Picking

[Hannu]

When im picking something where you go much up and down i notice that my picking doesn´t come from the wrist. It becomes from thumb and index finger. I feel where my pick is going with my two smallest fingers, which I keep under the firs string. The rest of the hand doesn´t move. Is this bad? It sure looks wrong. I have tried to get rid of it and now i kind of have a mixed style. I try to do how it's should be done (use my palm to feel where im picking and place it on the lowes strings) but im still keeping my little finger down so i can keep the feeling when picking the lowest strings. Now when I pick is it ok if the finger im holdin the pick are moving(the index finger is jumping up and down)? Should thay be stiff and move only when the wrist moves?

How about any short good tips playing while standing? My bar chords doesn´t always sound that cleand and slides (whit 2-3 fingers) makes dificulties.. pla pla pla..

[cyberfret]

If you see 10 different guitar players play, you will see 10 different picking techniques. The information that I have in my lesson on right hand picking is how I pick. Which is nether right or wrong, it is just how I do things. I have seen some pretty strange picking styles that end up working for people. Here is a suggestion. Go to http://www.guitar.com. Check out some of their video lessons with famous guitar players. Watch their right hand as they play. Test out all of the different right hand techniques that you see.

I know this will bring argument from all the punk rockers out there :) ......but most problems that people have playing when standing up stem from having their guitar too low. You should try and have the body of your guitar at about stomach level for the best playing position. Yep, having the guitar way low looks really cool........but it doesn't help your playing on little bit.

--Shawn

[Hannu]

Thanks for the tips!

Even Im not really into punk, im one of them who likes to keep the guitar little bit lower and I know it makes playing more difficult. But the most guitar players do that and they play fine. And I don't mean only those who play only power chords, there is some really good players doing that! Besides I look stupid if I lift it up.