Right Hand Technique Guitar Lesson
Right Hand Technique
It's time to start getting some sound out of your guitar. Mark begins with picking hand technique.
Taught by Mark Brennan in Basic Electric Guitar seriesLength: 31:34Difficulty: 1.5 of 5
Right Hand Technique
With this lesson, Mark explains the essential mechanics of proper right hand technique. He begins with basic information such as choosing a comfortable pick and holding it properly. Mark advances from this material to some basic exercises designed to improve picking accuracy. These technical exercises serve as an effective stepping stone towards playing practical, musical material such as chord progressions and melodies.
When first studying technique, each of the hands should be isolated. This will allow you to focus all of your attention on the mechanics of a single hand. For this reason, all of the right hand exercises presented in this lesson involve open strings. The left hand is not used to fret any notes. In a later lesson, Mark will combine the hands and explain how they must work together when playing chord progressions, melodies, and solos.
As a beginning guitarist, it is extremely important not to develop any bad habits early on. Pay very careful attention to the technical advice and exercises that Mark presents in this lesson. Developing proper technique will allow you to play your favorite music with a high level of comfortability and confidence. Chapter 2: (05:44) Picking Technique Note: Some of the following information is taken from lesson 2 of Brad Henecke's Phase 2 Speed and Technique Series.
I. Choosing a Pick
When it comes to choosing a pick, there really is no right and wrong. Picks come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, thicknesses, and textures.
A. Pick Size / Shape
Almost all picks are made in relatively the same shape. There is a broad end and a pointed end. However, there is a wide variety of choices within this stipulation. The majority of picks are taller than they are wide and measure roughly one inch in height. A common example of this pick type is the Dunlop Tortex. However, there are other options available. For example, Fender makes a pick that is just as wide as it is round. Fender also makes picks in the shape of isosceles and equilateral triangles. Most guitarists can't stand these picks. However, System of a Down / Scars Over Broadway guitarist Daron Malakian has been known to use these picks almost exclusively. Finally, most jazz players prefer a very small pick. This allows the picking hand to be as close to the strings as possible. This is not desirable for players who frequently palm mute.
B. Pick Texture
Ideally, you want to choose a pick that is easy to hold onto. For example, many players find the Dunlop Tortex and Dunlop Nylon picks very easy to hang onto. The Dunlop Nylon picks have a convex logo printed on them that makes them easier to grip. However, players with very dry skin often find these picks difficult to hold onto. These players usually prefer picks with smoother surfaces such as picks made by Fender.
C. Thickness
Almost all JamPlay instructors recommend that you play with a medium or heavy pick. Thin picks produce an annoying clicking sound when they strike the string. They also tend produce a very weak tone. However, make sure that you do not choose a pick that is too thick. Picks that are too thick are clumsy and awkward to use. Using such a pick also puts you at a higher risk of string breakage.
D. Mark's Recommendation
When starting out, it is best to use a pick that represents the middle of the road. Use a standard shaped pick of medium thickness. The Gretsch and Fender Medium are two great picks that meet this description. As you advance as a player and become more stylized, you will probably find that a certain type of pick works better for you. For example, a thicker and slightly smaller pick might work better for rapid single note lines that occur frequently in metal and jazz music. If you find yourself playing a lot of strummed acoustic music, you might want to use a thinner, more flexible pick.
II. Holding the Pick
In order to properly swing a golf club, you must first learn how to hold it. Similarly, in order to use your picking hand properly, you first have to learn how to hold the pick.
A. Method 1
Mark often compares the act of shaking someone's hand to holding the guitar pick. When holding the pick, keep the wrist straight. Do not curl the wrist inwards or outwards. Curl the index finger inwards until the side of the finger rests directly under the fleshy pad of the thumb. The pick should be gripped between the side of the first finger and the pad of the thumb. Do not grip the pick between the pads of both fingers. This will contort your wrist into an awkward position. Watch Mark in the lesson video for a clear demonstration of what to do and what not to do.
Do not grip the pick too tightly! Relaxation and comfortability are the most important components of proper playing technique. Hold the pick with just enough pressure so that it does not fall out of your hand. Gripping the pick tightly will result in unwanted tension in the finger, palm, and forearm muscles. This tightness will cause unnecessary fatigue. Fatigue will lead to slower playing speeds and decreased accuracy.
Note: There are two other acceptable ways to hold the guitar pick. However, they are not as widely accepted by qualified guitar instructors as the method described by Mark in the lesson video.
B. Method 2
Some players, such as Metallica's James Hetfield and Krist Novoselic of Nirvana, Sweet 75, and Flipper prefer to hold the pick between the pads of the thumb and both the index and middle fingers. These players feel that this method provides them with the firmest, most stable grip on the pick. It also allows them to play with punishing heaviness.
C. Method 3
Eddie Van Halen has been known to grip the pick between the pad of his thumb and the pad of his middle finger. This method frees up his first finger for rapid tapping licks. This method is not recommended unless you play tapped licks very frequently.
Regardless of which method you eventually choose, slightly less than a fourth of an inch of the pick should extend outward from the fingers holding it. This is the only portion of the pick that should make contact with the strings. Almost all guitarists strike the strings with the pointed side of the pick. However, some jazz players such as Scott Henderson advocate holding the pick upside down. Scott holds his pick this way in order to achieve a slightly softer, darker tone.
III. Pick Angle
The angle at which the pick strikes the strings has a huge impact on tone production. Holding the pick totally parallel to the string yields the brightest tone. JamPlay instructor Dennis Hodges prefers to hold his pick this way. However, the tone produced by this method may not be ideal for you. Other instructors such as Matt Brown prefer to slightly angle the pick into the strings. This produces a slightly darker tone similar to the effect of rolling down the tone control by 1 or two settings.
The pick angle also has a profound effect on rapid picking. Some players prefer to angle the pick slightly when tremolo picking so that the pick slices through the string. Other players find this technique undesirable and choose to keep the pick parallel to the string while tremolo picking.
Note: If you do not have a "hitchhiker" thumb, you will most likely not be able to hold the pick perfectly parallel to the string. If this is the case, do not try to force the thumb into a position that is uncomfortable. The thumb should remain as relaxed as possible at all times.
IV. Picking Motion
Almost all guitarists generate the picking motion completely from the wrist muscles. The forearm only gets involved when three or more strings are strummed simultaneously. However, some players prefer to generate the picking motion between the thumb and index finger. The thumb pushes the index finger towards the middle finger to produce a downstroke. Allowing these fingers to return to their normal, relaxed position produces an upstroke. Dave Navarro is a strong advocate of this technique.
IV. Fingers Not Holding the Pick
Keep these fingers as relaxed as possible. Many players prefer to curl them inwards towards the palm. Or, you can let them extend out naturally. Mark prefers to curl his fingers inward when strumming chords. When playing rapid single note lines, he often rests these fingers on the pickguard. However, many guitarists argue that it is not appropriate to anchor any of the fingers on the body of the guitar. Chapter 3: (09:13) Single String Exercises Note: At this point, you must have the names of the open strings memorized. You must also have a firm understanding of how to read tablature. Review these materials from the previous lessons at this time if necessary.
Goals of the Exercises
The right hand exercises presented in this lesson are designed to improve your skills in a few specific areas. These exercises will help you use the pick on the proper string and gain an overall level of confidence with the right hand. By playing these exercises along with a metronome, you will begun to develop basic rhythm and counting skills. Speed is of little or no importance to these exercises! Do not rush through them! Focus your attention on playing in time and picking the appropriate string. Always remember that speed must be used as a means to a musical end.
Playing Along with a Metronome
Playing with a metronome is a frustrating experience for almost every beginning musician. You must cast this frustration aside as soon as possible. Get in the habit of playing all exercises and repertoire along with a metronome. Regular practice with the metronome will vastly improve your rhythmic feel. Developing solid rhythm is of paramount importance.
Why Is Rhythm so Important?
-Rhythm is the single most important aspect of music. If you can't play something perfectly in time, then you can't play it. As a result, you should spend the majority of your practice time perfecting rhythm. This task can be accomplished in a variety of different ways. The important rule to remember is to practice with a metronome as much as possible. Playing along with recordings is also great practice.
-Rhythmic skills are essential to playing with a group of other musicians. As a guitarist, you can't simply say: "I'll just play along with the drummer. After all, the drummer is responsible for the rhythm." This is a horrible mindset to have. YOU must be responsible for rhythmic perfection at all times. That way, if the drummer is playing incorrectly, you can address the issue as needed.
All of the exercises presented in this lesson consist of steady quarter note rhythms. Pick each note along with the click of the metronome. Set the metronome to a moderately slow speed such as 80 beats per minute. You may need to start at a slower tempo if you are having problems maintaining accuracy at this speed. Or, you can play along with Mark in the lesson video. Mark's metronome produces a different sound on the first beat of the measure. This feature enables him to keep track of the all important downbeat of each measure. Make sure that you always start the exercise on the downbeat of the measure. You might also want to tap your foot along with the metronome to help internalize the rhythmic pulse.
Picking Direction
All of the single note exercises in this scene with the exception of the last exercise utilize a consistent downstroke pattern. When performing a downstroke, pick downwards towards the floor by pivoting at the wrist. A downstroke is indicated in notation and tablature by a box with one side missing. A triangle shape is used to indicate an upstroke.
Exercise 1
Begin at the low E string (fattest string). Pick this string four times in a steady quarter note rhythm using downstrokes. Then, move on to the next string and repeat the process. Once the high E string is reached, repeat the exercise from the beginning.
Watch and Learn
Before you practice the exercise, watch carefully as Mark demonstrates it at 04:00 in the lesson video. It is perfectly acceptable to look at your right hand as you practice through the exercise. Developing your hand / eye coordination is a key component to right hand accuracy. As you become more comfortable, try to look away. Your muscle memory will become more developed if you are not relying on the sense of sight to help you.
Exercise 2
This exercise requires that you skip over a string with the pick. Material involving string skips calls for a higher level of accuracy with the right hand. Once again, watch Mark carefully before attempting to play the exercise on your own. Follow all of the rhythmic rules and suggestions listed under the previous exercise. Do not be afraid to look down at first. As you become more confident, try to look up at the notation while performing the exercise.
Exercise 3
This exercise skips over two strings, forcing you to be even more precise with your picking motion. Keep the pick as close to the strings as possible at all times. Do not lift the pick high above the strings. Also, do not dig the pick deep into the strings. This will limit your accuracy. Pick each string with the very tip of the pick only. This will prevent you from having to jump and make a large movement when moving from the appropriate string to the next. Economy of movement is a key component of proper technique.
Exercise 4
Instead of skipping to a higher string between each measure, this exercise skips strings between each quarter note. It also includes some upstrokes. Watch Mark carefully in the lesson video for a clear demonstration of proper upstroke technique. Simply pivot the wrist in an upwards direction. Do not change the positioning of the wrist! Also, do not turn the wrist outwards.
Due to the rapid right hand shifts that occur in this exercise, you may want to spend a significant amount of time perfecting the previous exercises before you attempt it. Also, you may want to set the metronome to a much slower tempo such as 60 beats per minute to ensure that you are playing accurately and in time. Then, gradually work the tempo up to 80. When you feel ready, practice the exercise along with Mark at 07:30 in the lesson video. Chapter 4: (10:15) Multiple String Exercises Roughly half of the material that you will learn on guitar involves picking more than one string at the same time. For this reason, it is important to develop confidence in the area of picking multiple strings. In any given song, you may be required to play simple two note chords or chords that involve all six strings. Two note chords are usually referred to as power chords. Power chords are used very frequently in the rock genre to create an aggressive texture. Two notes played simultaneously can also be referred to as a "double stop." Make sure that you can play the single string exercises with confidence before advancing to the multiple string exercises. The exercises presented in this scene are significantly more difficult.
Multiple String Exercise 1
You must keep your right hand relaxed in order to play this exercise accurately. If your wrist is stiff and rigid, you will have a tendency to strum too many strings. Use the same technique and mechanics for picking single strings when picking two strings at once. Simply widen the range of motion of the wrist to accommodate the extra string.
Multiple String Exercise 2
This exercise is very similar to the second exercise presented in the previous scene. A string skip occurs between each measure. However, this time around, two strings will be plucked at once. Begin by picking the 6th and 5th strings. Then, jump up to the 4th and 3rd strings.
Multiple String Exercise 3
This exercise parallels Exercise 3 from the previous scene. Wide string skips are combined with double stops to create a challenging new exercise.
Multiple String Exercise 4
Now, instead of picking a two note double stop or power chord, this exercise features three string triads. A triad is a chord that contains three specific notes. This exercise ascends the strings in a sequential order. Notice how Mark widens his wrist movement in order to strum three strings simultaneously. His strumming motion is slightly more deliberate as well. This is necessary to ensure that all strings sound simultaneously. Make sure that all of the picking movement comes from the wrist. Do not use the forearm when picking three string chords.
Multiple String Exercise 5
This exercise combines three string chords with string skips.
Multiple String Exercise 6
In this exercise, four strings are strummed simultaneously. Do not get sloppy with this exercise! Make sure that you are not strumming any extra strings. Mastery of this exercise will become extremely important when you begin to play basic chord progressions.
Notice how the forearm comes into play when four strings are strummed simultaneously. Watch Mark closely as he performs this exercise. Then, imitate his right hand technique.
Multiple String Exercise 7
This exercise combines four string chords with string skips.
Multiple String Exercise 8
This final exercise involves strumming five strings simultaneously. This exercise typically gives beginners the most problems. Do not get frustrated if you cannot perform the exercise right off the bat. It will probably take you a few weeks before you feel comfortable with this exercise.
Preparation for Chord Progressions
These exercises will prepare you for playing chord progressions. In any given chord progression, you may have chords that utilize any number of strings. In this type of a context, right hand accuracy becomes extremely important.
Rest Stroke VS Free Stroke
Rest stroke and free stroke are terms that are usually used to describe classical fingerstyle techniques. However, they can be used in reference to playing with a pick. When the pick strikes a single note and continues to travel over the top of a higher, adjacent string, a free stroke is produced. To perform a rest stroke, the angle of the wrist must be tilted downwards at a slight angle. The pick travels through a string and comes to rest on the next adjacent string. The rest stroke creates a stronger, more accented attack. This technique will become very important when you progress and play solo guitar arrangements that combine a melody and a chord progression. Practice both techniques within the context of the exercises presented earlier. Watch Mark in the lesson video for a clear demonstration of both techniques. Chapter 5: (03:52) Lesson Wrap-up The exercises presented in this lesson do not sound very musical. However, these exercises are an excellent stepping stone towards playing chord progressions. If you practice these exercise each day, you will notice immediate improvement in the area of strumming accuracy. These exercises will also help you perform single note lines such as melodies and solos.
Review / Final Tips
-Get comfortable with the single note exercises before tackling the multiple string exercises.
-Always practice these exercises with a metronome. Rhythm is the most important aspect of any musical performance. Without solid rhythm, you are just making noise.
-If you find yourself getting frustrated or discouraged, take a break to regroup. Come back to the guitar at a later time when you are calm.
-Make good use of your practice time. Set goals for yourself regularly.
Preview of Next Lesson
Mark will explain proper left hand technique in the following lesson. This involves proper hand positioning, staying relaxed, playing on the tips of the fingers, and keeping the fingers as close to the fretboard as possible at all times. He will also explain how to produce a clean tone that does not buzz.
Once again, some basic exercises will be provided to help you with these techniques. For example, you will learn how to play all of the natural notes in first position. These notes form what is called the C major scale or the A natural minor scale. Later in the lesson, scales patterns will be applied to a few simple melodies.
Supplemental Learning Material
Basic Electric Guitar
Found in our Beginner Lesson SetsMark's Phase 1 series will take you through the basics of playing electric guitar.
Lesson 1
Series Intro - Guitar Parts and Tuning
Mark introduces his Phase 1 series and covers some fundamental electric guitar basics.
Length: 30:12 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Amplification
Mark provides a detailed overview of amplification. This lesson has some great info for any electric player.
Length: 33:55 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Using Tablature and Learning the Fretboard
Before we start rocking, Mark goes over some tools and training necessary to every beginning guitarist.
Length: 12:52 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Right Hand Technique
It's time to get some sound out of your guitar. Mark begins with picking hand technique.
Length: 31:34 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Left Hand Technique
Mark explains proper left hand technique from the ground up.
Length: 10:36 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Natural Notes in the 1st Position
Mark teaches you all of the natural notes played in first position. He uses two classic melodies to supplement this information.
Length: 25:42 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
The C major Scale - 1st Position
It's time to learn your first scale - the C major scale in first position. Mark also explains how the major scale is constructed.
Length: 21:31 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Chords in C major - Part 1
Mark covers 7 basic chords in the key of C major.
Length: 35:14 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Chords in C major - Part 2
Mark expands on chords in C major by showing full forms of the chords you learned in Part 1. He also teaches you the chord progression to a familiar tune.
Length: 25:00 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Power Chord Primer
It's time to start making some noise by using power chords and palm muting. Mark gives you the framework to start rocking the 12 bar blues in a basic I-IV-V progression.
Length: 36:43 Difficulty: 0.5 Members OnlyLesson 11
Open Position Minor Pentatonic
Take your knowledge of the notes in the first position and start jamming on a simple pentatonic riff.
Length: 14:34 Difficulty: 1.0 FREE
Blues Scale Basics with Hammer-Ons, Pull-Offs, and Vibrato
Let's build on lesson 11 with an extended discussion of the pentatonic scale. For lesson 12, we'll simply add one note to the pentatonic scale to give us the famous blues scale. We'll also discuss new...
Length: 36:27 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Movable Power Chords
Mark explains how to finger power chords and how they can be moved anywhere on the fretboard. He also shows an exercise that will help you remember the name of each power chord.
Length: 16:28 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Rhythmic Notation Part 1
Mark Brennan explains rhythmic notation, tempos, time signatures, note values, and more in this lesson.
Length: 32:14 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
The Key Of G Major
Mark explores the key of G major in this lesson. He covers the first position pattern of the scale and explains how it can be harmonized in thirds.
Length: 33:22 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Chords Of G Major
Mark teaches the basic chords of G major as well as some other exercises to get you acquainted with this key.
Length: 34:28 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
The Key Of D Major
Mark explains the basics of D major.
Length: 25:00 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Chords In D Major
Mark takes you through the chords of D major and explains some new ones that you haven't encountered yet.
Length: 35:00 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
More Movable Power Chords & The Circle Of Fifths
Mark continues his discussion of power chords. This time around, he explains the circle of 5ths and demonstrates some power chord progressions that illustrate this concept.
Length: 33:18 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
The Movable Minor Pentatonic Scale
Mark teaches the 1st box of the minor pentatonic scale.
Length: 32:31 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
The Minor Blues Scale Transposed To A
Mark explains how you can transpose the pentatonic pattern covered in lesson 20 to the key of A minor. He also shows the "lower extension box" and "home plate box."
Length: 26:09 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Blues Boogie Shuffle
Mark teaches the difference between straight eighth notes and the shuffle feel.
Length: 42:33 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Amplification Part Two
In response to member requests, Mark added another amplification lesson to his growing phase 1 series. In this lesson, he compares 3 classes of amps from entry level models all the way to a Mesa Mark V.
Length: 40:45 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only
Introduction To Improvisation
In this lesson, Mark teaches some blues licks that can be used when improvising over a 12 bar blues progression.
Length: 24:01 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
The Key Of A Minor
Mark covers the key of A minor.
Length: 29:36 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Two Movable Major Chord Forms
Mark teaches two movable major chord forms and gives many examples of how to practice playing them.
Length: 26:10 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
I-IV-V Progression Revisited
Mark Brennan shows you how to apply the chord forms learned in lesson 26 to a I-IV-V progression.
Length: 21:52 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Movable Dominant 7th Chord Forms
Mark Brennan continues his teachings on movable chord forms. In this lesson he shows the dominant 7th chords and how to use them in a 12 bar blues progression.
Length: 19:49 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Movable Minor And Minor 7th Chord Forms
In this lesson Mark Brennan teaches these minor chord forms and how they are movable up and down the fretboard. He also shows how to apply these chords in standard progressions.
Length: 21:29 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
About Mark Brennan
View Full Biography
Mark Brennan, born August 12th, 1954 in Cleveland, Ohio, began playing guitar at the age of 10. His first influences were from the Ventures and the British Invasion, especially the Beatles and Rolling Stones. Shortly afterwards he was playing in rock bands with his brother on drums, developing his ear by learning songs straight from records. Playing in a band became a passion.
In high school, he grew to love acoustic and classical guitar. He spent time playing acoustic music, influenced by The Eagles, CSN, Dan Folgelberg, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, etc. In the 70's, he headed a very popular Cleveland band, The Brennan-Cosma Band, which played a variety of acoustic and rock music, along with originals. He also took up classicalguitar, and began developing his fingerstyle technique.
Mark is a graduate of Cleveland State University (1980), with a Bachelor of Music in Classical guitar performance. He also studied Music Composition, and took many Music Education classes. After graduation, he began his private teaching career, teaching electric, acoustic, and classical guitar, along with music theory. He taught in various studios and guitar shops throughout his career, and currently has a private practice at his home in
Fairview Park, Ohio.
In the 80's Mark took an affection to Progressive rock. With his band Polyphony, he was influenced by the music of Yes, Genesis, Kansas, ELP, Styx, along with a set of prog rock originals.
Currently, Mark is in the regionally successful Pink Floyd tribute band Wish You Were Here. The band performs faithful renderings of the Floyd classics spanning their entire catalog, along with a strong visual stage show. Here, Mark displays his command of the David Gilmour style.
Mark is excited to be part of JamPlay.com's fine roster of teachers. He's looking forward to extending his 35 years of performing and teaching experience to the JamPlay members. His philosophy is about developing a passion for guitar and being the best musician you can be; being true to yourself and developing a personal style, and truly expressing your heart through your music.
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Member Comments about this Lesson
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Noticed 2 things. 1 - the metronome slows to 60bps when I scroll down to look at the lesson.. even though i have it set at 80. The other thing is I'm not finding the multiple string exercises here to be easy.
Hi this lesson is great!! It is working our great for me but only one thing I want to ask you: When I play the strings with my pick, i get these ticks when the pick strums the strings. How can I fix it to make the sound clearer?? Thanks
I have same problem, maybe i'm not holding pick properly?
From what your describing, I'm thinking maybe you're not holding the pick firmly enough. You don't want to hold it too firm though. Try tightening up your grip a little bit....this would take away any "flopping" the pick is doing....let me know if this solves the problem.
Using a metronome is working out really great for me. I found myself eating in time as well.
The advice on relaxation helped me a ton. It feels like I've unlocked a door I've been trying to get open for a long time.
Mark, the way you shown how to hold the pick is uncomfortable for me, is it alright if I hold the pick between the flat of my thumbs and and the flats of my index and middle fingers?
Hi Mark. For years I've played 'at' the guitar rather than actually playing it. So I decided to start at the beginning. I'm enjoying your lessons. One question on using a pick vs. using your fingers. I think of Mark Knopfler's technique and really like how he plays. In your opening lesson you didn't use a pick. So I'm wondering if it's better to forget the pick and go only with the fingers, or stick with the pick to begin. I'm also wondering if in your later lessons you demonstrate some techniques using only the fingers. Thanks. Tom
Thank you so much for the lessons, I'm having a great time!
what is a good target speed for these exercises? is 120 bpm a good target?
You are the best guitar teacher ever
It was hard for me to start playing because I had no idea what and how to practice. After watching your lessons I cant put my guitar down! Thanks for the great exercises and lessons. You have a great teaching style!
Hi Mark: I've been, I thought, playing since 1959. Began on the fantail of a US Naval vessel bound for Japan. Boy did I learn wrong! That is why I started with phase 1. So much I have been doing wrong and things I didn't know. Glad I started with you.
Hi Mark, I recently joined up. I consider myself an intermediate player w/gaps, so I'm checking out the beginners stuff & finding useful things. I've been exclusively a flat picker up to now, but I want to try the others, esp. hybrid picking. I pick w/both index & middle fingers on the pick & I'm comfortable w/that. Obviously that's not possible w/hybrid picking. My main problem beside just habit is that my index finger has a damaged joint, the closest to the tip. I can't curl it normally, so when I hold the pick like you suggest, my finger points down the same direction as the picks tip. It's possible, but I find it a little akward. I suspect that it will just take time & practice & it should be OK, but if you have any suggestions to help, I'm open to them. Thanks Bennie
Hi Mark, Great lesson series. I was hoping to learn something about anchoring my pick hand in this particular lesson. I feel like I should establish a consistent anchoring point with the heel of my hand to the bridge. This way I would have a consistent reference for locating different strings. However, I notice that no matter how hard I try, my pick hand has a tendency to float around during my practice sessions. Am I taking the wrong approach here?
Hey John....I would only put the heal of your right hand on the bridge if you are palm muting..Otherwise keep it hanging free over the strings with a loose wrist. You can use your right hand and fingers to dampen string, too. but in general keep your right hand over the strings....Mark
Mark, great exercises. I've been playing off and on for years and am filling in large gaps in my technique. I wonder if you could suggest a good warm up routine before playing.
Hi Mark. Brand new guitar player here. I'm really looking forward to learning how to play well. I've reviewed a few of the other electric guitar instructors but I like how you started with the very barebones so I'm going to stick to your lessons for a while till I master a few of these good right and left hand techniques you've gone over so well. I'm sure I'll eventually get to hating the metronome but for now I am starting to see dramatic improvement using it with your picking techniques. Looking forward to jamming out soon, but with a solid base of technical skills first so I can at least sound good :). I'm 33, and this is the first guitar I've ever played, but I'm excited. Looking forward to learning from you and the other instructors here!
I can't understand the guitar table which is attached with the lesson. Now I have to continue my lessons or stop till I can understand it
Check out Lesson 3 on reading tablature.....that should help, Mark
I am a beginner, and I am having a hard time understanding or I should say deciphering the notes and what they are and mean. In the previous lesson you covered guitar tablature, and now in this lesson in the supplemental material it is all music notes. Is there a link either within JamPlay or another site which breaks down the note symbols and what they mean etc. This is probably what I am struggling most with at the moment.
Check out my lesson 14 on rhythmic notation. This should help. Learn to read rhythmic notation to read all the different note values, then use the tab for the notes. I'm sure there are other lesson on standard music notation on this site if you look around....Mark
The lesson is tabbed underneath the notes; they're all open strings.
Great lesson Mark. I've been playing for over a year and still am challenged rhythm wise. I'm also a string watcher. These excercises are great. I'm left handed so my fretting hand has been satisfactory for me, but I always had some trouble locating strings and rhythm. I know this will help. Just repitition. I didn't know you were still with Jamplay; haven't seen you much lately. You would definitely fill the gap for Classic rock that has been lost here lately. Are you planning to do some live sessions?
Hi Mark. I started with your lessons a couple of weeks ago, and really enjoy your teaching style. I have a question on this lesson in particular. How long should I remain here before I move on? I am somewhat comfortable with the exercises, and can usually manage to get most of the way through them without looking at my right hand too much. Should I stay just on this lesson until I can do the exercises in my sleep, or maybe move on to the next ones and just keep practicing these for a few minutes every day? Erik
Also, would it be a good idea to try and go through some of the Music Theory lessons at the same time I am doing the Phase 1 lessons? I do want to learn to read standard notation as well as TAB, and learn the theory behind it all. Just wondering if it is wise to tackle that at the same time I am just learning to make some sounds on the guitar.
Hi eric...sorry it's taken so long to get back to you.....definitely learn music theory applied to the guitar. You can study this along with any other work your doing. theory gives you a better understanding of music in general, and applied to the guitar, you'll learn the fretboard more thoroughly in relation to chords and scales and improvizing, Mark
Please please please do a tutorial on "Have a Cigar"!
I'd love to do some Floyd, but because of licensing restrictions, I am unable to...sorry.
Can you say what key you are playing that in? My guess is "E". I may try this on my own I love that sound. Which pic up are you using?
I absolutely love this site! And Mark, you are really an inspiration. However, you said "banging your head against the wall" was a Pink Floyd quote. Actually, it's "banging your heart against some mad bugger's wall" I think you were referring to!
Yes you are correct....that was a loose intepretation of that line from "Outside The Wall" sorry about that....and very observant of you to catch that!
Love to hear you with a fender "BlackStrat" and tell the web-site to let you do some Floyd lessons....I'd pay for that and I'm sure I'm not alone!!!
can you do the multiple string exercises with upstrokes as well??
Hi Mark, the right hand lessons from you are very helpful. Mostly you get only lessons for the left hand. But I think you can become only a great guitarplayer if you train both hands. Thank you very much.
Hi, Mark I really like your classes but I'm torn between acoustic guitar and electric. I have friends that play in bands and they tell me to learn on an acoustic and if I want to transition to an electric than it would be easy. I have been playing my electric for about 1 month and just tonight i tried my acoustic and found it more difficult to play. My ultimate goal is to be able to grab my guitar take to the beach and play, do you suggest I switch to acoustic than try eletric?
Hey Joe....I would say, play what is most comfortable and what feels the best right now. You want to stay motivated, so play the guitar that excites you to play. You can always move to the other any time, and you work on exercises and tunes on both at the same time. If you do electric, you'll gradually build up the hand strength to play acoustic. If you start with acoustic, you'll build hand strength quicker, but you'll need to get used to the lighter touch of an electric...good luck! Mark
Hey Mark, I have no problem reading tab, but I'm a bit confused by the staff notation in the supplemental content. Why are there extra lines below the staff, and why do the notes flip as they get to higher notes? Also, the notes don't seem to correspond to the lines the way they usually do, for say, a piano. If you could provide a link to an explanation that would be just as helpful. Thanks!
what i found helps with the metronome is if i make a clicking sound with my tounge to start off and that gets me going then i start on the guitar
This is such an excellent lesson and so very well presented. Thank you very much!
Hi Mark, I keep hitting the string on the up stroke. Is this normal for beginners, also, can we upstroke 2 and 4, and downstroke 1 and 3.
If you're trying to strum only on the down stroke.....then the up strum is miss or "ghost strum"...you shouldn't hit any strings on the upstroke. But otherwise strumming will always involve up strums. think of it as down on the beat, and up on the "and" of the beat. In other words, 1&2&3&4& will be down,up,down up,down up, down up. Hope this helps...Mark
I think I got it. I was plucking the strings to hard and not letting the amp do its job. Another issue that I had was being afraid to make noise. I'm over that to. I'm going to leave this at 84% and revisit it later for I don't always get the right string when not looking, but I figure that this will come in time. This is a great lesson, but I do have one suggestion, maybe post in the supplemental content section, that is to show how the pick is to hit the strings. I would say that I'm now plucking them with a depth of 4mm up the pick. Thanks Mark
Great lesson. I played bass as a teenager and never used a pick. As I dabbled with the guitar over the years, I had a hard time using a pick, so I just wouldn't. But since I am not Mark Knopfler, I have to learn now to become proficient with one. These exercises, as unexciting and they may seem, are invaluable. My right hand is by far the weakest part of my playing and this will definitely help. Thanks!
I feel pretty relaxed, yet I get a cramp in my (picking) index finger. Is this normal for beginners, or am I still gripping too hard? Will my grip get stronger with practice and stop cramping?
Make sure your holding the pick correctly. Definitely hold the pick where it's comfortable. I hold the pick on the side of my index with the pad of my thumb. If the cramping doesn't stop in the near future, I'd try experimenting with different ways to hold it.
Hi Mark. The guitar I am using has three pickups and a low action. I am a beginner and one of my issues is when picking I end up playing my pick right over the middle pickup and sometimes hitting it. How do I target the inch and a half of clear space between the pickups? OH, and love your teaching style, going to attempt to follow your lesson set all the way.
The best technique I've found here is to do what Mark said, look at where your picking until you feel confident enough to look away. After practice your hand will eventually start going straight to that point on the body of your guitar.
I just turned 50 on the 4th, always wanted to play the guitar. I finally bought one, a Yamaha Pacifica. I signed up for this site, and browsed thru all the beginner lessons. You are the best teacher for me. I love the right hand lessons. Going to practice those for a bit and move to the left hand lessons. Thanks much.
I have the same gutar!
Please...where do you teach "Have a Cigar" from the opening lesson? If I could only play that...
I'd love to do the Floyd...it's my specialty, and why I got on the staff in the first place.....we can only keep hoping!
No need to reply. Just want to say thank you! You saved me from myself. I was getting WAY ahead of myself and feeling the frustration. Slept on it. Came back today. Started COMPLETELY over with YOU this time, and the basics. I know I am on the right track now. I CAN do this. Even at my age! (blues harpist/guitar wanna be)
Fantastic! Good luck! Mark
Awesome teacher yiou are man. You know how to take a person from the basic throughout.
Mark ~ I am a beginner guitar player, and I would just like to say thank-you! Your lessons have made everything so much simpler. It's a lot easier to understand than the ones that I had tried watching on YouTube! ~ Summer
Hey Mark i would like to ask you about picking up multiple strings from both ways. For single string you showed us an exercises how to pick one string from both ways (from the top and from the bottom). should i try with multiple strings the same way like with single string?
Yes, definitely....I would try all the different exercises in the supplemental content as written and in reverse, too.
Mark, this was a NEEDED lesson! Thank you sooo much!!! Accidentally picking the wrong string has been a big problem of mine in the past and one of the reasons I grew so frustrated that I stopped playing for a while. After a solid 15 minutes of practicing these, I was able to do them with my eyes closed - if only you could have seen my grin! I will now be using this lesson as part of my daily warm-up exercise. Great stuff!!! :-D
Mark, I spent a couple of months on another quitar lesson sight. I liked the instructor well enough, but he seemed to try to skip over some of these basic things that you are stressing in these first couple of lessons. I am really enjoying your teaching style.
Thanks Mark...I have already completed a couple of the beginner courses but your course has given news ways to approach my problem areas such as accuracy and knowing the fret board. Look forward to more!!!
Mark, your lesson on the right hand picking was very helpful to me. I was not holding the pick properly and I was losing my grip on the pick. I will work on using more wrist action , when strumming several strings. I also liked how you explained your switching pattern back and forth with the strings. Thanks for another helpful lesson.
Another thing is though, I'm not sure how hard I should be strumming?
Keep your right hand relaxed. On an electric you can only strum so hard til your sound is harsh and distrorted, and the strings begin to rattle on the frets. It's all about getting the proper sound for the situation. Let your ears be your guide...Mark B.
that depends on how you WANT to play in lesson 2 mark tells us that it sounds different when you play different, so just try how you want playing and if it sounds nice keeep on playing like this. if it sounds bad try strumming harder or softer. hope ive helped you and sorry for my bad english ^^ greetz sammy
oh and sorry if i said something wrong
I have never really been able to stick at anything (apart from playstation), but since starting your lessons I haven't touched my playstation, I have had my guitar 2 days and I am getting the hang of right hand technique already. Thanks a lot!
Hey Mark, i just realized that when I strum my right hand wrist faces downwards at an angle to reach the strings. Is this a bad habit? How close should my wrist be to the bridge?
Hey Hanz...I would try to keep your wrist more "flat" in relation to the top of the guitar. This way your wrist can pivot freely when picking and strumming..if your wrist is facing downward it seems that your pick will move away from the stings. You want to be able to get wrist action in you strumming and not just all forearm. As far as the wrist in relation to the bridge, it depends where along the string you're strumming. You can strum more towards the fretboard to get a softer sound, and towards the bridge for a brighter, treble sound. When you palm mute strings, the palm of your hand will rest on the bridge saddles.
Hi Mark, When I skip strings and go back from say 4th to the 5th, I usually end up silencing the 4th note when playing the 5th. Is this something I should try to fix?
This is a good thing.....unless you need for both strings to ring when you make the switch. For this exercise it's ok to let the strings ring freely, but you need to acquire the right hand technique to dampen open strings you don't want to ring.
So it's okay for this exercise, but I need to develop the technique to be able to let them ring or dampen them?
Yes, you need to eventually develope both techniques....when doing these exercises you can let the strings rings at first, because the main idea is to develope pick control in picking the string (or strings) you intend to pick. When you're comfortable in picking the correct string, then start to practice right palm muting. After you pick a string, mute that string with the heel of the palm of you right hand, just as you are about to attack the next string. This takes a bit of practice and coordination to get it to the point where it sounds smooth and connected, and not choppy. You don't want the notes to overlap or ring over each other, but instead connect the notes with little or no silent space between them....hope this helps you, good luck. It should come wiht practice...Mark B.
Okay, thank you.
So I am doing the exercises and I keep hearing the strings buzz on the single notes, Is it the way I am picking or should I think about adjusting the action of the Guitar?
Hey Sean....try picking with less force and see if that eleminates the buzzing. If not, you probably have an action problem. I would suggest you get a set up with a good guitar technician, if you're not experienced with adjusting your own action...good luck, Mark B.
Mark, I am a re-new player and having a hard time keeping my right palm from resting on bridge for control during picking. No problem free flying when strumming, but always seem to want to rest palm on top bolt of bridge. Does this old habit need to be un-learned?
Hey Kevin....this is normally where you would put your right hand palm when palm muting....which is a technique discussed in a later lesson. I would try to pick with your palm off of the bridge. The reason being if you pick down close to the bridge, you'll only get that bright treble tone. If you can pick on any portion of the string you have more variety of tone to work with. Sometimes you'll want to pick more between the pickups, sometimes close to the fretboard, and from real twangy bright tone near the bridge.
Mark, RE: Holding the pick: when playing leads should I be maintaining a relaxed grip on the pick as when playing Rhythm?
Also, would the same apply to picking arpeggios?
You may want to tighten your grip on the pick slightly when playing single note lines and arpeggios....but still maintain a relaxed hand and forearm. You need to stay loose to play faster eighth and sixteenth note lines. There are probably different schools of thought on this, but I've always felt that relaxing the right hand and forearm is what you need for smooth and fast technique. Only grip the pick as tight as you need to.
Not to worry problem solved my computer never played the end of your video but ive seen it now ive sorted out the picking problem. Many thanks
Hi Mark loving the lessons so far, just a quick question my picking for the single strings seems to be spot on and im pretty confident with that. However when striking the double strings im having great difficulty striking both strings together with the pick. Any thoughts on what the problem might be? Many Thanks James
:sigh: Newbie question, The metronome on the page has Beats and Beats per minutes. Mark sets his at 80 BPM the beats its default at four do I change that? Thank!
Never mind said the blind man as he pees into the wind, I feel it all coming back to me now! Yay the tapping of the feet really helps smooth things out, thanks!
80 BPM is sort of a target tempo. I would suggest you might slow your tempo down on your metronome. I wouldn't do these much faster. Speed it note the issue here...it's more an issue of accuracy. Mark B.
hey mark i love the practices it is really helping with my accuracy when picking however i am trying to mark my progress and when i hit update it does not update my progress. i have tryed this on 2 computers do you have any ideas why it is not updating.
My Question has to do with headphones for my practice amp.I bought a adapter for a pear of walkman type hedphones. this thay sound like shit.but seem to be all i can aford at this time.
Hey Mark. Great lessons: I learned more in your first four beginner lessons then I learned from a book in a month. Great visuals really show proper technique. Thanks man, I'm glad to subscribe to your sessions.
wow after about 15 or 20 minutes i could memorize where strings were and play them..really helpful!
mark great lesson thank you !
Hey! Mr. Brennen i'm a new member of jamplay. before i joined, i watched your video. I've learnt guitar before so i found these lessons too easy. I just wanna ask that the pick i use is 0.45mm. is it ok for now
I was a bit disheartened before your lessons, now that Im seeing steady consistent progress I cant put my guitar down! My good lady isnt happy with you Mark!! But I sure am :o)
That's great news Chris! I'm sure in time your wife will dig it!
This lesson is fantastic. It's been very helpful and I noticed a difference after just trying the exercises for about 15 minutes.
Great exercise. I'm really trying to feel the strings, so now I close my eyes and just try to feel the place of the strings. It really works well, thanks Mark ;-)
Thanks, Mark. I played acoustic as a kid, but love sound of electric guitar. I got a epiphone guitar and vox amp from my kids for my 45th bday (december) and have been way too intimidated to even try it. I've done 4 lessons with you and am already feeling really confident! just wanted to say thanks.
Hey Nancy....your welcome, and congrats on your new guitar rig! Glad to hear you're off to a good start....Patience and perseverence are key....good luck...Mark B.
These pick lessons are great. I have been trying to teach myself for about 2 months now, and I never realized how much rhythm I did not have till I bought a Ibanez tuner/metronome. This helps a lot Thanks again
Hey Mark, quick question. I just got a guitar 2 days ago and was messing aorund with it a little yesterday..and today is my first day actualy playing along with your lessons. I am left handed and I have tried holding the guitar both ways. When my left hand is on the fret board I have accuracy but I have problems stretching my fingers...and when my right hand is on the fret board I have trouble with accuracy but it is easier to stretch. Which should I use. Which would be easier to fix. Thanx. Great lessons by the way.
I am just starting out trying to learn how to play the guitar and I am left handed, with me being left handed and trying to learn playing right handed will it be more difficult to learn. I bought a right hand Gibson Les Paul Epiphone Guitar to learn to play on. Thanks Don
Hey Don...give it a go, definitely...Your stronger hand is on the fretboard. That should be an advantage. If it doesn't feel too unnatural, you should be fine. Mark B.
It is begining to fill natural, but I am lacking speed I guess that comes in time as in practice! Thanks for your help, your lessons are Great! Don
i write with my left hand but i my left hand on the fretboard, i feel like i have more control over my left hand
i have a dunlop u.s.a ultex .73, is that ok for a beginner pick?
medium
A medium, I think is a good place to start. That should work just fine.
great lesson...ive been trying to learn this technique for a while...im getting better thanks to your exercise
I WUZ WUNDERIN ALL THIS STUFF IZ HARD B CUZ I IZ LEFT HANDID SO I WUZ WUNDERIN A GOUD TEKNEEK FO MEE
HI
What is a chord voicing? All the terms you mention in the wrap up, will you be going over these in a later lesson?
Hi Luke....what I mean by a chord voicing is a particular fingering, a particular arrangement of the notes of a chord in a particular position. There will be many ways to play one chord. Some voicings are very common to a lot of different styles, some are used for a certain style. These become learned from experience and fretboard knwoledge. Hope this makes sense. All the stuff I talked in the wrap up will be covered in future lessons...Mark B.
Mark, a couple questions ... hope you can give me some tips without seeing ... 1) when I'm trying to hold down the bottom strings (E, B), no matter what fret, I'm having difficulty without part of my hand touching the other strings ... any tips? 2) when playing Aura Lee I notice some "humming" in my amp. If I mute the strings my touch, the humming disappears ... any idea if it's something I'm doing with my left or right hand? I've tried different settings on the amp to no avail. Thanks.
Hi Geary...check out my lesson 5 on left hand technique....that shoud help you the touching adjacent string problem...let me know. As far as the humming....try putting a ground lift on the plug of your amp. Also try a different pickup selector position, especially if it's a Strat.
Mark, my amp humms too. What is a ground lift that you previously mentioned? Also, when I move the chord around, I hear crackling noises...maybe my chord is bad...what do you think?
A question about anchoring...Do you think this is a good, bad or indifferent habit to establish for a beginner. I would think it would make things more accurate but what about times when your hand can't be anchored. I'm wondering if I got in the anchoring habit my accuracy might be shot in cases where it's not possible.
Hey Alex.....I'm assuming what you're talking about is resting the heal of your palm on the top of the guitar to keep your picking hand stable. What I do sometimes, with single note work, is rest my right hand pinky on the top. This keeps my hand raised out over the strings and keeps it stable. When I strum, there is no anchoring, because my right hand needs to swing free while I keep my wrist loose....try these exercises with your pinky anchoring your right hand. As you get to the four and five string exercises try swinging free with no anchor.
Mark: Been a bass player all my life except for the first few years, where it as always comes to a starting point and the six string was crucial. I am enjoying learning the basics all over again thanks. Can't let you guys take the LEAD all the time. Besides, someone had to be the back bone right? By the way, your favorite groups just happen to be mine. Pink Floyd, Beatles, Moody Blues, and the classics babe!!! Bythe way, have you ever heard of the band Covenant. If you have then you know me. Again, thanks for letting me get my fingers callused again. Bob
Hey Robert....great to have you aboard.....Does Covenant have a website of a MySpace page?
Mark: Actually we never really got into the computer thing that early in the bands history, now I wish we had of. Do you have a myspace page yourself or an e-mail address for personal use? I would kind of like to keep in contact with someone for which I can relate to on music that's my age. By the way, I joined Wish your were here's forum, and their part of my space page also. My space address is myspace.com/wizardofwood. Thanks Bob
Mark, I have a slight problem with moving my right (strumming hand),in certain different up and down timings. Is there an exercise that I can work on to get better at that? Let me know. Thanks Jimi
Thanks Mark looking forward to the up and comming . JIMI
Hey Jimi...these exercises are pretty basic, as they were intended to be. Every example is done with down strokes. In future lessons, I'l get into more advanced picking (single note), and strumming (chords) technique. This lesson was really about right hand pick control, but as we go along, the right hand technique will certainly be more invloved....Mark B.
I have been going over various pcking techniques. Have you ever heard of postioning the pick at a 45 angle than the 90 angle for a smoother attack; especially when it comes to alternate picking? Chris
Hey Chris...this is a technique that I haven't heard much discussion about. It seems to me that you wouldn't get a consistent attack with the up and down strokes. But, if it works for a certain player, and you're getting a smooth, even technique with it...cool. Mark B.
Mark, enjoying your lessons, thanks. For the pick control exercises, should it be the goal to be able to do all of these without looking at my picking hand? I can do the first few without looking. The rest I have to peek. I guess I'm asking how much looking is acceptable. Even great guitar players that I watch seem to look at what they're doing somewhat.
I don't think looking is a bad thing in itself. The one thing you should think about though is if you become a performer you want to be able to look and interact with the audience as well, so if you are focused on your guitar the entire time that may be an issue. I don't see anything wrong with it PERSONALLY, but like other things playing without looking is a skill that may come in handy and should be easy enough to practice :) Once you learn something try playing it with your eyes closed a few times, not only will that help you get better at playing without looking but I think it will help cement the song in your mind.
Hey Mark, another good one. I'll work this into my practice routine regularly too. Keep them coming!
Hi Mark, For years I have held the pick with both first and second fingers. I find trying your method the pick slips it's position too easily. Should I persevere with your method or revert to my own?
Hey Clifford....It seems to me that if you're holding the pick with your index and middle fingers, you have to bend your wrist to get the proper angle of the pick on the string. If this feels comfortable to you, I'd say that would probably work ok. When you hold the pick between the thumb and the side of the index, your wrist becomes straight, and is in a more natural and comfortable position. I think this is the best way, especially for strumming. Give it a try and see if this works better for you. This stuff is not written in stone, of course....it's just of matter of being comfotable and fluid with your technique. If your way of holding the pick works for you, and it sounds and feels good...go for it...Mark B.
Hello Mark, I am an absolute beginner and i am wanting to learn to strum up and down on the full strings to do chords and get used to strumming. As i do this if i hold the pick relaxed as you say the and when i strum after a few times, the pick starts to move round in my thumb and index finger causing me to lose control and if i hold it any tighter i feel it is hitting the strings too hard and nearly snapping them. I know this may seem like a silly question but would you have any suggestions or advice on this?. Eden
Check out lesson Eight..it has chord strumming execises.
Hi Eden....a couple of suggestions....make sure you're holding the pick properly. You want a firm grip on it, but not to the point of feeling tension in your hand wrist and forearm. Try using a pick with a rough surface on in, like the "Cool" picks that I use, for a better grip. Also, try using a thinner pick when strumming. It has a little more flexibility and "give", and gives strumming a smoother feel. I would use a standard size pick, too for strumming acoustic.
Does it help to say "1, 2, 3, 4" out loud while practicing with the metronome?
Hey Andrew...good question. Yes, counting aloud is a great idea, along with tapping your foot. Try putting emphasis on 1 when counting, so you can always feel where 1 is. Be sure to count and tap steadily, when not with a metronome.
Mark, I enjoy your teaching style. This is my first attempt at a musical instrument at age 55 and you are making it enjoyable.
Your experience as an instructor really shows! Thank you SO much for joining JamPlay. I'm really enjoying learning now. :)
mark you should do have a cigar in phase 3
Going have to push buttons better showing +1 ( What the heck a mistake A 10 being the best atleast )
Back with the guitar after 30 years away. Some has come back but needed to start over . Thought I was to good for your beginners lesson. NOT SO HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH WITHIN HOURS. Thanks for being with JamPlay
Great great lesson and excellent exercises, Thank you very much Mark, your a great teacher to learn from.
Hey, I have some problems with holding the pick. The way you hold it feels kinda uncomfortable. Also I dont know where to put my hand. I often mute strings accidentally. The way you told us not to hold the pick seems to be much easier and I can play better that way. Should I hold the pick like you told us anyway? Where should I put my hand? Hoping for help =)
Hi Heinz...great to hear from you. My way of holding the pick seems to be the most natural. It allows you to keep your wrist straight and relaxed and you achieve a straight on angle with your pick. As for as the accidental muting, try sliding the tip of the pick out from your thumb and index more, and raising the hand over the strings more. You can try anchoring your hand with your pinky finger to control this. And keep your thumb straight. You want to eventually use the side of your thumb to mute strings and to get pinched harmonics. So keep trying my suggestions and see if this works for you. If you still feel more comfortable using your hand position, and you stay relaxed, then I would say that's cool..it works for you. I guess this is not written in stone stuff. Every guitarist will hone his own technique over time....I hope this helps you. Keep me posted on your progress.....Mark B.
Well, I think ill just do it your way. Seems to be safer. Better change my method now than in a year. I think Im just having some trouble because I've been playing the other way for 3 weeks now. So...some extra practice will change this (hopefully). Thanks for your answer.
nicely done mark this lesson has really helped me learn more. This was definetly worth all the money
Hi Mark, really great lesson! I've mastered one string and two string exercises and still have some small problems with rest of the exercises. Just wanted to ask: do you recommend us to master all exercises in this lesson and then move onto next lesson, or move on next lesson and incorporate this exercises in our practice schedule? And same question for other lessons in your series. My picking control is better then ever before, and Im just eager to start playing some music :) Thanks
Hi Almir...great to hear from you. I think that my lessons are being set up to be "progressive", but I don't think you need to master any one before moving on to the next. I think they go hand in hand....while gaining control of your right hand you can be mastering the C major scale. I will be moving forward with my lesson series as quick as my schedule allows, so stay tuned. I hope to incoporate music with execises, too. Look at the songs in Phase 3....a lot of great stuff from all teachers. There should be something there that will suit your ability level....good luck, and stay in touch....Mark B.
Thanks for your reply Mark. Peace, Almir
My low E string keeps buzzing. I think that I have good fret/finger pressure and placement, but it doesn't help. Suggestions?
:Hey Jared...if you're fretting the string properly and you're still getting a rattle or buzz, it could be the action (heighth of the strings over the frets) is too low and the string is rattling on another fret up the neck. Make sure your action is properly adjusted. You may need to take it to a guitar tech to get this done. It's real important that your guitar is setup properly.
WHat metronome are you using? It sounds as if the it is counting more beats than the downbeat. It sounds like a higher pitch on the beat and the lower tones. Is it me and my ears? or is it the metronome.
It is Mark's metronome. He explains it at 2:55 during the 3rd scene. Our new metronome feature on the video page for the lesson can do this as well. Hope that helps you out.
Great timing with this lesson Mark. I've been getting a bit frustrated lately with not being able to pick the right strings sometimes, so hopefully these exercises will help.
this is a great exercise to do when I'm sick of chords!! thanks Mark.
can you call out specifically which lesson was it that talks about "feeling the groove of the metronome"
It's in Dennis Hodges' lesson 6 in phase 2.
This lesson is really making me work. Thanks for the exercises!
I love that tone.