Aug 25
Guitar Picking - Right Hand Tips
in Guitar Instruction

Guitar Friends,

Ask Bobby Molton Your Guitar Questions:

  1. Post your questions here on the site, or
  2. Email Bob Molton at bob@bobmolton.com

I’ll be sure to answer back ASAP!!
Thanks alot :)

Here’s a question from Mark Pierce

QUESTION:

Hey Bob:

The DVD was really informative.  Can you give me further guidance on your right hand technique.  I have plenty of dexterity in my left hand and want to “rebuild” my right hand technique.  What interested me in you to start with was your similar right hand style of Doug Aldrich.  I quit playing guitar for 17 years and have spent the last 2 regaining chops.  My right hand technique used more motion of my elbow than I should.  I know my music theory etc.  My challenge is my right hand and want to emulate what you are doing.  Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated.

God Bless!
Mark Pierce

Answer: Great question Mark! You mentioned using your elbow more than you should. The truth is, it can be a good thing, and it can be a bad thing.

  1. Good Thing: Using the elbow-forearm technique can allow you to play at speeds that would be difficult, if not impossible, using only the palm pivot method. With that being said, it is a method that can be used occasionally for the extreme high speeds, but I would not recommend it as your full time picking style.
  2. Bad Thing: This method doesn’t allow you to have a pivot spot on the bridge, and due to that, you don’t have a sweet spot to work with. This method also tends to wear you down after long periods of playing.

WARNING-  The worst thing that can happen from this style of picking is the possibility of developing tendonitis in the elbow. This did happen to me, and it took a few years to work through it. I’ve since discovered tons of other people having the same problem from this style of picking. I’m not trying to give any medical advice, I’m only sharing with you what i’ve already been through, and what i’ve learned from others who have experienced the same things.

THE REMEDY: I recommend using the movement between the index finger and the thumb, while resting the palm of the hand on the sweet spot of the bridge. This allows you to have a pivot point as well as using your sweet spot for guitar tone enhancement at random. This is probably 90% of my picking style before I enter into to the elbow forearm method, which i still use for the fast stuff when needed.

REMEMBER: The number one thing to remember when you’re developing your right hand is to try and relax when you start playing faster. It’s more of a mental thing that you need to be aware of, when you start picking fast. It’s real easy to start tensing up when you go faster, and that wears you down quickly. The more you can relax when you pick fast, will result in you being able to play much longer, and more accurately at those speeds without getting fatigued.

OVERVIEW- Use the movement between your index finger and thumb, while pivoting off of the bridge. Use your sweet spot at random. Only use the elbow-forearm method for the extremely fast guitar picking, and be careful not to tense up when using it. Use the very tip of the pick, as to not get too much friction drag across the strings. I recommend to always use alternate picking, unless you are sweep picking. Also, practice your alternate picking with a metronome daily, for at least 15 minutes or more…

It might take a while for all of these things to start feeling comfortable, but I guarantee you will never look back once you start getting contol from this combination style picking. 

Hope that sheds new light on the subject…Please post a comment to let me know how this helps you. Be assured, others will learn from your questions and comments as well.

More soon…

Bob Molton














4 Responses to “Guitar Picking - Right Hand Tips”
 

Hello guitarists,

These tips are very important for long term all around solid picking. There are no short-cuts, but the pay off will be huge when you know what to practice, and how to practice.

Ask your questions here, and get them answered.

Bobby Molton

Bob Molton wrote on August 25th, 2007 at 3:29 am

 

Hey Bob!

Re moveable scale patterns.

I can`t quite figure out the scale pattern for any note within a scale, f. inst. in the key of A I want to figure out the scale for note B in the scale?? Can you explain the cohence,

Thank you.
Svend

Svend Arenbrandt wrote on May 25th, 2008 at 7:36 am

 

Hey Bob!

Pivoting off the bridge is frustrating for me!!
Bridge to be touched by edge of palm? I am aware that wrist to be in movemenonly (or almost). Sore wrist may be due to wrong angle of hand !! Maybe palm should be oarallel to strings without angling? I play single string melodies with plectrum (idols English Hank Marvin and German Ricky King. As you can extract I feel really confused about best right hand position to play as clean, fluent and also to hit the right strings in the course of playing a ballad instrumental (my preference).

Would you comment on above?

Thanks.
Svend

Svend Arenbrandt wrote on May 29th, 2008 at 11:26 am

 

Hey Bob, thanks for this information. For me also I don’t have too much problem with my left hand, but I am still trying to build up my picking. I have been practicing with a Metronome, but I think where I lay my wrist etc is wrong and as you said in this document about being tense when playing fast can be a factor of the problem. Great post, I will try out what you explained here and hopefully follow a few of your modes videos on YouTube! :)

AJ

AJ Walden wrote on July 3rd, 2008 at 9:28 am

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