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GMC Forum _ PRACTICE ROOM _ Plectrum

Posted by: steve25 Apr 19 2007, 08:16 PM

Ok, i don't think i have too many bad habits but one thing i'm aware of is trying to make sure that i don't have tension in my arms or my hands while playing. I'm ok with my fretting hand but i'm just insecure about how i'm holding the plectrum and how i'm strumming. Firstly, how clenched should my hand be? Is this a matter of personal preference, ie some have their fingers floppier than other and some people have their tips touching their palms or what? Also, when you strum a chord, say for example an E chord which uses all 6 strings, should i be strumming vertically down on the strings so that the plectrum literally goes straight down or should i be strumming so that the plectrum glides over the strings at an angle? Thanks for any help

Posted by: wheeler Apr 19 2007, 09:07 PM

QUOTE (steve25 @ Apr 19 2007, 02:16 PM) *
Ok, i don't think i have too many bad habits but one thing i'm aware of is trying to make sure that i don't have tension in my arms or my hands while playing. I'm ok with my fretting hand but i'm just insecure about how i'm holding the plectrum and how i'm strumming. Firstly, how clenched should my hand be? Is this a matter of personal preference, ie some have their fingers floppier than other and some people have their tips touching their palms or what? Also, when you strum a chord, say for example an E chord which uses all 6 strings, should i be strumming vertically down on the strings so that the plectrum literally goes straight down or should i be strumming so that the plectrum glides over the strings at an angle? Thanks for any help


Making sure you have minimal tension in your arms and hands is HUGELY important, so good job on that. As far as how to hold the plectrum/pick; it is a matter of preference. For instance, Pavel's pick-hand fingers tend to curl up into a semi-fist while he's playing, while Jimmy Page or Slash tend to play with a more open, loose pick-hand (from what I can remember). Just make sure that the way you hold your pick and your pick-hand isn't PREVENTING you from playing how you want to play. And when you strum a chord, you will get a different sound quality depending on how you strum. Strumming vertically will generally give you a stronger sound than on an angle....but of course, how much force you strum with is also a big factor. smile.gif

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