Struggling with picking? Try this! - Week 3

Welcome to week 3 of the Technique weekly challenge!

In this video we look at picking (or with playing fingerstyle ‘claw hand’) all 6 strings with more attention on the finer details that can help improve our technique. We’re aiming to hit the exact strings we want to, with the pick at the correct angle and muting while we play! 

Exercise 1 - Picking With Strings Ringing Out (Beginner) 

• Start on string 6, the low E and pick 4 times in a D U D U direction  

• Move to the next, progressing from string 6 to 1, and repeat picking

• Don’t worry about the strings ringing out, that’s what we use muting for (exercise 2)

Exercise 2 - Picking With Mute (Intermediate) 

• Pick a string/note 4 times 

• Then before picking the following string, the thumb mutes the string above just played (see arrows on image above)

• This prevents excess strings ringing out for clean picking!  

• Same process going back from string 1 to 6 

• Use ring/3rd finger to mute before playing the next note

The slightest touch will stop any vibration & help the picking sound clean!