Bill, You're completely right. But there are some things that seem to work better for most people. I think it's good to try different grips, different picks, different ways of picking and then decide for yourself what's best for you.
When I am trying to help a completely new person, I like to give them a start by showing them what seems to work for many people. But I encourage them to experiment, too. I try to help them avoid habits that might result in repetitive stress types of problems. Topher On Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 12:07 PM, Bill Burnette <bburne...@gmail.com> wrote: > I think all this stuff about pick grip is much ado about nothing. Lots of > great pickers hold their picks all different ways. I've never thought much > about how I hold it- I had to look when this thread started. Seems to me to > be an individual comfort thing... there's no way I could hold my pick the > way some people do. > > Bill in Nashville > > On Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 1:58 PM, Topher Gayle <surfns...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >> Robin, >> >> Interesting question. Not sure what you mean. How is your thumb >> curved? Up, down, sideways, in out, or what? >> >> Glad to hear you got such a useful gene, though. It must come in handy >> (har har). >> >> Topher >> >> >> On Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 11:31 AM, Robin Gravina <robin.grav...@gmail.com> >> wrote: >> > Just a curious question. There are people with straight thumbs, and >> > then those who have been lucky enough to get the gene for brains, >> > charm, good looks and a curved thumb. >> > Curiously enough, I am in the latter group. Do we curved thumbers do >> > it different from our straight digit cousins? Just wondering. >> > Actually, the curve means you either hold the thumb bent, or use the >> > joint, rather than the bone. >> > An important issue I feel >> > >> > >> > 2010/1/10, Linda <lj...@intas.net.au>: >> >> I thank yall for the advice and since I have a quiet weekend here I >> >> can try em out. >> >> The one thing from the article, that I need to try and pay more >> >> attention to is .. >> >> Mike says its best to learn a tune slow, then after a time speed it >> >> up. I do that but feel an enormous pressure to be able to play it >> >> fast and start to do that before I really should. >> >> >> >> I like most tunes in slow mode for my personal enjoyment, but its the >> >> pressure when playing with others to play fast and my wish to get >> >> there and be able to play with others well, that seems to drive this >> >> rushing thing that is not really doing me any good at all. And he >> >> says it may be a long tme before I can play well ...fast, at my age, I >> >> don't know if it will happen in time that fuels it too. >> >> >> >> I have thought maybe just develop a list of slow tunes and try to make >> >> them terrific..as a way to get around that. >> >> >> >> Almost every tune I get ..is one that at first I feel like I could >> >> never be able to play and by the next lesson, most times, I find I >> >> can..and that I can do things I did not think I could. Mike is always >> >> pushing the bar with what I am assigned to do. Seems the mind game is >> >> a lot of the battle. I have to just calm down and approach it, see >> >> what I can achieve and am always pleasantly surprised. >> >> >> >> Brian I don't have your problem with the mirror but still need a small >> >> one ..for a different reason...<G>. >> >> Maybe pisces look better underwater. >> >> >> >> linda >> >> >> >> On Jan 10, 3:39 am, Topher Gayle <surfns...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> Here are some ideas for hitting both strings in a course. Lots of >> >>> folks have trouble with this at first. >> >>> >> >>> If you're not sure if you are hitting both strings, tune one of them >> >>> quite a bit flat. Then play some sort of exercise on that pair. The >> >>> worse it sounds, the better you're picking. Try to make both tones >> >>> sound equally loud. Then you know you're hitting them both. Tune back >> >>> up for the rest of your practicing! >> >>> >> >>> I find that using rest strokes, where the pick comes to rest against >> >>> the next course, is useful for helping me get into the groove of >> >>> hitting both strings. Sometimes you'll want to use them while playing, >> >>> and sometimes not. But they're a good way to get the feel of hitting >> >>> both strings. >> >>> >> >>> I like to describe the action as "pushing the pick through the >> >>> strings," rather than plucking the strings. in other words the strings >> >>> get pushed down towards the top of the instrument by the tip of the >> >>> pick and then make noise on the rebound. the strings get out of the >> >>> way of the pick, not the other way around. The only way you can do >> >>> that is to push the tip of the pick more or less parallel to the top >> >>> of the instrument, with no dodging up and down. A firm grip helps. >> >>> >> >>> It helps to rotate the pick a little bit - either with the end towards >> >>> the neck down a little (maybe 15-20 degrees) and up (as John Reischman >> >>> does). This way the strings slide along the end of the pick more than >> >>> grab. You'll get less pick noise, too. Experiment with different >> >>> picks, too. >> >>> >> >>> Maybe some of this might be helpful. There are many approaches. What >> >>> matters is getting the sound, while not hurting yourself. >> >>> >> >>> Topher >> >>> >> >>> On Sat, Jan 9, 2010 at 7:36 AM, Dasspunk <dassp...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> > When it's going good... real good... I'll blow off everything to >> >>> > keep >> >>> > it going. I try (in vain) to keep THAT in my muscle memory. Make >> >>> > THAT >> >>> > my habit. Mike would probably say he does the same thing but his >> >>> > worst >> >>> > days are still better than my best. He can be annoying in that way >> >>> > ;) >> >>> >> >>> > Playing back by the bridge forces me to play more evenly, more >> >>> > accurately and apply the correct amount of force to the stroke. In >> >>> > my >> >>> > experience, there's a perfect amount of force--and it's probably >> >>> > less >> >>> > than you'd think-- that produces the most sound... and the right >> >>> > sound. >> >>> >> >>> > Again, I'm not sure if my words will translate into the proper >> >>> > meaning... it's tough to describe. >> >>> >> >>> > One bit of advice I always give that helped me a ton is this: >> >>> > practice >> >>> > in a mirror. Watch your right hand. Look at Mike's right hand and >> >>> > try >> >>> > to make your right hand look like his (or Bill's). Try, try, try, >> >>> > try, >> >>> > try. >> >>> >> >>> > Now if you're practicing in the mirror you find yourself distracted >> >>> > by >> >>> > your own incredible good looks, you're probably a Sagittarius like >> >>> > me >> >>> > and you'll need to get a smaller mirror :) >> >>> >> >>> > B >> >>> >> >>> > On Jan 9, 8:47 am, Linda <lj...@intas.net.au> wrote: >> >>> >> I like the idea of the pencil eraser and will think on that some. >> >>> >> >>> >> The Tater says I am only playing the top string of two sometimes. >> >>> >> He >> >>> >> wants me to use the area just near the bridge more. I find it >> >>> >> difficult to push through...push the pick through the strings in >> >>> >> that >> >>> >> spot. Am working on it. >> >>> >> Sometimes when I practice, I trying playing looser and give all >> >>> >> real >> >>> >> attention to what the right had is doing, not worrying too much >> >>> >> about >> >>> >> the fretting (which gets sloppy when not attending). So far, I >> >>> >> find >> >>> >> there is improvement but I sure wish I had a way to know for sure >> >>> >> when >> >>> >> I am getting it right. >> >>> >> Brian, you are right about getting it right and how it feels. >> >>> >> Every >> >>> >> now and again in the lesson I get a thumbs up, which means I am >> >>> >> doing >> >>> >> it the right way. >> >>> >> Feels like going to the moon in rocket.... >> >>> >> linda >> >>> >> >>> >> On Jan 10, 12:53 am, 14strings <perrypale...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> >> >>> >> > Maybe the mental image of striking both strings with equal force >> >>> >> > and >> >>> >> > contemporaneously helps the process of digging in and keeping the >> >>> >> > pick >> >>> >> > on the stringS. Many of us have the poor technique (myself >> >>> >> > included) >> >>> >> > of catching just one string in a pair. That will give us half the >> >>> >> > volume and half the tone. Half the fun. >> >>> >> >>> >> > Perry >> >>> >> >>> > -- >> >>> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> >>> > Groups "Taterbugmando" group. >> >>> > To post to this group, send email to taterbugma...@googlegroups.com. >> >>> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> >>> > taterbugmando+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> >>> > For more options, visit this group >> >>> > athttp://groups.google.com/group/taterbugmando?hl=en. >> >> >> > >> > -- >> > Enviado desde mi dispositivo móvil >> > >> > -- >> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> > Groups "Taterbugmando" group. >> > To post to this group, send email to taterbugma...@googlegroups.com. >> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> > taterbugmando+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> > For more options, visit this group at >> > http://groups.google.com/group/taterbugmando?hl=en. >> > >> > >> > >> > >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Taterbugmando" group. >> To post to this group, send email to taterbugma...@googlegroups.com. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> taterbugmando+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/taterbugmando?hl=en. >> >> >> > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Taterbugmando" group. > To post to this group, send email to taterbugma...@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > taterbugmando+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/taterbugmando?hl=en. > >
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