For anyone watching this video, these informations being given for free doesn't make them worthless, other teachers will take only one of the things he talked about here (that's IF they were aware of it), make a video about it, ignore everything else and call it a "secret" or even worse make you pay for their lessons that will NOT help move the needle to your progress in any way shape or form, this man really does care about helping others and everything he teaches will work for everyone no exceptions.
@arunkarthikma3121 I can relate.. His teaching in his free content on youtube took my technique from zero to hero years ago, 2 months ago I decided to buy his rapid fire guitar practice training and my playing started to skyrocket since then, I encourage you to give it a try in case you haven't yet, you'll never regret it.
Steve Vai had surgery on his right shoulder a few years ago, and he said it was from playing the guitar the way you said not to. Thanks for spreading the word to correct players on this. It will save you from having injuries.
I thank you for all your videos. I always had questions and I've searched 100 of videos but your videos always have the answer. I had stopped playing when I stopped progressing a few months before but your videos on control and tension and why I'm stuck on a tempo will certainly help a lot.
I'd say that Bernth's teaching is an example of a guitar teaching "framework". It works, for teaching, but your hand will slowly adapt to bringing the pick closer to the wrist at higher speeds.
A good example of such a "framework" is Classical Guitar position, where the thumb stays behind the index finger. It's like training wheels for legato. It's a good framework, but the thumb eventually moves around all over the place, during fast passages.
Eh, not sure I want to give up the Karate Chop aspect, at least not to the degree where the ridge of my hand isn't contacting the bridge at all. Perhaps its better in isolation, for some licks, but when you gotta switch between muted rhythm playing, sweep picking, economy, and alternate picking, its hard to accomplish all those without having your hand ridge parallel to the bridge
Valuable video. This is perfect for intermediate players (like myself) who have a decent grasp on things but need to iron out nuanced issues. I found #4 particularly helpful.
Whole lot of sense right here. Thanks for this video. Spot on, I agree with all the points. A couple of thought provoking questions: If you really want "speed", how about focusing on fluency instead? Speed is for cars, planes and maybe boats, and it is (always) relative. Fluency is not relative, it's either there or not, and without it, no music. Doesn't the angle of attack work inverse to the thickness/stiffness of the Pick? I think* it also matters how close you hold the Pick to its point. Ultimately, I tend to believe it doesn't matter as much as finding a pick (shape, size, thickness) you are comfortable with to make progress, and stick to it. After (some) years of being used to one kind it is (at least) fun to try another.
Love the video. I have known all this for a while ( not intended as an insult by the way ,hopefully you will not take it that way) youre video's are great . The point that im making is even if you know something it still helps to be reminded of some of these small mistakes( they seem trivial but they're not). Plus youre delivery helps (8:45 😂) . You are without a doubt one of the best guitarists/guitar teacher on you tube. Keep it up 👍 Mike
THANK YOU! I'm an advanced classical guitarist who has finally committed to learning the method (picking) of electric guitar players who have come to define rock music over the last 70 years. The problem I came up against is that most capable electric guitar players, being 'self-taught' (although TH-cam is changing that), have no idea how they do what they do; which is not altogether unusual for performers who have both talent and the good fortune to have stumbled into the correct method, and as such...can't and 'shouldn't' teach. Having said that, everything that you have said seems obvious 'to me' (the posture/hand position stuff is all natural to classical guitar playing) but the picking stuff is alien to me, because so many talented 'self-taught' players have succeeded despite doing...EVERYTHING WRONG! Anyway, thanks for confirming common sense concepts based in economy of motion and the utility they provide. Now if I could just figure our how Joe Pass does what 'he' does.
I have a lot of work to do. I watched some other TH-cam videos and ended up getting around 20bpm faster after lots of practice, but watching this video I realized I am doing a lot of things wrong. Im glad I realized on my own something in this video which I did correct. Back to the basics again.
Wow, this is the best video on TH-cam on pick grip so far! I have a question on mistake #9 ( I think it also involves #11 and #15 ) I struggle with pain in my index when holding the pick in the "OK" position. The force that I apply to the string immediately returns in my index finger through the pick. Well actio = reactio How can I fix it? I don't make mistake #11 so John should be pleased. Maybe mistake #15. But when I make a fist, so all the other fingers of my picking hand support the index finger, I feel more tension. Also the pain is still present, its simply less pain because of the support from other fingers.
if I can say something, to me it sounds like your hand (fingers) is tense somewhere. correct picking position should feel very relaxed and more of a posture rather than contracting multiple muscles. maybe that tension comes from compensating some other problem in your technique, even using a slippery pick or something. try placing your pick more towards the index joint rather than the tip
@luezma I'm using Dunlop Jazz ||| XL 1.38 mm. I also tried various other picks from 0.7 to 3 mm. It feels like I'm fighting against the strings with every pickstroke. My pick is doing exactly what he is showing at 6:25 (mistake #9) I mean this wobbling. Higher pickangle helps but still doesn't feel smooth and pain is creeping after few seconds of playing 😢 I actually don't understand how can you eliminate this wobbling entirely. As soon you apply pressure to the pick to displace the string, the string apply pressure back an displace the pick => wobbling
I did the exact same thing. And he's right. I prefer the crispness/sharpness sound of a thin pick for some things. But it does severely affect the speed and accuracy because it's moving more than a thicker pick. The faster you play, the more noticeable it becomes....
You're not wrong about sitting position. I changed over years ago and after a week or so I got much better and more consistent. Also my attack is much more aggressive and brutal.
Sitting with the left arm elevated for long periods of time leads to numbness and fatigue as it requires blood to flow upward into the hand. In the downward left hand position the hand is far more relaxed and dies not go numb.
I really struggle with the Technical Difficulties riff with directional picking and this style of picking in general. Any chance of some tips on this? Thanks in advance!
I have a doubt: Most part of the guitarist use to say that the picking move comes from the wrist.. But the fingers that hold the pick.. they move or not about press the strings?! Thank you!
have you noticed that a lot of guitarists look really awkward when they play standing up, and their guitar is way high. This is the reason. Don't be that guy haha
When you play rhythm with chords etc do you angle the pic? I have been doing a few things correctly and a few incorrectly. I am adapting to angling the pick for notes. However, I think angling the pick for strumming may be different. What is your recommendation?
8:15 I thought in an older video that you said you shouldn't angle the pick since it makes the tone "thinner"? Maybe I'm mixing you up with someone else, but I coulda swore it was you?? Whoever it was that said it, I ignored it regardless lol- I'm way less concerned with whatever miniscule tonal difference there might be vs getting to a faster speed/the deceased tension from angling the pick.
Crap…! I’m 62 years old playing guitar since age 12. And I have a big share of these. That is a lot of engrained error to undo. On the bright side, maybe I’ll finally make some progress. 😅
You may have a point on the shoulder thing 1 shredder ok 2 shredders ok 3 shredders oooo 4 shredders uh 5........... Ok dude the shoulder thing isn't a thing It's just you
That kind of picking will definitely cause you to play something ridiculous. If you don't have picking speed, that means you still have a chance. Nothing sounds more ridiculous. You will notice that guys who play like that always run everybody out of the room. Turns my stomach.
if you do this all, you play like a robot. lets break the limit. all you do is use swiping picking it allows you whatever position because it dont depend on the right hand but in the left hand.
Sorry I don't agree. many of us rocker who will remain nameless do not share your technique and still manage to pick faster then many others out there .sometimes it's just what works and that's all that matters.
WATCH THIS NEXT >>> th-cam.com/video/0XbnT-1a6k4/w-d-xo.html (Building Speed THIS Easily Should Be ILLEGAL)
For anyone watching this video, these informations being given for free doesn't make them worthless, other teachers will take only one of the things he talked about here (that's IF they were aware of it), make a video about it, ignore everything else and call it a "secret" or even worse make you pay for their lessons that will NOT help move the needle to your progress in any way shape or form, this man really does care about helping others and everything he teaches will work for everyone no exceptions.
Yeah his video about the "non-perpendicular fretting" is one of the main reasons I got good at legato (apart from Rick Graham and Tom Quayle videos)
@arunkarthikma3121 I can relate.. His teaching in his free content on youtube took my technique from zero to hero years ago, 2 months ago I decided to buy his rapid fire guitar practice training and my playing started to skyrocket since then, I encourage you to give it a try in case you haven't yet, you'll never regret it.
Steve Vai had surgery on his right shoulder a few years ago, and he said it was from playing the guitar the way you said not to. Thanks for spreading the word to correct players on this. It will save you from having injuries.
Interesting! Can you share a link to an article/YT video where he talks about this?
th-cam.com/video/UKXoX9n_2tA/w-d-xo.htmlsi=NTH-7NyZVHlFJCBe&t=6m5s
Thanks!
Can you show us the Corey Feldman solo skills? How he uses the pick, and holds his hand, arm etc? It's epic. Have you seen that technique yet?
I'm sometimes amazed by how some people are still able to play well in the "wrong sitting position". I mean, it's way harder and unconfortable.
The best right hand position correction on TH-cam. Thank you
I thank you for all your videos. I always had questions and I've searched 100 of videos but your videos always have the answer. I had stopped playing when I stopped progressing a few months before but your videos on control and tension and why I'm stuck on a tempo will certainly help a lot.
Damn. Bernth taught me to play with a closed grip though. There's alotta contradictory information about optimal guitar playing
I'd say that Bernth's teaching is an example of a guitar teaching "framework".
It works, for teaching, but your hand will slowly adapt to bringing the pick closer to the wrist at higher speeds.
A good example of such a "framework" is Classical Guitar position, where the thumb stays behind the index finger.
It's like training wheels for legato.
It's a good framework, but the thumb eventually moves around all over the place, during fast passages.
Thank you Sir!
Your instruction is so detailed.
Eh, not sure I want to give up the Karate Chop aspect, at least not to the degree where the ridge of my hand isn't contacting the bridge at all. Perhaps its better in isolation, for some licks, but when you gotta switch between muted rhythm playing, sweep picking, economy, and alternate picking, its hard to accomplish all those without having your hand ridge parallel to the bridge
Thank you so much for sharing this. Just by watching I’ve identified a few errors I have
Valuable video. This is perfect for intermediate players (like myself) who have a decent grasp on things but need to iron out nuanced issues. I found #4 particularly helpful.
Ngl, the "start the engine on an OLDER car" threw me for a loop, damn we getting old y'all! Great video and content tho 😂
Thank you so much. You give certain important details I never hear anywhere else.
Whole lot of sense right here. Thanks for this video. Spot on, I agree with all the points. A couple of thought provoking questions:
If you really want "speed", how about focusing on fluency instead? Speed is for cars, planes and maybe boats, and it is (always) relative. Fluency is not relative, it's either there or not, and without it, no music.
Doesn't the angle of attack work inverse to the thickness/stiffness of the Pick? I think* it also matters how close you hold the Pick to its point. Ultimately, I tend to believe it doesn't matter as much as finding a pick (shape, size, thickness) you are comfortable with to make progress, and stick to it. After (some) years of being used to one kind it is (at least) fun to try another.
I built my own really nice foot rest out of wood. I find that I'm more inclined to use it since I put effort into building something nice.
Love the video. I have known all this for a while ( not intended as an insult by the way ,hopefully you will not take it that way) youre video's are great . The point that im making is even if you know something it still helps to be reminded of some of these small mistakes( they seem trivial but they're not). Plus youre delivery helps (8:45 😂) . You are without a doubt one of the best guitarists/guitar teacher on you tube. Keep it up 👍 Mike
I jut got my foot stool in the other day. Game changer for real. \m/
THANK YOU! I'm an advanced classical guitarist who has finally committed to learning the method (picking) of electric guitar players who have come to define rock music over the last 70 years. The problem I came up against is that most capable electric guitar players, being 'self-taught' (although TH-cam is changing that), have no idea how they do what they do; which is not altogether unusual for performers who have both talent and the good fortune to have stumbled into the correct method, and as such...can't and 'shouldn't' teach.
Having said that, everything that you have said seems obvious 'to me' (the posture/hand position stuff is all natural to classical guitar playing) but the picking stuff is alien to me, because so many talented 'self-taught' players have succeeded despite doing...EVERYTHING WRONG! Anyway, thanks for confirming common sense concepts based in economy of motion and the utility they provide. Now if I could just figure our how Joe Pass does what 'he' does.
I have a lot of work to do. I watched some other TH-cam videos and ended up getting around 20bpm faster after lots of practice, but watching this video I realized I am doing a lot of things wrong. Im glad I realized on my own something in this video which I did correct. Back to the basics again.
Wow, this is the best video on TH-cam on pick grip so far!
I have a question on mistake #9 ( I think it also involves #11 and #15 )
I struggle with pain in my index when holding the pick in the "OK" position. The force that I apply to the string immediately returns in my index finger through the pick. Well actio = reactio
How can I fix it?
I don't make mistake #11 so John should be pleased.
Maybe mistake #15. But when I make a fist, so all the other fingers of my picking hand support the index finger, I feel more tension. Also the pain is still present, its simply less pain because of the support from other fingers.
if I can say something, to me it sounds like your hand (fingers) is tense somewhere. correct picking position should feel very relaxed and more of a posture rather than contracting multiple muscles. maybe that tension comes from compensating some other problem in your technique, even using a slippery pick or something. try placing your pick more towards the index joint rather than the tip
@luezma I'm using Dunlop Jazz ||| XL 1.38 mm. I also tried various other picks from 0.7 to 3 mm.
It feels like I'm fighting against the strings with every pickstroke.
My pick is doing exactly what he is showing at 6:25 (mistake #9) I mean this wobbling.
Higher pickangle helps but still doesn't feel smooth and pain is creeping after few seconds of playing 😢
I actually don't understand how can you eliminate this wobbling entirely. As soon you apply pressure to the pick to displace the string, the string apply pressure back an displace the pick => wobbling
Paul Gilbert mentioned in interviews that he is using a thin pick because he likes the sound, and that IT DOES HURT HIGH SPEED PLAYING.
I did the exact same thing. And he's right. I prefer the crispness/sharpness sound of a thin pick for some things. But it does severely affect the speed and accuracy because it's moving more than a thicker pick. The faster you play, the more noticeable it becomes....
You're not wrong about sitting position. I changed over years ago and after a week or so I got much better and more consistent. Also my attack is much more aggressive and brutal.
Nice chest muscles🤙🏼 What's your 1 rep max at bench press? 🤔
345 lbs
@@HowToPracticeGuitar cool! And your own weight?
187 lbs currently (but was 190 lbs when I hit it).
The rotational forearm thing is fine if you follow Pebber Brown's sarod picking advice.
Great teacher...
master class, full lessons details. tks
Sitting with the left arm elevated for long periods of time leads to numbness and fatigue as it requires blood to flow upward into the hand. In the downward left hand position the hand is far more relaxed and dies not go numb.
I agree with your other points and enjoy your videos.
I really struggle with the Technical Difficulties riff with directional picking and this style of picking in general. Any chance of some tips on this? Thanks in advance!
“…or starting the engine on an older car.” Ouch!
Forearm Rotation is the #!1 villain holding you from doing insane pinch harmonics in your guitar.
Thank you sir good lesson
I have a doubt: Most part of the guitarist use to say that the picking move comes from the wrist.. But the fingers that hold the pick.. they move or not about press the strings?! Thank you!
This video is very blue.
Awesome tutorial
Thank you Hansi Kursch
Paul Gilbert uses very thin guage strings, so a thinner pick is ok for him.
About the sitting position. You can sit with your guitar on your right leg and have level shoulders.
have you noticed that a lot of guitarists look really awkward when they play standing up, and their guitar is way high. This is the reason. Don't be that guy haha
When you play rhythm with chords etc do you angle the pic? I have been doing a few things correctly and a few incorrectly. I am adapting to angling the pick for notes. However, I think angling the pick for strumming may be different. What is your recommendation?
My back and arms hurts me when i play guitar in classical position.
Really good video
8:15 I thought in an older video that you said you shouldn't angle the pick since it makes the tone "thinner"? Maybe I'm mixing you up with someone else, but I coulda swore it was you?? Whoever it was that said it, I ignored it regardless lol- I'm way less concerned with whatever miniscule tonal difference there might be vs getting to a faster speed/the deceased tension from angling the pick.
Yes
Hi how are you rock on dude l am learning to play guitar basic power chords
Super, thanks' a lot.
Great vid
Crap…! I’m 62 years old playing guitar since age 12. And I have a big share of these. That is a lot of engrained error to undo. On the bright side, maybe I’ll finally make some progress. 😅
I made this course for guitarists like you: practiceguitarnow.com/Cleanser
Have to bulk again just so i can fix mistake 6 😂 ( jokes, i just watch thoses videos for fun i already fixed many issues by myself )
You are the kind of person who just spouts out your personal preferences and labels them as absolute. Worthless.
The Real Guitar Teacher
You may have a point on the shoulder thing
1 shredder ok
2 shredders ok
3 shredders oooo
4 shredders uh
5...........
Ok dude the shoulder thing isn't a thing
It's just you
I am not fast and don't think I'll ever be so I just play the kind of music I can learn. Yesz call it laziness 😁
That kind of picking will definitely cause you to play something ridiculous. If you don't have picking speed, that means you still have a chance. Nothing sounds more ridiculous. You will notice that guys who play like that always run everybody out of the room. Turns my stomach.
damn
hate puppies!? I better click
Stevie T. tank version 🤫
He actually got funny
Everything here are really good tips except for the 15th tip aerodynamic nonsense.. The air practically has no friction with your arm
Who is this accountant and why does he think he knows everything about guitar?
Guys, play every guitar besides of v's like first example. Don't make the most cool instrument lame
Make your picking hand more aerodynamic? That’s utter nonsense. The picking hand is never moving fast enough for aerodynamics to be relevant.
if you do this all, you play like a robot. lets break the limit. all you do is use swiping picking it allows you whatever position because it dont depend on the right hand but in the left hand.
Sorry I don't agree. many of us rocker who will remain nameless do not share your technique and still manage to pick faster then many others out there .sometimes it's just what works and that's all that matters.