I think I have better timing with a Pick....

[ToadWarrior]

Yeah... I kind of think theres abit of a disconnect between my fingers and my brain or something. I've noticed I'm alot more accurate timing wise with the pick, I'm often behind the click when I play finger style....

This is really frustrating because, while I do like pick style for consistency and attack, I have difficulty muting, playing those Geddy style triplet raking things, and chromatic octaves, etc.


What can I do to improve my fingerstyle timing?

Thanks.

[dustinfennessey]

Stick with pick. Join the dark side

[Joedog]

Ha! I'm just the opposite! For me I think it's just a factor of time spent on the technique. I play finger style way more than I do with a pick. It's hard to practice a technique that you feel uncomfortable with, and easy to stick with the one you know so well (the comfort zone). I guess we just have to force ourselves to work at the stuff that is a bit more difficult! Thanks for the reminder....Gonna break out the pick later!

[Ric5]

I love my picks!!!

[Misterwogan]

As a guitarist and a natural picker, I find that the transition from one picking style to another to be painful. To practice a lick that I am fluent in with the pick with my fingers, I am reduced to 4 notes per second at the first attempt.

Imagine that you had avoided potty training until age 50. Then, you decide to start using the toilet but discover that although the disposal method is similar - you can no longer wipe your arse - unless you are sat on the potty.

[Hulktopus]

Originally Posted by ToadWarrior

What can I do to improve my fingerstyle timing?


Thanks.

Start slow. USE A METRONOME!!40 to 70 bpm. Practice alternating fingers on the E string. Once you get comfortable, "walk" in-time to the A string, then D, then G. Try to do two measures of 4/4 on each string this way, then "walk" back down each string back to E.

Once this entire exercise is comfortable, speed up your metronome by 2-3 bpm. Play the exercise again a few times, then increase the speed by 2 or 3 bpm. Continue in this fashion. If you cannot complete the exercise at a certain tempo, slow the metronome down a few clicks.

spoiler alert/life lesson:
**It is more important to do it correctly than it is to do it quickly**

By increasing your tempo in this manner, you won't even notice the increase. Before you know it, you'll be lightning fast (and dead-on rhythmically)..

If you decide to do different rhythm signatures (3/4, etc.), I suggest starting slow again, increasing tempo accordingly.

Good Luck!