Whenever I do some of my fast alternate picking exercises, the inner part of the thumb on my right hand has a tendency to get really really tight.
I think it may be becuase I am gripping the pick a bit too hard, but if I don't grip it hard then it slips out of my hand when I am doing the exercises.
Any hints for me? It's becoming really annoying.
Thanks,
Pat
What kind of pick are you using? Some may think it does not matter, but others feels the material the pick is made of helps your grip on it. I'm using the Clayton Acetal picks and they seem to stay with me pretty well.
It is a small world for metal fanatics. I welcome you fellow musicians, especially the metalheads!
This is a picture of how much of the pick I leave exposed. This is how I always hold the pick weather I'm strumming or picking.
It may or may not help you, but you might want to try and choke up on it.
i'm using fender heavy guage teardrop ones
i choke up pretty high on the pick too, but i have seen in videos that it's better to leave a good deal of the meat of the pick exposed cause it supposedly gives you more control?
right now, your hand isn't as strong as you'd like. those are very small muscles that you are working with. it can take a while before everything gets to the point it needs to be at.
those teardrop picks are pretty small. maybe you should try some regular sized picks. experiment with how you hold them. also, make sure you stretch out your right hand gently and massage it plenty until it's limbered up-after every song or exercise you do until the problem goes away. squeeze the meaty part of your palm and thumb, as well. open and close it a lot. try to exercise it in a way that uses your hands in a completely different way. the blood has to flow in there and repair the damaged muscles and ligaments. runners have a very single-minded task, but good ones do a lot of different stretches and exercises besides just running their particular event over and over.
i don't hold my pick at right angles to the thumb. mine is at 45 degrees or so, and about a third of the pick is exposed. different positions work for different people. keep your hand flexible and allow the pick to find its natural position. don't force things for a while. it should come to a natural equilibrium point that feels good for you.
by a while i assume you mean A WHILE, right?
I've bee trying to play some paul gilbert and some buckethead licks for like 6 months now and they still just aren't happening up to tempo :(
i don't play shred stuff like that, but from my other experiences, i'd have to say that it can take a while for it to come together, especially considering how advanced those two are. working on their influences, which may be more within your reach, can help you by making it more a matter of putting together larger pieces of the picture in a more natural or logical manner, as opposed to working in a vacuum.
BUCKETHEAD! 8)
I never thought I would see someone on GN with a Buckethead avatar, that's pretty sweet.
"That’s what takes place when a song is written: You see something that isn’t there. Then you use your instrument to find it."
- John Frusciante
Yeah, I will try to work on some yngwie pieces then i guess.
i am also signing up for lessons this week and i am going to ask the guy to teach me classical stuff and see if i can pilfer some violin and flute pieces from him for guitar
