I'm having issues with my index finger and thumb hitting the strings while playing. Is this supposed to happen? I tried holding the pick higher, but it's impossible to play well like that....
"Into ruin, I am sinking, hostage of this nameless feeling!" - MetallicA
Exposing more of the pick does make it more difficult to play. I'm thinking that an adjustment in the position of your fingers may help. I keep the first segment of both the index finger and thumb parellel to the strings. Then I can expose less of the pick giving me more control over it and still not inadvertently hit the strings with my fingers
-- John
"Hip woman walking on a moving floor, tripping on the escalator.
There's a man in the line and she's blowin' his mind, thinking that he's already made her."
'Coming into Los Angeles' - Arlo Guthrie
Okay, my secret is coming out. At times, I also find my thumb hitting on an upstroke or my index on a downstroke. What does that mean? I misguided my strum. If you're a strummer, brush the pick against the strings at an equal height across all the strings. If you hit your index on the way down and the thumb on the way up you are swooping down like an airplane to the ground and flying back up.
Take it slow and watch your strum or pick and make adjustments accordingly. And, since I did not address it exactly, your thumb/finger should not touch the strings. Yea, at times by accident, but work to make only the pick hit the strings.
"Nothing...can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts."
Just to add to Corbind's post. It seams like your using your wrist to much. When strumming you want to try using your elbow a little more, like Corbind said you want to strike all string equally. You can't do that if you are using your wrist to much.
It's a some what equal balance that in time you will get use to.
Can you try some of the suggestions and come back and post what you feel or have learned? That way we can tweak what we've advised. Take a day or two and come back with the results/problems.....
"Nothing...can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts."
