Roast me! Aka, I don't know if I'm picking the right way..

[Lindsey]

A few days ago I made a post in which I mentioned a bad technique I got used to. Right now I'm trying to relearn alternate picking the right way.
I feel like I still move my thumb a bit and I try not to anchor my pink on the guitar or even under the strings, so it's a bit awkward. At the moment of playing it seemed better then when I looked back at it.

(Sorry for the angle, my phone slowly slipped off my leg)

 

[Calvin Phillips]

You're not a Turkey how do i roast you?

 

[Bellah83]

Was that noise in the background your metronome? I would just recommend slowing down a little bit and focusing on keeping it even. Not sure why everyone is against the pinky on the guitar now. I keep mine loosely touching the guitar as kind of a reference point, not anchored down though.

Also, if you miss a beat, try not to speed up to catch that beat, just pick up on the next measure. I used to do that same thing and it's a hard habit to break later. Especially when playing with others.

 

[Edward John]

Joe Satriani made a good point, he said that there is no correct way to pick or hold the pick, regardless, if it works for you and you are able to do what you want then it doesn't really matter how you do it so long as you aren't in pain. Everything seemed fine to me.

 

[Andrew Milner]

Honestly, the only thing I can see being a problem, in the long run, is that you tend to make a very big motion with your hand when picking and it may lead to fatigue. Or at least that's how I can see it as an outside viewer. But as long as you don't feel your picking hand getting too tired too fast, it looks correct.

 

[Lindsey]

Was that noise in the background your metronome? I would just recommend slowing down a little bit and focusing on keeping it even. Not sure why everyone is against the pinky on the guitar now. I keep mine loosely touching the guitar as kind of a reference point, not anchored down though.

Also, if you miss a beat, try not to speed up to catch that beat, just pick up on the next measure. I used to do that same thing and it's a hard habit to break later. Especially when playing with others.

Yes, it was at a metronome I pretty much ignored at some point. I usually don't do that. You can't hear all the beats in the video. Only the first one but I wasn't playing bar by bar.

I don't anchor my pink because it cramps my hand and limits my movement, but that also depends on what I'm playing.

 

[Lindsey]

Honestly, the only thing I can see being a problem, in the long run, is that you tend to make a very big motion with your hand when picking and it may lead to fatigue. Or at least that's how I can see it as an outside viewer. But as long as you don't feel your picking hand getting too tired too fast, it looks correct.

Thanks. That's what I noticed too. I wasn't sure if it's too much or not.

 

[Lindsey]

Joe Satriani made a good point, he said that there is no correct way to pick or hold the pick, regardless, if it works for you and you are able to do what you want then it doesn't really matter how you do it so long as you aren't in pain. Everything seemed fine to me.

I agree with that, however that also caused me an "injury" in my hands.
There are certain guidelines on how to prevent that. I'm trying to figure those out.
Pain usually doesn't come right away. Reparative motions done wrong can do a lot of damage.

 

[Bellah83]

Yes, it was at a metronome I pretty much ignored at some point. You can't hear all the beats in the video. Only the first one but I wasn't playing bar by bar.

I don't anchor my pink because it cramps my hand and limits my movement, but that also depends on what I'm playing.

Right on, yea if it cramps, its too hard. I keep mine fluid and moving with my hand, just lightly grazing the guitar.