I dont want to admit how many yrs Ive been playing. Have really struggled with accuracy. I watch your attack and it looks very light. A heavy pick hand has always been my nemisis.
Me too. And I have noticed many metal shredders also pick very lightly. So I’ve switched to 9s, which helps to pick more lightly. You just can’t hit them so hard! 😅 I’m doing some progress!
Wow...!!! I can't believe it. I'm 64 years old and I've struggled with playing fast and fluid my entire life. I assumed that I was just relegated to not being fast....to being a slow-hand. And when I saw you play fast in the first exercise..I thought.."I'll never be able to do that that fast." Well...less than 1 hour later...I'm playing faster and more fluid than I ever have..it's astonishing...I'm amazed at what happened. Thanks so much...I only wish I'd have discovered this 30 years ago....lol...before I sold me Jazz guitar in shame...
Very good stuff - high production value and I like the background lighting. subbed! With this technique you strictly avoid awkward inside-picking-motions. never thought about it this way though sometimes inside-picking can feel good - don't ask me why. George Benson seems to be in line with Malmsteen in regards to this technique.
Interesting (and quite funny) that these are pretty much exactly the same picking mechanics that Yngwie Malmsteen uses. Lovely lines, playing and video. 👌
Here is link to PDF's and Guitar Pro Files for etude and examples: patreon.com/NathanBortonMusicPatreon?Link& Part 2 to this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-uflNwxm0Yf0.html Chapters: 00:00 - Intro 00:40 - First Exercise (Up, Down) 02:24 - Second Exercise (Down, Down, Up) 03:48 - Expanding Second Exercise 05:09 - Adding Hammer-on's and Pull-off's 07:12 - Demonstrating the Exercises
I just released a George Benson Blues video that is built of this video. My latest one if you want to check it out! Some of the lines don’t perfectly follow this formula however, but it mostly works out!
Excellent ! I did pick up some pointers from you. You're a good teacher. If only the neck of your guitar had some "dots" on it, like road signs as another guide, would have been even better!
Would you take a request Nathan? I'm having trouble when I'm trying to use 16th note lines to improvise. It's all about the flow and how to think in that rhythm, but it seems that I just can't figure it out. I think this would be an awesome video!!!
Hey, I hear you. I have the same trouble. I'm comfortable with 8th note lines and 8th note triplet lines, but 16th note lines are a huge problem. I've made some progress lately, but not where I want to be. Lately, I have taken one of my favorite lines that I learned out of a Dave Stryker book. I use it a lot and comfortable with it. It starts on beat one, usually and is sort of a typical 8th note bebop line with some enclosures and arpeggios. If I play it double time, it tends to sound good playing it on the "and" before the one, where I would normally play the phrase. I practice it over a Bb blues at 80 bpm and try to increase the tempo gradually. Seems to be working. I also do the same with enclosures on major and minor triads and John Coltrane Giant Steps digital patterns, i.e., play 1-2-3-5 scale degrees on Bb7 and keep moving up a tritone. I can't do any of this for a whole chorus, but thrown in here and there gives me a little more variety in my playing. Also, getting more comfortable hearing myself play faster and knowing where to put it, so that I don't lose my place in the form or turn the beat around. Anyway, you're not alone.
As noted somewhat below regarding the pick-holding technique. It appears you are using the pad of the index finger vs. the side. The middle finger adds some support as well? Contact with the string is being made with the right side/backside of the pick vs. the front side. Pick gauge? Light pick grip with the note power coming from the left hand. This also lessens the pick noise. Nice video. Am looking forward to your pick-holding video.
Hey Nathan, great video. But, with all/most notes picked the attacks all sound the same. I really like the sound of slides into notes giving a chromatic & rhythmic musical zing to the phrasing.
Nice tutorial. Also, I noticed you hold the pick the way I do and was always told it was incorrect. I never used the index finger curled with thumb over it and the 45 degree pick angle from the thumb. Any comments?
I just hold the pick like the because it felt nice for my playing. I say if you can achieve the sound and speed you want, it doesn't matter what style you hold the pick!
You provide a good demonstration of some clean playing with a nice tone with good production, yet hardly cover the nuts & bolts of the technique. I am not hating, but you have well missed the mark in this explanation unfortunately, and yet many will not even understand what they are missing, because you have focused on the lessor points of what makes certain aspects of the technique improve one's speed.
I can only cover so much in a less than 10 minute video. There are of course things you could talk about but these core exercises (at least for me) helped and hopefully will help others too.
Are you sure this helped you a lot ? Understandably I dont want to go down this rabbit hole only to find out that it helps nothing because the information was only for the sake of making a video to make money. I have to ask as there is a lot of nonsense videos with convincing techniques that turns out to be fake money making schemes, utterly wasting my time.
If you work out lines with the core exercises I showed you in the video then yes that’s what helped me and can you. I know do videos about what I find interesting and helpful. Would I like to make living doing what I love, YES who wouldn’t. Would I intentionally make a video to crab clicks, NO. If you have watched any of my videos (it seems like you do as your subbed) then you would see the amount of time and effort I put into these. Who else offers etudes every lesson with the concepts applied? I’m sorry that you didn’t find this video helpful (it’s cool) but implying i only did this to make money is offensive to me. I did it becuase I found it helpful and thought I could help others.
@@NathanBortonMusic Good to know, but you must understand, that I need to ask when I see something that make me doubt as content providers dont care to waste combined millions of hours of the time of users trying to follow their advice, which is mostly bunk. That is really really offensive.
Hi sorry about that! I tried my best with the picking camera and also the sheet music has picking written in as well just in case that works better. You can also download this RU-vid video using the app “clipgrab” and put the audio into a slowdown app like “transcribe!” I also have guitar pro files on the patreon that you can play along with at any temp you choose!
This is really helpful. I also would recommend looking at John McLaughlin and especially Al DiMeola, who must be the quickest and most efficient pick players out there.
Al DiMeola and John McLaughlin appear to be using downstroke escape motion (DSX) as opposed to the upstroke escape motion (USX) described in this video. Troy Grady’s Cracking the Code details these mechanics and is a fantastic resource.
Just found your channel. I'm a self-admitted hack, and I had been struggling with alternating picking for decades. What you are sharing here will solve a few issues I have had with that. Great video! Sweet chops. Thanks for posting.
I’m planning on making a patreon video for that point! I didn’t include it in the video as I wanted to focus on the picking and less on the holding of the pick. I’ve seen people use bensons method with multiple different pick holding (and slant) methods and wanted to make the video as concise as possible
I remember learning this from Tuck, from Tuck and Patti. It's a common jazz picking technique I've used since I learned it in '98. Definitely helps clean playing/notes and dexterity
Hello Nathan, I don't really understand the efficiency of rest strokes. When I play the first phrase you demonstrated I seem to be way faster when using free strokes. Maybe it's just because I've always used this technique. I just can't wrap my head around this new technique, it feels kind of weird. Maybe I just need to practice.
Hi thanks for your question! The rests strokes come into play first by first accenting the feel of the up stoke (which allows for string changes) and secondly, as demonstrated in the video, when changing strings with the sweep downstroke. Look at the second exercise and its extensions in this video for more clarification. Thanks!
This is great. I realize that i am stuck alternating picking everything and to do a whole line with downstrokes is almost impossible! I am working on it.
You teach lessons? I'm fascinated by your pick grip. It looks like a grip that is normally considered to be a beginner mistake. You also use swing picking, which is considered a mistake. However, your speed, tone and left hand grip is essentially perfect. I'm astounded.
Thank you for breaking down his technique. Can you show how he applies this to his version of "My Cherie Amour"? Especially the string riff that is in Stevie Wonder's version. Thank you
Very useful! Fun fact, George Benson, on about half of his recordings, is not using a pick! Just his thumb. I play with my thumb like him, and I’ve learned how to play with upstrokes, and this video will help tremendously. Especially the part about down down down up, but starting with the up first. That is totally a sound I’ve heard Wes play too that now doesn’t feel out of reach.
Just so I'm clear, is every downstroke a rest stroke even when not changing strings like the chromatic notes you did on the B strings? Obviously no rest notes for the E string chromatic line.
Thanks so much! And yes I do hold my pick that way. I can still get a downward pick slant but it’s just more comfortable for me. I’m using the CFG zero gravity guitar strap!
I notice you allow the arm/wrist to move without anchoring. Is it the rest stroke that gives your stability (like gypsy players) otherwise you indeed have excellent control. Tone and accuracy are wonderful.
Good lesson. Seems like the "Doo-dot" bebop feel is built into the grip. Agree/disagree? Would rather have the right rhythmic feel than melt-your-face shred speed.
This was not explained well at all. According to the rationale for the first strategy, to up pick before changing strings for increased speed, this completely contradicts the second and third strategy. Far more explanation is needed as to when and why you implement these strategies.
Hi John, I'm sorry the video didn't work for you. The first picking exercise focuses on the up stroke changing string. The second exercise uses down strokes to change strings, BUT using the downward sweep motion as shown in the video. The lines following the exercises use the picking in a line. The first line only uses the up stokes to change strings, while the next lines after exercise 2 uses the "double downs." The third exercise address using hammer ons and pulls offs so our picking and line up. Downing each of the exercises will help you internalize this technique. The lines are simply there to show you a possible example of execution. The etude at the end then combines everything together. Hope this helps the rational of the video!
Sorry :( This last semester I was so incredibly busy I didn’t have time to clean it… but if you look at the next video I posted after this one it’s clean :)
hello ! but if I understand the whole about rest Strokes and Up strokes, I think you explain exactly the way it works for Gipsy Jazz, is'nt it ? (English is not may language, maybe I missed something ?)
Do you think we can have différent techniques, the frank gambale technique is différent but interesting too. Does the action makes différence for speed ? Type of pick ? The way you take your guitar too. Thx
Thanks for the quick reply! Well, the pick together with the strings and tone your fingers emit sounds really good! Everybody tells me that for jazz you need super thick picks like 3mm etc. I beg to differ. Yes thick is good but you can also sound jazzy with 1mm thickness. You just proved that! Thin or thick, it comes down to what sounds good in the ear and is an individual choice. Thanks Nathan!@@NathanBortonMusic
I generally hate to be that guy, but uppon hearing you saying, i'am gonna give you guys the secret to play fast and seing how you do it, i genuinly believe there's some improvement to be had. For starter lemme just say that, unless you're holding your pick with your pinky, there's not really a "wrong way" of doing things, i firmly believe that every hand is different, thus making some grip more "natural" for the user. That being said, i've had many student over the years being stuck speed wise, having that kind of "jazz grip" ( meaning holding the pick with the thumb and the index straight ), and then again, there's nothing wrong with that. But i am now convinced that this kind of grip will cap your speed, and mostly, is going to be your WORST ENNEMY when it comes to economy picking, it's also gonna create more tension in your forearm, and won't allow you to create an efficient "thumb/first finger" rotation movement, wich will be the core of an efficient economy picking technique. When it comes to speed, and speed only, you'll want to have a completely relaxed hand and forearm in order to play over extended period of time, and a range of motion that allows your pick to move more freely, wich that jazz grip won't allow you to do. On the other hand, having the pick positioned on the side of your first finger will allow you to create some kind of a rotative movement, or at least a movement that can be done by only moving your thumb and first finger, or a mix of the wrist and finger. That, is the key to release the tension in your forearm and also giving more freedom to the pick between your finger. The technique you're using right now won't allow you to do that, and your two picking finger are completely "static", wich forces you to develop more strenght to pick the strings, and gives way less precision and control over your dynamic. You're referring to a motion that benson uses a lot ( down/down/up ), wich is the core of many technique that benson uses, but this technique doesn't stop here, and mostly doesn't highlight the real benefit of economy picking, wich is : allowing you pick to take the fastest route to pick a string, for exemple, Down/Up, Down/Up, will become Up/Down, Down/Up. That exemple of course is only done when it comes to 2 not per string, in order to create a rotative movement, allowing the pick to flow in a rotative movement, wich liberates most of the tension in your arm. Having a grip that allows your finger and your pick to move is key so that you're allowed to spend less strenght upon executing the movement. I' am hearing you talking about rest chord, and i truly believe such a thing doesn't exist, after pondering many years, i actually found that this is precisly what prevented me from being clean and precise, and mostly reaching a higher speed, especially when playing 3 note per string pattern. When playing 3 note per string using economy picking you'll be doing the following : D/U/D, D/U/D, and so forth and obviously U/D/U when doing descending runs. At the time my technique wasn't on point, and specifically on motions where i go from the tickest to the finest strings, the gravity plays against you and naturally the following string is what you call the rest string upon executing a motion D/U/D : your pick is naturally gonna position itself on the next string. THAT is precisly why your speed will be capped, and you won't be able to be precise. When your pick is already on the next string you need to attack, you'll have to spend more strenght to attack it, and you'll sometimes hit the following string. What eventually fixed everything for me was when i realised that i needed to stop my pick right after the D/U/D motion to KEEP SPACE between my pick and the next string i'll have to attack. Economy picking is all about dynamics, and being able to reproduce a similar attack for each and every stroke. Then again, the problem i'am explaining is mostly appearing when going from the lowest E to the highest ( if you're tunned in E standard ), again, because the gravity plays against you, and your pick is going to naturally fall onto the next string, but having a grip that allows your finger to move more freely will allow for more precision as you'll have to prevent yourself from resting on those string change, to create a better dynamic, and with a lot of work you'll be able to be much faster/precise, and have more control over the dynamic of your sound. This is obviously a very deep subject, and there are a lot of stuff to work on, it personally took me years and years to devellop an efficient economy picking technique, and i would be lying if i said i didn't learned from many fantastic guitar player. 2 guitarist especially helped me realise things that allowed me to take my economy picking to the next level : First was Tom quayle and his "lazy first finger syndrome" wich is more of a left hand problem, and the other guitarist is Spiro Dusias, wich is one of the most amazing economy picker i've ever seen ( you'll find him mostly on instagram ) and he is the one that made me realise that those "resting string" as you call them, were your worst enemy when it comes to efficient economy picking technique.
Thanks for your input! You should make your own video on the topic, I’m sure people would benefit from it. This video was meant to give people some things to practice and contribute to the conversation. I think the examples and the exercises presented in the video are good and could be a great starting point for people. I was able to make some decent lines out of them? By me saying “the secret to playing fast,” that is simply a hook to get people into the video…
@@NathanBortonMusic To be honest, there are already video on youtube that cover that subject better that i would do it. I'am not that much into the "making content" stuff, i use youtube mostly to listen music. That being said, the techniques you're highlighting are used in jazz and there's nothing wrong with that when your use that "jazz grip" i talked about earlier, many player use it, as i was back in the days. It's all about what feels natural for you, and jazz also has a lot of legato, and is most of the time less demanding on the right hand compared to things like progressive music. I'am just giving my insights, as i have played with both grip, and what worked best "for me" in the end
Thank you for this very interesting video! I have a few questions. I see lots of people talking in the comments about the right hand pick angle/slant/etc used by George Benson. I'm thoroughly confused as I believe Benson doesn't even use a pick at all - playing with his thumb instead. Is this technique something that someone who plays with a pick came up to mimic his thumb picking? Also, I am really curious what you think about economy picking versus this type of approach. I find that I naturally tend to use economy picking when trying to play fast but as near as I can see, this approach seems to be good for string skips (possibly better than economy?). Would love to see you cover that in a future video if you can.
Benson uses a pick. Wes Montgomery used his thumb. Occasionally Benson will pose his thumb to get the Montgomery sound. Montgomery was a big influence for Benson
Holding the pick wrong. If the end of your pick is poking out straight from your fingers, you're absolutely holding it wrong. And I'll explain why. One of the main techniques in fluidity of is being able to glide from string to string. In order to do that you want your pick to basically be only very slightly extended over where your finger is SIDEWAYS. The second part is that if you have your pick extended straight you'll have a much more difficult time hitting your vibratos when you need them instantly, as the resonation is much easier to do when your finger is immediately right above the pick.
@@NathanBortonMusic I'm sure you don't but they're not exactly hard to play, or fast. And if you try to actually play, like legitimately fast, not blues fast, but black metal fast, you'll see an instant difference, where you won't be able to get that speed to proper tempo. Now you might take it as a "who is this guy and why should I listen to him?" critique. And I get it, but that's not the way I mean to say it. I've been playing for the better part of 30 years. And one of the things I've learned through out playing for that time is that small positions of fingering, or picking, of everything makes a HUGE impact down the road. You'll get a level where you're pretty fast and you'll want to know how to get faster and then you'll realize how important those micro-positions are in your picking and fingering. And if you're doing either one of the incorrectly from the start, it'll take you years to retrain yourself.
@@tactrix1h Ok well I guess this video isn’t for you then. I’m not trying to achieve the fastest possible speed. I’m trying to play with George’s picking. It may not be “legit” music like black metal, but I sure like it and many others so as well. Sounds like you should make your own video! I’m sure others would love to hear what you have to say.
@@NathanBortonMusic there's nothing legit or illegit about that type of music. It's a matter of looking forward. If you want to reach this level and stay at this level you can play any way you want. But if at some point you want to keep climbing small mistakes now will really hurt the guitarist later on. I wish there was a guide when I was starting out about specific ways to do things, because a lot of little mistakes set me back years when I was learning everything.
Excellent presentation, Nathan - will be back for more! And thanks for turning us on to Steve Kavelcheck - 👍👍 to both of his albums - each very different from the other. Great, quirky compositions!
Hm, great sound and technique! I get a terrible screeching sound on round-wound strings ... when I try to hold pick like this. How do you manage to get such a clean attack? It is a mystery to me. I am trying to from more "ordinary" picking hand position (I feel cramped and quickly fatigued) to this Benson (?) style. It is hard to see from this video - the angle and motion of pick across the strings.
Sorry about that! I don’t have a go pro, or one of those small cameras what can get that angle :( however I’m using a downward pick slant. It seems to get a fatter sound, which is why I use it!
As a guitar teacher he has 17k of subscribers and 35,000 views in 9 days WOW, Why do you play a guitar that doesn’t have dots on the fretboard? There must be a good reason for this. Maybe it doesn’t matter to most people.
Hi LHG, thanks for your question. The reason for this picking is explained in the part right before that. We start on an up pick, so we can do the downward sweep after that, as demonstrated in the pervious exercise. The other up picks are based on the string change, as in this style we try to change strings on an up pick or a downward sweep pick. You COULD also start this lick off with a down pick and then do an up pick for the next note (D) then for the rest of them do a downward sweep. I find it easier to start with an up pick though!
Possibly to sound just like benson, sure. However, there are a lot of players that use this process (that I discuss in the video) with the opposite picking angle… with amazing results! One such player is Steve Kolvalcheck (who I mentioned at the end of the video). There is no question though benson is the GOAT!
First off, I love your channel. This concept has similarly radically changed my guitar playing since I started using it. I, like many others, came across Downward pick slanting from watching Troy Grady. It took me a while to realize how to implement it, but basically it boils down your entire picking technique into basically two different moves, like you demonstrated. It really puts the onus back on the fretting hand to organize lines in such a way that they can be picked, or not picked. The concept I’m currently trying to develop is using this technique with upstrokes on the downbeat and also slurring into the downbeat when hammer/pull off/sliding is needed. I’ve found this best simulates the lines you hear in jazz where the up beat is often accented in double time lines.
Thank you! And to answer your question: not really. I’ve seen people use multiple styles of pick holding using bensons method and sound fine. The downward pick slant does help but you can definitely do it without that
