail or break a string. But...the hardness of the pick material is also a factor. I mean how plastic/elastic the material is and the durometer rating. This is never spec'd by pick makers. Some picks historically have been made with metal, glass and all sorts of hard (and sticky!) materials. I find softer is more forgiving. Not sure how bluegrass pickers use metal finger picks so successfully. I struggled and gave up years ago as the picks kept catching and flying off my fingers ballistically.
Yes , it is al verry thrue !...today i spent extra atention on the pick ,and yes ,i feel the differance if i can holding me hand relax !!!
Thanks for the information. My issue was not supporting both sides of the pick as my index finger was in the middle of the pick causing problems with the up strum motion...now the issue is getting used to holding the pick in a new way...practice, practice i suppose...
This was great thanks!
Thank you for this video, i thought i was thew only person with this problem.
Not even close. Hopefully you found something helpful in there.
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This video is awesome !
Wow this video is amazing thank you so much for this!
Thanks for watching! I've recently rebooted the channel so there's new content over the last few weeks and more to come!
I totally forgot about pick thickness! Thanks 😀
Glad I could help.
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Great lesson on a problem that I've had for years which has really stopped me progressing. It becomes a curse. The thin pick option is not for me as it loses all the tone. One thing that has helped, not mentioned in the video, is to curl (or retract) my first finger up further behind the plectrum into more of a fist-like grip. It gives a little more contact and support on the plectrum without any tightening of the grip.
Glad you're finding your way through!
tremendous advice
3:45 fixed EVERYTHING for me 👌
Edge picking FTW!
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I found a solution to mine, I turn the point of the pick about 45 degrees left so it hits the string more with the rounder part of the pick almost like a coin(Brian May style), atleast I feel like Im playing guitar instead of fighting with it when I used to have the point perpendicular with the strings.
Hello, apart from the excellent explanation, your motivational speech urges me to be undaunted despite the difficulties! Thanks
ha I read "urges me to be undulated"
I make an angle of 45 degree while picking, with the strings. This helped me a lot.
me too, but on the way up (to the thicker strings) it gets caught alot. i'm frustrated man, could you maybe help me out?
@@robiharahaap on the way up, do it 90 degree and pick hard. That's how my problem was solved for economy picking.
@@an_38kitkashyap JEEZ MAN, you're a lifesaver, thanks a bunch!
thank u
Thank you that was good advice I'm going to practice.
Glad you found it helpful.
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Fantastic detail. Thanks so much as always!!!
Joshua Shelton Glad you found it helpful, Joshua.
I need to talk about thumb joint pain. I experiment tirelessly w my technique and the mechanics of my pick attack and still I'm getting consistent shock related pain in the middle joint of my thumb. I have really tried investigating these mechanics so that that joint is not being allowed to flex backwards. I know tons of players play with that joint already bent basically backwards which I can never understand. Maybe I need to try loosening up? I also play a lot of bluegrass guitar or I am producing maximum volume to compete with a banjo and fiddle and mandolin... But even besides that I have this issue.
Joshua Shelton My first thought would be (and usually is) more motion. For example, on repeated downstrokes extend on windup and flex on the stroke itself. Remember that motion is the enemy of rigidity. They cannot exist at the same time. Exaggerate the motion at first to ensure that you're not backsliding into old habits.
Be very careful here. Pain is your body's way of telling you that something is wrong. Don't overdo it in the name of figuring it out quickly or you could permanently injure yourself.
Thanks for the help.
Glad you found the video useful.
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Did you hear him? He clearly advocated for a "thin pick revolution". I heard him!! ; )
Every time I go to play a note that’s when the picking starts to get stuck but just got started with new technique it’s helping
Thank you!
You're welcome!
Great video on picking improvement. I was a little confused by what exactly the pick "getting stuck" in the strings means...you refer to this a lot so maybe an example to ensure understanding of that problem would be helpful.
If you don't know what "stuck" means than it doesn't happen to you. The title came about because I was looking at search terms to see what kinds of problems people were looking to solve.
"Stuck" is literally that. You're picking and your pick gets jammed into the strings and it brings whatever you're playing to a grinding halt.
@@Whyisuckatguitar actually that does happen to me, I have a habit of really digging in when I am in a moment, but I play cleaner and faster when I play lighter
wow thanks
this helped a lot
Trying to tighten my picking up so I can learn some iced earth. That John Schaefer is a monster rhythm guitarist and I keep snagging my pick on the riffs I'm trying to learn cause there picked so fast and so precise.
Great video! I have been re-working my picking technique for a few weeks now and this video will definitely go into my arsenal of re-education! I learned to pick from the elbow but I see here that bringing in some wrist motion makes getting from string to string much easier. I liked what you said about using multiple techniques too. I thought that I was crazy because as I was relearning to pick I discovered that mixing in different approaches even with in the same "lick" would make everything come together much easier. I thought, "That can't be right!" LOL! But now that I watched your video, I understand that it's completely okay to do that. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience! :)
John Petrucci uses completely different picking technique when he plays slow vs. fast. There are a bunch of videos out there where you can see it plain as day.
Glad you're on the right path.
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Hi. Such a great video and useful tips and advice. Just a question, I have been having this problem of my pick get stucked between the string when i play. If I play mostly Metallica kinda music, would it help if I used a thinner pick until I get use to the motion, then only upgrade to a thicker pick? Currently im using the Dunlop James Hetfield White Fang (1.14mm). Thanks for your help
I would say no. Your picking motion will be different with a thinner pick. If you don't want to switch back and just see if using a thinner pick works better for you, go for it. If you want to keep using the thicker pick then I'd say learn to work with it.
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Firstly thanks for share all your experience, a great video.. in my case I use to play my music and solos and technique slow, but the problem appears when I get to 120bpm and I want to play in sixteen notes.. I've tryied a lot of things holding the pick different, but no results..
I actually just added a brand new video (rebooting the channel) on speed picking. Check it out!
Goes right along with Troy Grady's pickslanting concepts
Yes. Troy's videos are fantastic.
this is a wealth of information, thank you!
i did not expect any useful information here to be honest, because i was disappointed by some of the videos i've seen so far. Thx for taking the time. It's not funny when someone tells you how to hold a pick the fast way and you realize it doesn't work afterwards.
Thank you for the information.I am having trouble getting my pick stuck while I am strumming, especially on the upstroke.Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
When he mentioned supporting the pick on both sides, I think it clicked for me. Mow I visualize pushing down with my thumb on the down strum and pulling up with my index finger for the up strum. I'm still figuring it out but I think that tip just helped me jump a hurdle.
Hard to diagnose specifics in writing. When strumming you can move at the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and fingers. I'd try focusing on forearm rotation (from the elbow) and wrist movement in support.
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excellent....thank you
Thanks!
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Appreciate ur detailed explanation & is helpful indeed….. however, I'm curious about the best pick angle to prevent it from catching or creating uneven sounds while strumming up or down. Should I focus on strumming with the pick's tip or its side edges for smoother play?
thank you !
Thanks for watching!
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"Support the edge of the pick making contact." Duh. Completely obvious. [Changed the way I thought of the pick and the single most helpful tip I have gotten to improve my picking.]
Watch Troy Grady's channel two way pickslanting is the motion you use to play fast through the strings combined with the pick angle allows you to pick and clear the string with less effort
I have a problem with picking that is similar to one of your techniques you call lifting. I have what I call a dipping or dunking motion as I go from stroke to stroke. this extra movement slows me down a lot and is not consistent. How can I unlearn this or should I just refine it.
You need to take ownership of your movements. Do some trial and error on a picking motion that works for you (I actually have a new video on this) and then you need to spend time unlearning your existing muscle memory. It won't happen right away, but it is possible. I've done it myself.
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@whyisuckatguitar My pick doesn't get caught, my thing is, my first finger rubs the strings wearing down my the nail causing pain below the nail. I have developed a bad habit. I never noticed it before. I also need to learn to do Galloping power chords as in , The Trooper by Iron Maiden. I haven't gotten that technique yet. it sounds so Cool !
Hard to diagnose specific pick grip issues in writing. And I realize this comment is from like two years ago. Hopefully you're on the right path now.
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you have a really nice guitar
Carvin FTW! Now Kiesel... which are also really nice but really expensive. Carvin back in the day had unreal value for the money. That guitar was $1,100. Neck-thru, locking tuners, stainless steel frets, and semi-custom to my specs.
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Fantastic
Thanks!
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what about pickslanting? How to not get stuck in strings while downward pickslanting for example?
Bro, change strings with upstrokes
im so used to holding the pick with the side of my nail on my index finger, when I try moving the pick to be more on the ball of the first knuckle its so uncomftroble I always go back the my normal grip. After this video im going to practice like that for a few weeks and hopefully it sticks. tired of not making progress with my speed
Have you maybe the same solution for a flying pinky ?...it's sooo hard to keep them down !!....thank you in advance !
***** Check out my lessons on finger independence. Search for "finger independence" on my blog (whyisuckatguitar.com) and they will be the firs two articles that come up.
"Self-fulfilling prophecy", haha. Yep!
I no it's not guitar but picking is the same for all string instruments I Play tenor banjo trad music gdae tuning pick is always getting caught on strings could be the tension of the strings when I try speed up no matter where I put my hand we play 8notes per bar reels when I slant the pick it don't sound the same as flat picking ,and also any advice for chunking in 8 notes per bar would be appreciated for building up speed left and right hand together cheers 👍
Hi Kaylee - Just added some new content (rebooting the channel) and as luck would have it the most recent video is on increasing picking speed. Check it out!
I use medium picks and I'm going to move to a dragon hearts pick because of the rounded and pointed edges. So going into a fast part I'll move to a rounded part a a slow part I'll move to a pointed edge or normal edge
You want a sharp pick for speed picking.
This happens to me constantly, I play Jazz hopefully this helps
Hello sir! It seems that your website is down. Are you moving to a new site?
Around @18:00 ... you said forgetting something that works, and having to start over the next day... yeah man...try doing that for 30 years.... mylife
I'm 47 years old. I feel you.
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Maybe this is a bad analogy but should you hold the pic similar to the way that you would hold a pencil or pen in other words closer to the tip that you're writing with or in this case where you're going to make contact with the strings. I'm going to assume that this is the point you're trying to make and I'm just being redundant but I just wanted to clarify
ruminator3570 yea
Not necessarily. If you want to shred, then sure that's an approach that a lot of players use. I don't want to make that assumption about all viewers, though. If you want to play funk you'd bloody your fingers against the strings, I think.
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20 minutes and 41 seconds just to answer one question. sir you might be a better president or politician.
=)))))) agree
true
The difference is this video is solid instruction to help you succeed, not 20 minutes of misdirection and double-speak like a politician. It's called being a teacher.
I have to agree. its one thing to explain accurate details, but I lost interest after 5 minutes. thing is..im happy with my playing. im simply bored watching you tube videos.
Secondary dominant chords
I have an opposite attack angle when playing. Most people hold their picks at a slight angle downward following the shape of the forearm but maybe 15-20 degrees angle. Mine is opposite. It’s served me well for years, but I’m at the point where doing fast runs and sweep picking are frustrating. I can play chunky rhythms and two string stuff fast all day without missing a beat. But my soloing bites. Will I essentially have to adopt a normal pick angle of attack to improve? Or can I make adjustments to overcome like you did with a slight weaving motion? Great video. I’m just dreading having to potentially unlearn years of muscle memory. Thanks for any help.
There are some great players who pick this way... Vernon Reid, Shawn Lane. Ola Englund picks this way too.
Your mechanics will need to account for the inverse edge picking angle, but the proof is out there. This does work.
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1:23 creepy...
MULP what is it? I don’t see anything
My long term 'sticking problem: Especially with the upstroke and a real hindrance when moving from string to string with alternate picking. The upstroke tends to 'fly up and away' (palm facing up) when it frees itself from the string. I'm trying to correct it by careful attention/analysis of the mechanics involved to how much I'm lifting when "turning the lock" but still can't find a way to 'calm it down'. I know that there's a solution but trial and error, it still reverts back to the learned 'neuro' habit. Frustrating yet I persevere.
I have the same problem my bro. If I'm playing a lick that string skips and expands from the G to the low E, by the time I get to the low E I'm barely connecting with it. It's so frustrating!!!
Check out Troy Grady's Cracking the Code series. He's done waaaay more research on string crossing than I ever will.
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Strumming the 5th (A) string only gives me a lot of trouble. I’m either getting stuck or hitting the string above and or below it. 😱 I’m using a Stratocaster with 10’s
Probably something to do with your arm / wrist placement. Sometimes you have to adjust your arm to get the right angle on each individual string. Guessing maybe you need to pull back a bit if your wrist is getting too folded over (because you're not adjusting your arm as you move to the lower strings).
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the main reason i was getting my pick caught was because in my mind i was strictly alternate picking, but in reality I was doing about 1/3 hybrid picking, whenplaying 3 note per string scales
I've had that happen too before... where I think I'm doing one thing but I'm really doing something else.
dont miss ,got it
Ha. It's much more profound than it sounds at first.
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A verry good video !..great idee !...becouse it whas a BIG problem meself!..and no other learning vids covered the REAL problems in playing !..i found it meself a year and a half a go,there whas only frustration ,becouse i stuck in me playing ,becouse ,IT IS ALL TECHNIK !..now i understand if you have NOT the technic to plat sommething ,you cant play the song to ,how much you try !!...this is me opinioin now ,and i think this vid go in that direction !!...
Hi! I am from Argentina and I am playing a classical guitar (not electric). I am having some issues with my picking technique and not finding info as all classical guitar videos use finger picking. I think my problem is that I need to put my right hand over the guitar hole, and cannot relax my wirst over the bridge (it is too far from the hole). So my hand and wirst are in the air. When I practice my picking techique in that way I feel I lose a lot of precision and cannot improve my speed and accuracy. What would you recommend? Should I switch to electric guitar to practice the picking technique or I should put my wirst and arm in some position that I am not figuring out yet? I would appreciate your answer, thanks!!!
Christian Gelman What kind of music are you playing?
WhyISuckAtGuitar.com I am playing mainly rock (Argentinian and International). But I also have fun with Pop too.
Christian Gelman I would go with an electric guitar then. You can do some decent strumming on a classical guitar, but the string tension is different, the action is different and the string spacing is different. It's not impossible if it's the only instrument you've got (others have done incredible things with far less) but if you have the means grab an electric and I think you'll be happier. At least you'll be able to trade ideas with other pop and rock guitarists without having to adjust for the differences in your instrument.
WhyISuckAtGuitar.com Thanks for your dedicated answer! I really appreciate it!!!
My pick used to stuck on the strings. Then I turn it so the tip of the pick starts aiming to the 12th fret instead of stomach (not 6 o'clock straight, but 7 o'clock, that kinda angle) ↙️ instead of ⬇️ if you look down on your pick
I've been playing for 5 years and this got me wondering why this never happened to me
That's cool but why did you watch this?
Just be happy that you don't need this video, then. It's super annoying and hard to solve, especially if it's locked in as bad muscle memory.
and don't forget to mention that you have to build muscles in your picking hand and arm and even to the shoulder. The more you train, the less you are going to have issues with picking, cause the strings won't give you that much of response.
Yes and no. I would say building coordination vs. strength is more accurate. We already have more than enough strength to play the guitar. Most people are setting their muscle groups against each other ("the claw") without realizing it and it makes their muscles tired / overworked.
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Another tip if your pick gets stuck on the strings may be to use a coin, because as it has rounded edges, it gets through the strings with more fluidity.
So in faster playing you are just pushing your pick through the string?
Somewhat. Different players have different technique for this. Part of your technique will be dependent on what kind of pick you use. Heavier picks with more of a point are great for this displacement technique. Thinner picks with a more rounded tips don't lend themselves to this quite as much.
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What if I don't have any fingers or a guitar
I have this problem like when i play fast
Getting stuck when strumming at higher tempo
Use a 4mm pick, or thicker.