Guitar Right Hand Technique Pivoting Problems?
Heya, I can play the guitar at about roughly 180 to 200 bpm fairly accurately, however, I realised a problem with my left hand technique
Sometimes I can play scales and arpeggios fairly fast but other days I can’t even play them slow. I’ve noticed I shift around with the pick a lot and can’t seem to find that perfect way of holding it for mixing both economy and alternative picking, I have noticed that when I play longer scales I am actually pivoting the wrist like a chord meaning I can only get the centre notes (i.e.DG and perhaps A perfect without changing position. To cut a long story short, how can I get out of this pivoting motion and be able to play scales accurately, when I pivot I notice that when I get to the lower strings I am literally striking the stirngs on a 90 degrees angle and not 45 degrees and for the higher notes I am stetching to far. I am thinking of getting a nine string guitar and this will of course be a major problem since my left hand technique isn’t that good on a 6 string yet!!!
What is the correct right hand technique for chords, scales and arpeggios, and they all the same or seperate technique where I need to alter my picking method.
Thanks for reading, all help will be very much appreciated
It sounds to me like you are resting your palm on the strings at the bridge. In Sal Salvador’s "Single String Studies", he recommends the hand be suspended over the strings with the pinky on the pick guard to set the height above the strings. The pinky will not be "glued" to one spot, but will slide closer to the strings when you play lower notes and farther away when you move up to higher ones. No part of the hand will be in contact with the strings. (Palm muting is a whole different thing)
This way the wrist will be straight in line with the forearm. It will be almost flat to the top of the guitar, perhaps arched slightly, but not bent off axis to the arm itself.
The thumb will rest on the index finger at a right angle, holding the pick with varying pressure depending on how hard you are striking the string. It should be secure with only light to moderate pressure.
You will see that you can move across all the strings simply by moving your arm slightly at the elbow. The arc of the pick will be such that lower notes will be struck just a bit closer to the neck, and high strings slightly closer to the bridge, sort of a half moon curve across the strings.
This way you can accomplish all the tasks with minimal movement and effort. Think of it as a well designed machine, with nothing out of line. When it’s not all twisted around like you have it, it will be much more efficient. That is the start of good technique.
Hi,
It reads like you don’t practice regularly.
Practice is not play. It is something you have to do everyday. When you practice don’t dabble.
Practice exactly what the lesson is at a slow to medium tempo. Build up your speed gradually.
Practice with a metronome. If you aren’t practicing with a metronome it means you are not taking practice seriously and if you aren’t taking it seriously it’s not practice. When one plays faster then ones abilities one makes mistakes. Making a mistake is learning a mistake. Unlearning a mistake is harder then not learning the mistake in the first place.