Guitar Technique: Guitar Picking Tutorial

[DeltaLimaNiner]

wow... great sound!

[SamAndAdamMusic]

Your so good man, Keep up the nice teaching! 

[bennie9026]

Can not believe I found such a great teacher first video. I have been teaching my self for about a year found out bad technique on strumming will hold you back and make your hand and fingers cramp good technique is effortless .I figured it worked for strummming then you tubed proper technique for picking found yours on first try Thanks so much!!!

[peterpanpixyland]

Very helpful Andrew.Changing a lifetime of bad habits is a tough, especially when so many say there is no one "right" way. Plus, too many teachers just don't understand how challenging and frustrating this is to get right, and won't take the time to break it down like this. You've really helped me to isolate and use the correct muscles, and now I can actually FEEL they are being exercised as I practice. How much the investment will pay off is too early to tell, but it definitely will help.

[S1ardar]

THANKS POPE!

[Sherb993]

You're a great teacher! Hearing you go on about picking for 10 minutes was actually very interesting and informative. Thanks!

[200600910]

Shall we only move the wrist while strumming? Or is elbow movement better for strumming?

[guitarmaniacify]

@200600910 elbow and a little bit of wrist

[myhouse1]

Cool! "My pinky and my middle-finger are always resting on the guitar... Is this a bad habit?" - this was the exact question which was haunting me past several days and I had no one to answer this surrounding me - thank you. For finally talking about this question and having an answer. Thank you once again.

[qbvbsite]

Very nice video... Awesome advice and has helped me out :)

[bossballsofsteel]

talk about favorited

[TheArcticMonkeyz]

thank you so much

[WeaselHalfbreed]

Nice video. I think it's great that you're not afraid to share the knowledge. It will make people have more fun playing. Thanks for your efforts!

[bamatenn]

Thank you!

[LosInvasoreSconLalo]

Awesome Video !!

1O★'s!

[1992Scar4Life]

i see the B.C. Rich in the background! please make video playing that thing!

[whiteboy7890]

i been playing bass with my fingers for years and never could get the whole picking thing down this video really helped my get the basics down, thanks alot man you really know your stuff

[Manowargreece95]

hey i have a question buddies! I practice many hours and I cant find the right picking technique! I mean that no matter what I do my picking stops shredding in some point! where is the right picking point in my pick? how relaxed should I be? how can I make my sound more clear in shredding? Im reallu confused and in the same point for months! HELP!!!

[josephj735]

Thanks so much, I started playing a couple of days ago and after watching this video and practicing the teachings for about 5-10 minutes I double the quality of my playing! Thanks so much! :)

[yeenar]

Hey Andrew, great video, thanks a lot. I have a question though:

If I'm playing a riff across both bass and treble strings and I want them to ring (not get muted by brushing with palm/finger), what should I do?

In terms of open strings, it's D>G>B>G A>G>B>G E>G>B>G E>G>B>G repeated very quickly for several measures. Should I anchor, or float and just leave it up to muscle memory?

Thanks again!

[birth2end]

one of the greatest YouTube guitar Teachers EVER......

[whyddad]

Sweeet.... very helpful...!!!

[ZackSpade013]

i can finally play my curse by KSE. Kudos to u.

BTW: My name's Andrew too :D

[dorielementary]

Your lessons are excellent. Most guitar instruction on youtube is poor.

I'm a guitar teacher by the way. I use your videos in two ways.

1. I refer my students to them.

2. I look at how you explain things. Often you are more concise or just plain better at explaining things than I am. I use your videos to make myself a better teacher.

Keep up the good work.

John Foster in South Korea

[PrinceTian]

Thanks!...easy to understand and very well explained.

[JKP0P]

Kinda look like a classical player by the way you have your guitar on your other leg

[jonmil1]

Thanks mate l have just started playing Guitar after switching from bass and your video helped a great deal. particular point 5 about angling the pick.Cheers Andrew :)

[ferozmachi]

nice teachet,iam searching for a teacher like him ,,my bad luck iam in another counter.............

[virgoptrex]

where exactly is the fulcrum point? palm on the bridge? or pinky finger on guitar body? I use bird claw hold and do alternate pick. So my wrist is in the air and it starts paining after 20 minutes or so. any suggestions?

[ominousfeeling23]

Thank you so much for this video Andrew!!! Very helpful. :)

[ANDYB1478]

Thank you for a great video!

[DeeDeeSmart]

hi there very nice tutorial. i have a problem with alternate picking. i first got used to pick strings only using my fingers. like i will move only my fingers not my wrist. it works for a while but after couple of minutes i start missing the strings. do you suggest any way that will help me to do fast alternate picking without missing any strings? In your video i see that you are tilting the pick a little, does that help? i hope you read this thanks. nice vid

[32kostas32]

thank you for posting!

[HImynameis303]

I LOOOOVE YOU!! thanks bro your the best

[csmcmillion]

Greatest guitar picker of all time: Steve Morse. Check out Dixie Dregs - The Bash (Live 1978) from 1:00 - 2:00 here on Youtube.

[coazira]

Hello sir,

I am watching your channel for my guitar lessons. I have one question about picking. After watching, your guitar pick holding position, is it the actual and compulsory way to hold it? When I hold a guitar pick, my index finger doesnt go inside (bend) like you have showed. Rest of the fingers bend like yours. Or should I make a habit to use like yours.

Waiting for your reply. Thanks.

[coazira]

Learned a lot from you. Thanks.

[jhoc118]

Very helpful! Thanks!

[Hafo36]

Thanks for this video :)

[oldrockmustard]

That really helped me. Thanks

[ignacywoj]

thanks alot andrew, compared to all the guitarists giving tutorials on how to play "fun" guitar probably only for your mum as the audience, you are absolutely a teaching god.

[playitloud27]

Hey Andrew, I liked your video. It's exactly what I've been looking for here on YouTube. Seems you really engaged with people who leave comments here. But I want to ask you a question. I play leads and sometimes I tend to hit other open strings when i'm doing a lead. Is that because maybe i'm not properly picking the notes right? maybe i'm going a full inch out and in from the attack picking point, or is do i need to work more on coordination? Thanks...

[mbustamante77]

great tips..



[ThaThing1337x]

I usally rest my palm at or around the bridge. I find it the most effective way to tremolo pick... and just playing normal too I guess. But when playing chords I can strike the strings with the pick at the recommended area you were talking about though. I also perfer upstrokes when playing at single notes. Does these ways affect the sound, or is it just a stupid way to use the pick? I guess my way of playing guitar is completely messed up...

[RHCPMV]

When I angle my pick like that, the thinner strings aren't audible. Any suggestions?

[RHCPMV]

@RHCPMV Also, when I angle my pick like that, each time I pick at maximum speed, the pick is drilled further backward into my fist, which has me taking a break in solos to re-grip my pick.

[kurokamei]

thanks andrew

[plexitone]

Hello,Andrew. Are you by chance a student of Paul Gilbert?

[g4pei]

Great lesson. I have been playing for years (self-taught) and have only really discovered that the right hand is as equally important to master as the left hand. And they say you can't teach an old dog new tricks!

[TheRatt27]

i love the old clean guitar practise school..the right way of exercise not the crappy full distortion practice..learn to exercice on clean guitar and i tell u that if u practice hard u ll become a really good guitarist...

[Nash324]

When i pick my stings, the pick makes a notable sound with the string. (kind of like scratching sound). How do i fix that?

[mattschat]

What's a good technique for strumming the same string really fast over and over again?

[victoryforJ]

A brilliant job done by you. thank you

[addio32]

I pick a lot faster when I float my hand but when I rest my hand down its smoother but looks uncomfortable because I have small hands. I want to choose one method but I cant decide so I end up practicing both :S help!

[lumaric01]

I have a question about pinch harmonics.I have found a comfortable way of picking and it sounds really clear.But I cant do pinch harmonics and I want to leanr how but every video I find on youtube people change there picking I was wondering how the pros do it because im pretty sure they wouldnt move the pick around in there hand all the time

[0mcm69]

Hey Andrew,

Thanks a lot for the lesson. I still suck at using the pick (and more comfortable with the fingers), but thanks to you I hope this soon will be no more.

[buunuki]

Hi Andrew,

I just wanted to say thank you so much for this great lesson. I've been applying the techniques you outline for a little less than a week now and already I've seen a marked improvement in the clarity and precision of my picking! I too used to be a little finger planter, but your lesson has freed me from the bonds of my bad technique. I can't express my thanks enough. I'll continue to work with your techniques during the coming months and years!

[buunuki]

Hi Andrew,

I just wanted to say thank you so much for this great lesson. I've been applying the techniques you outline for a little less than a week now and already I've seen a marked improvement in the clarity and precision of my picking! I too used to be a little finger planter, but your lesson has freed me from the bonds of my bad technique. I can't express my thanks enough. I'll continue to work with your techniques during the coming months and years!

[shenzkidd]

well done bro.

you probably have the best youtube video's in terms of breaking down information and giving out to us viewers.. i just want to show some appreciation. keep it up

[legendaryguitar5678]

thanks alot really good vid

[fullmarshmallowjaket]

The other problem is that when alternate picking I tend to rest my lower palm on the bridge for support. It seems to give my wrist a good pivot point for picking fast. Is this a bad habit? If so how do I build wrist speed without planting?

[fullmarshmallowjaket]

Hello Andrew, I"m having a couple of "right hand" issues that I'm trying to work out and thought maybe you could be of some help... Ive played for years pinching the pick with my index and thumb (like an "OK" sign) and have recently switched to your method of using the side of the index instead. Ive noticed that this naturally changes the pick"s slant and I am having a hard time strumming chords with the pick angled forward. Is this something I just have to get used to?

[n3113n]

best lesson about picking on youtube, been looking for ages for this

[todd6138]

I really was struggling after switching guitars and your pointers helped me immensely

[todd6138]

I really was struggling after switching guitars and your pointers helped me immensely

[wannabeserpento99]

u anchor if u want, what feels the best. if u didnt know some of the best metal guitarists anchor

[metalheadshredder1]

um this is very basic... he makes it seem complicated but its not. and playing inbetween the humbucker and the bridge pickup isnt good if you r doin metal. sweeping is done almost on the neck and when you run down scales before the 12th fret you should play right near the bridge.

[jcsamson21]

Thank you sir, very informative.

[88grinder]

very good tutorial, thanks for sharing :)

[666DreadTheDawn666]

dude what the hell i thought using the wrist to pick is how you develop carple tunnel ?????

[okeefel]

Valuable info, I wish I had paid more attention to info like this when I first started playing.

[Kaenanthebarbarian]

thank you so much man!

[DanaeAD]

thanks you so much

[dieandgoaway]

yeah i also want to know if resting my pinky on the guitar or on the bridge is bad?

[joesimmons90]

Yes it's called anchoring and you should get rid of the bad habit.

[ehranatics]

nice tutorial... clear and effective. your a profesional

[srvkaifu]

I appreciate the lesson alot. Well thought out and organized. Thank you!!!

[drwook]

This has helped me alot!

Thanks alot!

[wickedblackcamaro]

great video man, 5 stars all the way, ive been struggling with picking technique and your video has really helped me. Thank you.

[pwizard665]

Hello sir I was wondering if you could help me with a question. I bought a electric guitar a fender at a garage sale. The thing is it has a clear plastic body that you can see through. Did you ever hear of such a guitar? It is in excelent condition with a hard case thw women wanted 75 bucks but I got it for 50. Because I have never seen anythin like it. TY

[Dynamik5]

Cool, a 10 minute video just made my right hand feel at one with my guitar, finally. Thank you very much sir. Keep teaching, it's in your blood.

[Radomu]

GREAT lesson, helped a lot

[cobracarg]

my jazz teacher in college does tell me that anchoring reduces your speed of the picking hand... but i have gotten so used to anchoring that if i dont anchor, it feels awkward . i still try to tuck in all my fingers because this is a better way to pick

[IPawnNoobs]

Your awesome Andrew!.

Thanks for making great videos.

[fatthach5]

too good to be true

[KacanuHa]

Pretty good and full of good advises. As usual 5/5

[nblax41]

Angling your pick causes a greater picking motion, you shold hold the pick as parallel to the strings as possible, and with practice you should be able to pick as smoothly as picking at an angle

[Draugoth]

Response to nblax41--

Holding the pick paralell to the strings can work sometimes quite well, I find picks with good bevels can do it smoothly. Always remember though, its usually at the expense of more noticable pick attack, and with the wrong pick (i.e. big/standard pick, or those Fender triangles) you'll get some string grab.

[allocava]

how false

[Julien1345]

Thanks a lot Andrew, especially the last part helped me a lot. Im going to try it out.

Cheers

[shreddakj]

Good tips here andrew. As a guitar teacher myself I found your description of the technique very good.

[northlander30]

Andrew what rail humbuckers do have in your Strat?

[creativeguitarstudio]

Hello northlander30,

There is a Seymour Duncan Hot-Rail in my bridge location and a Cool-Rail in the neck position.

If you pop over to my website (link is in the sidebar) and click on "GEAR," There are write-ups and photos of all of my equipment listed on that Gear page.

Thanks for watching,

Andrew W.

[gangsterspatula]

were is the link for the classical piece...it wasn't in the side bar??

[creativeguitarstudio]

Hello gangsterspatula,

The link for the sidebar was a little late coming in today - it is there now... Look under:

"Download the tab for the Classical Piece."

Thanks for watching,

Andrew W.

[HugoDesMusic]

I think its better and more ergonomical to spread out your fingers on your picking hand a bit like satriani and many other do it ... What do you think andrew ?

[creativeguitarstudio]

Hello HugoDesMusic,

There are guys that do that, incl. Van Halen as well as Satch... but, as far as it being better or worse... I can't commit to only one way or approach since there are so many great players doing both (and other ways) all of whom pick/play at an incredible level.

Thanks for commenting & watching,

Andrew W.

[deftonesmetallica]

Hi Mr. Andrew , first of all thanks for your videos they have been very helpfull for me,but i have a question that has been buggin me for so long,so the thing is that i dont have never felt comfortable using the pick,i have always used my nail as a pick,and well i cant say that it havent worked for me but also i cant say that it has help me,,am i wrong for not using the pick or whats your opinion on this?..ill apreciate thanks

[ozzy9691]

@HugoDesMusic michael angelo batio doesnt lol

[HugoDesMusic]

Great Vid !