Country Blues Guitar...It is our roots. (L of C...West Virginia 1935)

Everyone Can Learn Guitar!

I want everyone to have success with the guitar. This blog is dedicated to that desire. If you have been stumbling, then I know you will find help and encouragement here. I know that everyone who truly desires it can make music on the guitar.

Now, on with the Blog.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

The Right Hand Pick

I've been working on my right hand trying to get a convincing pick style sound out of my thumb and index finger. There are just some styles that need that pick sound/attack, but I never have a pick at hand. I'm using the thumb for downstrokes and the index for the upstrokes (ala Albert Collins).

It's coming along quite well, I suppose, but it does bring up an interesting observation about how completely muscle-memory becomes integrated. I suddenly feel like a complete beginner when practicing my new pick. It's been a long time since I felt this...ahmm...clumsy while running scales I know in my sleep. It's sort'a cool. It is making me examine all kinds of little angles and positions as I teach my hand how to do it.

So why post it to the blog? I guess just to suggest that if your feeling a little bored with your playing, then try to mix it up a bit with a strange technique. You will reap an instant return to that "beginners" mind.

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