Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

Picking hand technique help

#1

Hey Ya’ll! I need some help.

I’m trying to change my picking hand technique for past few months, and with the current picking hand technique I have, it seems like I’m losing speed and tone. So I’ve been trying to do a “Floating Hand” sorta like: Jake Workman, Trey Hensley etc. But if I do that I feel like I lose lot of accuracy and it feels like I don’t have much control. I haven’t had any people teach me how to do it, so I tried to figure it out on my own. Here’s a video of me using the floating hand first and then I switch to the “Current” hand technique I use, then I switch back to the “floating”
Let me know what sounds better to ya’ll. And if Yawl can give me some advice, tips etc… I would really appreciate it!! I’m wanting to become better at guitar wanting my playing to sound good, and I want to learn more of my fretboard. But ultimately I want my playing to Glorify Our Heavenly Father! (but that’s another topic for another time).

WARNING! keep in mind my worse playing is in the morning. so if I miss notes hit wrongs ones, its probably because I’m tired LOL. (And probably trying to figure out my hand) :roll_eyes: :sweat_smile:

YHWH Bless.
Kaden Albritton.

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#2

I see Libby is replying. I was getting ready to page her :slight_smile:

I am a neanderthal knuckle dragger type

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#3

Looking and sounding good @Chicken_wing! Here’s some advice from a fellow switched-to-floating-lost-all-accuracy-at-first-but-then-was-so-glad-I-did guitarist: :slight_smile:

  1. I really think the floating is the much better way to go, and many modern players will agree with that. BUT - it isn’t actually floating. That’s kind of a misleading term. There will always be some point of light contact, and your wrist should gently brush against the bridge pins. Otherwise it’s just impossible to know where you are and which string you’re hitting. The way Jake explains it is that you should brush those bridge pins with your wrist/hand, but not anchor anywhere. As soon as you anchor, whether it’s with your wrist or your fingers, you introduce tension and all fluidity of motion is gone. I can’t tell from your video if you’re palm-brushing the bridge pins or not, but perhaps your problem is that you’re TOTALLY up in the air when you really don’t need to be. The goal is NOT to never touch your guitar, just to not be PLANTED anywhere.
  2. I think you need more wrist rotation. Your wrist doesn’t seem to be doing much of the work. Your arm should be moving for sure, but it can’t be in control of the finer motions that your wrist needs to do, like hitting the right strings. I would suggest practicing in front of a mirror so you can watch yourself, and trying to get a little more wrist rotation in there.
  3. I would also practice a lot slower if I were you. The accuracy that you feel like you’re missing WILL come with time. You just have to have the patience to keep working at it, and let your hand and arm adjust to the new feel. Working on speed will be the final step, and it will come!
  4. When you’re strumming rhythm, you can have your fingers a little looser/more open than when flatpicking. Jake opens his fingers just a bit more for rhythm playing, and I try to do it that way too, as it feels a lot more natural.

I hope that helps a bit. I would encourage you to keep working on it and not just let yourself resort to what feels easiest and most comfortable. Working on solid technique is really worth the work, because you don’t want to be hindering yourself because of a bad position. Keep it up!

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#4

I saw this post earlier but was busy all day :joy: sorry!

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#5

@Flatpickin_Libby Those are some great pointers Thank you!! Is there any exercises or resources that would help?

Yeah! I have my palm near the thumb area brushing over the pins.

I tried that…it feels so weird and trying to use my arm is worse! lol Do I need to work on my wrist first Or Vice versa?

Agreed 100% Patience and perseverance! :grinning: I don’t want to strive for something comfortable, I want good tone speed and accuracy! I see Jake and Trey play at these high speeds, it makes me want to become better at my playing and at the same time, being unique with my playing.

#6

I so adore the advice Libby gave you. I tell all my students (I’ve been teaching guitar for over 20 years) that the axiom “practice makes perfect“ is not totally true. A more accurate quote would be “perfect practice makes perfect“. And the only way you can practice perfectly is to make sure that you practice at a tempo that is slow enough for you to play whatever you’re playing perfectly. I personally feel that Speed shows up, eventually. When you play something perfectly at a slow tempo long enough, one day you will pick up your axe and blow through some of the songs that you’re talking about and you’ll be amazed at how fast you will be able to play them.
Mr G
P.s.
I would love to take a guitar lesson or three from Libby sometime. She is a neat young lady.

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#7

@Chicken_wing it’s a wrist and arm rotation at the same time - both are involved in getting a relaxed right hand position. My #1 recommended exercise is Jake Workman’s right hand exercises sheet. I think he sells the PDF on his website for just a few dollars. That really helped me a TON when I first changed my pick hold. Highly recommend!

@Mr_G you’re kind! Pretty much all I ever tell my students is stuff Jake has told me so you’d probably be better off just going to him LOL.

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#8

Thanks! @Flatpickin_Libby Will do! thank you for the advice I’ll try it all out!

#9

@Mr_G I like that: “perfect practice makes perfect“ That is way more accurate.