Hi Chris, thanks for your wonderful lessons. I've developed some bad habits over years of playing that you're helping me fix. My question is this: the pick-on-string method that you describe in this lesson works very well for me for flat-picking individuals strings-- playing melodies and solos--but I'm struggling with it when it comes to playing chords-- playing multiple strings on the guitar. Perhaps I missed it, but I haven't really seen you address chord strumming in your lessons (let me know which lesson I should look at if you've addressed it, please). I guess my question is this: does your pick-on-string method change at all for strumming chords and how does your pick positioning change, if at all, between an upstroke and a downstroke in a chord strum? I have particular issues with executing an upstroke strum with the pick angled the way you describe. Isn't there some rotation of the pick--or change in the pick-on-string position that takes place when you strum up and down?
To be totally honest, I've never thought too much about the details of how the pick itself interacts with the strings when strumming. But I think that's because the bigger movement of the strum solves some of the issues that we are trying to solve in this lesson with our focus on single-string pickstrokes. The big movement of a strum will inherently drive the top of the instrument in a satisfactory way. That said, I have paid attention to how rotating my forearm during a strum rather than entirely hinging from the elbow can make a punchier, more percussive sound. I feel like I've incidentally talked about this rotation-strum technique in lessons here and there, but I can't find those spots now in the 40+ hours of lessons I have here.🙃 This tells me that I should do a whole lesson on the subject! Expect that one soon.
The bottom line is don't worry about micromanaging the pick during your strums. Whatever feels natural will be good.
This is "If You're Lonely" by the great James Booker in F on my 1897 Steinway upright. The tune is not covered in any lessons here, but I learned it using the methods taught on Sonic Junction by Davell! Can we get some new Davell lessons on Sonic Junction, PLEASE?!?!?!?! Bring back Davell!!!!
Hi Chris, thanks for your wonderful lessons. I've developed some bad habits over years of playing that you're helping me fix. My question is this: the pick-on-string method that you describe in this lesson works very well for me for flat-picking individuals strings-- playing melodies and solos--but I'm struggling with it when it comes to playing chords-- playing multiple strings on the guitar. Perhaps I missed it, but I haven't really seen you address chord strumming in your lessons (let me know which lesson I should look at if you've addressed it, please). I guess my question is this: does your pick-on-string method change at all for strumming chords and how does your pick positioning change, if at all, between an upstroke and a downstroke in a chord strum? I have particular issues with executing an upstroke strum with the pick angled the way you describe. Isn't there some rotation of the pick--or change in the pick-on-string position that takes place when you strum up and down?
Hi Nat!
To be totally honest, I've never thought too much about the details of how the pick itself interacts with the strings when strumming. But I think that's because the bigger movement of the strum solves some of the issues that we are trying to solve in this lesson with our focus on single-string pickstrokes. The big movement of a strum will inherently drive the top of the instrument in a satisfactory way. That said, I have paid attention to how rotating my forearm during a strum rather than entirely hinging from the elbow can make a punchier, more percussive sound. I feel like I've incidentally talked about this rotation-strum technique in lessons here and there, but I can't find those spots now in the 40+ hours of lessons I have here.🙃 This tells me that I should do a whole lesson on the subject! Expect that one soon.
The bottom line is don't worry about micromanaging the pick during your strums. Whatever feels natural will be good.
Cheers,
Chris
This is "If You're Lonely" by the great James Booker in F on my 1897 Steinway upright. The tune is not covered in any lessons here, but I learned it using the methods taught on Sonic Junction by Davell! Can we get some new Davell lessons on Sonic Junction, PLEASE?!?!?!?! Bring back Davell!!!!