You have answered the many detailed questions Ive had for years on your "talking" video. The details such as locked thumb, pick placement, "slicing the string" and arm placement have stumped me for a long time and these issues are not discussed in most or all of the YT videos. The only unanswered question for me would be possibly having the middle finger ride along the back of the index finger as a support beam. But this may add to tension in the hand or wrist joint. Thank you for your keen insights.......
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I'm very happy that I was able to help you out, and that you got some things out of the video. As far as the middle finger is concerned, like you mentioned, this is something that I personally haven't thought too much about, but maybe I will try taking note of it now when I'm practicing. It can possibly make a difference, but right now I don't really see it as something I think I need, mainly referring to how you mentioned something about "supporting the index finger". One thing I may suggest though, since you didn't really mention this in your comment, is to really become aware of your wrist position when playing, and try to do your best to maintain this steady position. This is important especially when the tempos start to get fast enough, past a certain point. I've noticed it really helps me to try and focus on maintaining this position as the speed increases, and to think of the picking motion as coming mainly from your wrist/elbow. Best of luck with it and happy playing!
Observing Benson's middle finger in the sample clip, it seems to be floating free and relaxed, taking as natural a position as possible. Of course, it's just a few seconds of video, but I feel using the middle finger would only add tension.
For plucking strings backward picking is great because it is more accurate, but for metal guitarist using the standard picking style is better especially if you are always palm muting and shredding
I use sligh bend angle of benson method when i have to play fast tremelo or metal fast lick . As it makes less scraty noise and cuts very fastZz .. and some time pick downward amgle slightly
Hello, Congratulations on the video, I learned to play like this, however I play metal, and the difficulty of fast licks is greater than using the pick in the conventional sense, but great metal guitarists use it like this, which would be backward picking, I even thought to switch to the conventional, but I would practically have to relearn how to play the guitar
GB picking is more to do with the left hand than the right. It's 90% to do with structuring lines that contain even note numbers when descending. The right hand position is ergonomically sound and achieves a certain tonal consistency but it's not fundamental to his picking ethos.
Thanks for all the good info - my problem with this technique is that it works at low volumes but live I can't get the lower strings to stop ringing since the right hand can't damp the strings. I guess this only works with thicker and dead jazz strings or for those who has a big left thumb over the neck.
Hey, thanks for the support and checking out the video! I understand what you're saying. when a technique like this is new, and unfamiliar, it can be harder to control at first when you're not really used to it yet. It'd be hard for me to give any possible correct solutions without really seeing what you may be doing, but I'd say if you're still feeling determined to try and develop this technique for yourself, do your best to stick with it, and understand the significance of practicing stuff like this in a logical and efficient way in order to maximize you're potential for progress. the videos I have on this channel that follow this one discuss how I like to work on technique specifically, and one of the most important things imo is to make sure you start at tempos that are extremely easy and comfortable for you, every time. This ensures you can dial the technique in properly, and focus on trying to eliminate/reduce any unwanted string noise, while still allowing the practice to feel as comfortable as possible. Once you can comfortably and confidently get it where you want it, your hands have a better idea of what they're doing, and then you can gradually increase tempos from there. Hope that helps. Good Luck!
Please show more on how it works on guitar…talking alone will not give us very much information on the actual application of that picking style..i am currently practicing the Benson style..and what we really need is the actual application of the pick…but ofcourse talking could help a lot but actual application is another thing…
Hi thanks for the support! I'd say go for it and see how it works for you if that's what you're feelin! As far as the tips I shared in this video, I think the only thing that perhaps wouldn't quite perfectly fit with a "purely alternate picking" approach would be the notion of utilizing economy picking when ascending strings and alternate picking when descending strings, but as far as the mechanics of how to hold the pick and strum/pick across the strings, you can use all of that for just alternate picking if you like. Good luck and thanks for the sub!
sir i really like you vid! that video really help my picking issue . but i have a problem. the problem is open string mute. how can you play so clearly? so hard to me
Hey thank so much! When it comes to something like unwanted open string noise, it can be hard to suggest anything specific without seeing or hearing what you may be doing, so all I feel like I can really say is to start your exercises, whatever you're doing, extremely slow and comfortable with the metronome, so that you can accurately get together whatever sound you're trying to get, and then progress from there. I know this can sound like basic that may not seem like much, but I still think there's a lot of truth in this. Glad you enjoyed the video, happy practicing!
Good information, I am working on that picking technique. What weight of pick do you use or does it has to do with string gauge or matter. I heard Benson use a Fender medium. Not sure if it’s true.
Hey thanks for the comment! I'm not sure of he exact weight or thickness of the picks I use but they are medium, and I'm pretty sure Benson plays with a medium pick as well as far as I know. As far as string gauges and pick preferences, I would experiment and find what works best for you.
@@howtopracticejazzguitareff4872 for your exercise. You used 3. I’m using 5. They’re both even numbers. It’s a dumb statement I left I’m just leaving a post because because it helps 😀
@@nicolosmoffitt Sorry I'm still a little confused haha. If you're talking about the little exercise I demonstrated at the end of the video, the repeating pattern starts with 3 notes on the first string I play, and then 4 notes on the next string. I specifically am using these exact amount of notes/fingers on each string to accurately have the picking pattern off downstrokes/upstorkes come out to fit the benson picking style perfectly (economy down/alternate up). Thats the only reason I play this simple exercise, just to reacquaint to the whole economy down/alternate up thing. 😀
Hi, sorry for the late response, but if you're still interested in private lessons, you can send me an email (contact info on my website, link in description). As far as the format, I can't really predict what will happen, but I can assure you that I try to make it about you, and your personal musical needs/goals/interests. Of course I'm always happy to play the guitar, but I don't think you would want me to just play guitar for you the whole time in your lesson. I will however make sure to clearly demonstrate anything that you may need or want to see, to help ensure that you can be clear about what you may want to do, or how it sounds. Thanks for checking out the channel though, and whatever happens, good luck and all the best with your playing!
For sure, lots of players have adopted this sort of picking style. Generally speaking, Benson is just the guy who a lot of guitarists first think of when they think of this picking style. So we've kind of all adopted this labeling, referring to it as Benson picking, just so everyone kind of knows what you're talking about when you talk about this style of picking.
Action speaks louder than words. Just show it, how to position etc. Thanks. I don't mean to be rude or what but this way I guess you will lose more viewers.
