Need help with my right hand guitar technique...

[ratsapprentice]

I've been having some issues with my right hand whilst playing recently....
Mainly that I'm not consistent in my general technique, sometimes I'll anchor my hand other times I'll have my fingers out, others I'll make a fist...

So, I just need some guidance on right hand technique for rhythm playing, and less importantly lead playing. Any video's or articles that you know of...?

Cheers

 

[Lionwing]

I think I have a really good right hand, I can downpick like no tomorrow and I always pick hard and consistent but my technique or grip is definitely different to the generally accepted thumb and index finger grip, mine's more like hetfield's - thumb and first 2 fingers, and then the third or ring finger supporting them but not touching the pick, and my pinky resting on the high e string.

Anyway my point is that I'm happy with my technique so I think it's important to play how you're comfortable as long as it's consistent!

 

[amarshism]

Just pick a way you feel comfortable and stick with it consistently and practice/play that way for a good 6 months-a year. You will find you'll probably make slight adjustments and tweaks over time probably every year or so anyways.

 

[Erik Monsonis]

After seeing Ola's videos I've started working like mad on alternate picking so it's almost indistinguishable if I'm downpicking or uppicking. Of course I'm not as good as him on that, but I found it really comfortable to play at higher speeds.

 

[cobhc]

I kinda agree that you should just pick the way that feels comfortable for you UNLESS it hinders your speed/stops you from playing what you wish to play. I'd just spend some time playing simple downstroke rhythms to a metronome, then work on straight alternate picking, then different types of gallop, etc. If you really wanna up your right hand technique, try and learn some old thrash tracks, learn some stuff off of Practice What You Preach, or Pleasure To Kill, that should help you out as well.

 

[The Unavoidable]

No one picks better than ol' PG. Check out all of his vids, 90% of them are killer right-hand exercises.

 

[cobhc]

True, just depends how much of his picking style you could relate to rhythm playing, which is what the OP was more concerned with, though any help is good.

Just to add who I think has killer playing styles for rhythm playing.

Jon Schaffer
James Hetfield
Scott Ian
Gary Holt
Mille Petroza

Maybe watch some vids and try to pick like they do and see if it makes things any easier/more comfortable.

 

[The Unavoidable]

I'd say that picking is picking, and it doesn't matter if it's lead or rythm. Clean and efficient movement, with good focus on the pick angle is gold no matter what you play.

 

[MarcusGHedwig]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpJNUGHxC3M

No one picks better than ol' PG. Check out all of his vids, 90% of them are killer right-hand exercises.

He really is THE cleanest and tightest alternate picker I've ever seen, and I've always loved his treatise against economy picking at 5:27

 

[MarcusGHedwig]

That said, I will agree that rhythm playing is a slightly different beast, as the best and most punishing heavy rhythm playing really needs to be downstroke-dominated IMO, though I don't think there's really as much technique to master there, just stamina (I unfortunately suck at it, but I'm pretty proud of my alternate picking chops at least )

 

[Plankis]

If you want to mold your picking hand to someone, Paul Gilbert is the man. Notice the floating hand, the slight angle and the general awesomeness.
I think that if you want to become a badass picker you have to work on your upstrokes too. I can bet almost all guitarists are better at downstrokes than upstrokes, and many of them are fine with that. Why is that? Pianists strives to be equally good on both their hands, why should we not strive for that perfection too?

 

[Wohma]

If you want to mold your picking hand to someone, Paul Gilbert is the man. Notice the floating hand, the slight angle and the general awesomeness.
I think that if you want to become a badass picker you have to work on your upstrokes too. I can bet almost all guitarists are better at downstrokes than upstrokes, and many of them are fine with that. Why is that? Pianists strives to be equally good on both their hands, why should we not strive for that perfection too?

Right-handers playing lefties as proficiently as right-handed guitars?

I learned economy picking right when I started playing guitar and it slowed me down in certain licks, so I'm now slowly converting to alternate picking. Thus I recommend everyone to start with alternate and only then move on to economy. It WILL take longer, but in the end, it will pay off.