In Search Of..Picking Techniques...

[DavJGar]

In developing your own voice on guitar, I was wondering what everyone out there has investigated as far as picking techniques go...

A few of the most popular (in no particular order) are :

- alternate picking
- sweep picking
- hybrid
- circle aka economy picking
- "that George Benson thing" (don't know what to call it..)
- insert whatever I may have missed..

Just wondering what everyone have tried, what they liked, what they disliked, and maybe even a few pointers for others wanting to know a little more about these picking technques...

I've tried just about all of the ones above. I seem to always go back to alternate picking/hybrid but I've picked up some great insight in my investigation of these picking techniques. It goes without saying that irregardless of what technique you use, practice makes perfect....

Maybe this would be a great thread to get going for everyone else to say something about how they pick and share there thoughts on picking....

[JM5150]

In a word, my picking style is "sloppy"

Seriously, I usually incorporate a little alternate picking with a dash of "economy", occassionally calling on my middle finger, which I guess would be considered "hybrid", although that makes it sound like I'm better than I really am.....

[brothersnowgone]

I thought economy picking was another word for sweeping....

[pawel]

I guess you can think of sweeping as the one nps arpeggio stuff, and as economy pickng (doesn't have to be circle picking necessarily) as that Gambalish 3nps/5nps picking with mini sweeps for changing strings. All matter of nomenclature really...

[jem7vwh93]

I've got an old Eric Johnson VHS that has a section discussing pick technique. He does this circle thing. Also he has a bounce technique where he brushes the strings with an upstroke on both an up pick and a down pick. It slows you down some but changes the tone of the note. I think it reduces the attack and lets the note ring a little more compressed. I try to mix it up. I mostly move my wrist and try to keep loose. I was watching the video that came with a recent issue of GW magazine with Steve Morse. When he picks fast his wrist is rigid. I can't do that. Morse blows my mind whenever I get to watch him.

[DelfinoPie]

I've tried alternate picking and am pretty confident with it.

I'm terrible with sweeps at the moment but its something I'm constantly working on. I can't see (at this point in time) how I would use it in my own music but would like to learn how to do it anyway because I'd like to learn some other peoples songs who use it.

Chicken picking is fun, but I need to perfect it as I'm not getting a nice clean 'rolling' yet but it'll come with time.

Other than that I'm pretty much still learning when it comes to picking techniques, but I'm very motivated in learning new techniques so we'll have to see how it goes.

Delfino

[mi2tom]

^^^I've heard of this "chicken picking" how does it sound compared to other picking techniques..... that day when gary hoey came down here for a clinic I was there but I didn't stay till the end cos I've got something to do (f*ck)... the next day my friend called and told me gary hoey played and explained what is chicken picking after I left

[Tom Gilroy]

Well, my alternate picking and my hybrid picking are well up to to scratch, I can alt pick 1/16th at 200 with ease, and 240 is my record. My hybrid picking is just good from playing Eric Johnson stuff.

I'm a god aweful sweep picker though, I can do basic sweep patterns, but going anywhere beyond that and I 'm completely ot of my depth.

I try to never economy pick. It just throws me off completely.

[pawel]

I think the most difficult thing about hybrid picking and chicken picking is maintaining consistent tone between the pick and the fingers. I tend to use my ring finger to hybrid pick lines, as I find that it sounds the best and works well with my pick attack...You might find that you will need to adjust your picking to accomodate using your fingers. In the long run though, learning to hybrid pick or chicken pick expands your playing tremendously...

[Chud]

Originally Posted by Tom Gilroy

Well, my alternate picking and my hybrid picking are well up to to scratch, I can alt pick 1/16th at 200 with ease, and 240 is my record. My hybrid picking is just good from playing Eric Johnson stuff.

I'm a god aweful sweep picker though, I can do basic sweep patterns, but going anywhere beyond that and I 'm completely ot of my depth.

I try to never economy pick. It just throws me off completely.

Is this alternate picking chromatics or scale fragments, etc?

[einarabelc5]

Originally Posted by brothersnowgone

I thought economy picking was another word for sweeping....

Its more like semi-alternate picking something in between alternate and sweep.

[Tom Gilroy]

Originally Posted by Chud

Is this alternate picking chromatics or scale fragments, etc?

Generally three note per string scales.

Edit; Neck pickup generally, or if its the bride the tone is rolled right down.

[Chud]

Originally Posted by Tom Gilroy

Generally three note per string scales.

Wow, that's pretty good. I find i can only do 3 note per string scales with legato and find chromatic 16th notes easy.

I can get 16th notes alternate picking up to around 216bpm with chromatics and such, but when it comes to triplets or scales my hand tenses up and goes all dumb on me

What pickup do you use for alternate picking? Whenever i'm doing strict alternate picking at fast speeds, i really can't stand the bridge humbucker. It sounds way to harsh to me and i often end up using the neck humbucker. Which pickup do you use? I'm interested because i know you have a JEM