Video Question: John Mayer Style picking

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Date: October 8th, 2008 | Length: 3.63 | Instructor: David MacKenzie

Kenstyle asked "I'm curious about John Mayer's technique in this youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPvkSo1itgc&feature=related. He uses his thumb and index finger throughout the song and the net effect of this technique is that it sounds like a strum with a pick. Any help would be great. Thanks! Ken" Another benefit of being a member of JamPlay is the video response section. Our expert staff fields questions from our members and provides video responses each week.

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Technique Question - December 4th, 2008 (2 minutes, 37 seconds)

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Bad Habits - September 15th, 2009 (2 minutes, 58 seconds)

Hi, Let me start by saying that I'm so glad I found this website. It has reunited me with my guitar and I have had a lot of fun learning from all of you. My question is regarding bad habits. I am an originally self-taught guitarist who had absolutely no direction form a mentor and because of this I picked up a slue of bad habits and bad technique. It has been extremely difficult to get away from some (ex. I will anchor my pinky on the high E string while playing lead and if any of you saw my left hand technique you will cringe), while some have had uses (ex. I play barre chords with the ring and pinky inverted which allows for some cool tension-building chords when I move my pinky up a fret, etc). There are many many others, but throughout the years I learned a lot of cool songs and learned them with bad technique. I don't want to sit and relearn how to fret and pick all over again because I will get bored. At the same time if I keep playing the songs I learned with bad technique I will keep reverting to my old bad habits every time I play. Any advice on how to overcome this? Thanks! -- Vase View Response

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