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Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 888
Location: Louisville, OH 44641 | Hi Folks:
I can strum with the best of them when it comes to ballads (ie, 1/4 and 1/8 notes). But I really struggle when it comes time to really pick it up. Good guitarists can hit those sweet bursts of 1/16th notes. I'd like to be a good guitarist too but I seem to get uptight when it comes time to hit those quick bursts. Anyone know what I mean?
Are there some exercises I can do to overcome this? A practice video? Would a good beating help out? Thanks.
Jim |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | metronome |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Just keep at it and realize it will sound crappy way before it starts sounding good.
And for some inspiration, watch THIS .
Really gets going about 2 minutes 30 seconds in. |
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March 2005
Posts: 12761
Location: Boise, Idaho | My guitar teacher is trying to get me to use more forearm and not bend so much at the wrist.
I'm also trying to learn to alternate strums with single notes on the up or down strokes. "Here Comes the Sun" is the current challenge. |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Don't think it.... feel it. |
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November 2006
Posts: 3969
| More forearm, less pick; i.e. hold the pick so that just the barest amount of the tip extends past your fingers. The more of the pick you have exposed, the longer it takes to slide off one string onto the next. |
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Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Good point.
I choke up on the pick so much it's almost not showing.
It's not something that I was taught. Over time it just happend. |
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January 2009
Posts: 4536
Location: Flahdaw | Try the thinnest pick you can find...I think thick picks are hard to strum quick. Jeez....try saying this fast..."I pick thick picks quickly" |
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Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 888
Location: Louisville, OH 44641 | This reminds me of the Star Wars scene where young Luke is learing about the Force and getting his butt kicked. I need to tap into the force for this one.
I'll try the metronome thing but I'll be surprised. I'd love to find a video you can strum with that starts out slow and picks up the pace over a few minutes time. And when the video is over, you're using the Force to play 1/16th notes like a pro. |
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Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 3969
| Originally posted by dark bar:
I think thick picks are hard to strum quick I find the exact opposite. Thin picks slow me down; I think they get hung up on the string because of excessive flex. Of course that just may be my technique. Try both thicker/rigid and thinner/flexible and find what works bet for you. |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Get a drum track or drum machine with various rhythms, then strum up up and down to match the various beats. Use whatever cord progressions you want to work on. The Latin rhythms are excellent for mixing in single note arpeggios. |
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Joined:
November 2004
Posts: 382
Location: USA | I use a drum machine. Experiment with all the different drum beats and patterns. Speed them up and slow them down. Play slower and faster sequences throughout the same pattern...
All effective. |
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April 2010
Posts: 1227
Location: Connersville, Indiana | Note, it may be good to practice on a beater guitar. Practicing the faster strum, and latin music is awesome for that, pivot at the elbow, keep your wrist ridged, this tends for the pic to scratch the guitar up a bit above and below the sound hole. That's how I learned, I'm not great at it by far, but a least I don't scratch my guitars anymore. Good luck brother.
Kit |
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Strumming Help Please!
