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Picking technique

iriegnome

iriegnome

Bassstar style
Supporting Member
Nov 23, 2001
11,263
5,577
61
Kenosha, WI 53140
#1
Last night I burned my middle finger on my right hand pulling supper out of the oven. At practice last night, I used a pick for the whole practice for the first time in 20 years. In my mind, I am pretty equal with my finger and pick playing. My guitar player (who is also a full time guitar teacher) looked at me after one of our more active songs and told me I was "Economy Picking" and it looked weird. He then went on to say it was a polite way to say my picking was for sh@t...
So, please help me to understand this? Everything about my noting, phrasing, and tone was spot on, but he said it looked weird..
 
#2
iriegnome said:
Last night I burned my middle finger on my right hand pulling supper out of the oven. At practice last night, I used a pick for the whole practice for the first time in 20 years. In my mind, I am pretty equal with my finger and pick playing. My guitar player (who is also a full time guitar teacher) looked at me after one of our more active songs and told me I was "Economy Picking" and it looked weird. He then went on to say it was a polite way to say my picking was for sh@t...
So, please help me to understand this? Everything about my noting, phrasing, and tone was spot on, but he said it looked weird..
Click to expand...
Are you really taking picking advise from a guitar player?...

If it sounds good, its comfortable and its spot on, then it's fine. Seems the guitar player is one of those "pick every note" kinda guy. Maybe tell him to pick up a bass and see how much of a difference it is to pick a wimpy guitar string compared to a bass string. :smug:
 
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#5
Did you tell him you had a physical injury, you were in pain, and he might want to lighten up with the criticism given the circumstances?

If you were a full-time pick player in a punk band, then I could see where the guitarist would maybe have a point, from showbiz perspective that picking all downstrokes is good theatrics.
 
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#7
iriegnome said:
My guitar player (who is also a full time guitar teacher) looked at me after one of our more active songs and told me I was "Economy Picking" and it looked weird. He then went on to say it was a polite way to say my picking was for sh@t...
Click to expand...

He's a moron. Play with the technique that the song needs - that frequently will require "economy picking".

In my mind, so called "economy picking" is a more advanced technique anyways. Some things require a different technique, but there's nothing inherently wrong with it.

Somebody lets him teach kids?

Now of course if you're doing something really goofy, and that was just his euphemistic reaction, than all bets are off. :p I'm thinking like wrenching your hand to only pick from the underside of the strings or something...
 
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#9
We have been in a band together for nearly 20 years. I had made the comment that the width of my G. Gould GGi5 using a pick seemed to have a lot of realestate to cover. Just not used to having to pick from the E sting (G) to the octave D string (G) in this particular run. It is a bit of ground to cover. Ground that I have very well covered with my right hand. I thought it was pretty funny actually. Especially since I have been a bit out of practice with a pick..
 
#12
Les Fret said:
Economy picking on bass is raking. When you go from a higher to the next lower string you use the same finger. It's a very handy technique. On guitar they do this by using the same up or down pick stroke.
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I completely disagree...I considering one of the most inefficient ways of playing when you play fast stuff. But that's a topic for a different thread.

Iriegnome, tell your guitar player that if he wishes to have hand pains and develop CTS by looking "cool," he's completely entitled to do so, but you will play in a way that works for you, and don't worry about it unless you're screwing up a part.
 
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#14
JimmyM said:
I completely disagree...I considering one of the most inefficient ways of playing when you play fast stuff. But that's a topic for a different thread.
.
Click to expand...

You may think so and it might not work for you. But it is basic technique and all great players use it. So it's very strange and even wrong to call it inefficient because it has proven its point in history. In fact the reason why it was 'invented' was efficiency for fast runs. The proof is in the pudding.
 
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#16
Your guitar player may be a full time guitar teacher but is he your full time guitar teacher? If not, tell him to STFU and stop critiquing your temporary technique. Normal style will be resumed ASAP, when your burn heals.
 
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#17
Whero put the finger where the trick is, it is temporary and you do the best you can, so he might cut you some slack.
I empathise with you because I once had to quit a band because the guitar player was also a teacher (wannabe self proclaimed teacher, no diploma about that or else) and, while at first he was not saying much (I learned their 12 song setup in two weeks, so error to be expected as I am not a pro...but would have been better as time goes by) he quickly star explaining that I was doing everything wrong, that he has THE TRUTH and that I shall take lessons...I walk away from that one.
 
#18
Economy picking doesn’t mean it’s bad. I played for years before I realized that’s how I picked. It means when you play notes on adjacent strings, you use the same direction to play both notes.

Some people like strict alternate picking, which, if done properly, means your picking hand is lined up with a metronome. Down on the one, up on the and, down on the two, etc... I practiced that for a long time, and it did nothing for me. Most guitar players seem to think alternate picking means picking every other note down-up.

Do what works for you and don’t worry about that.
 
#20
As long as you're playing the right notes, in the right time, and it sounds good, what difference does it make?

I'm sure we could all name several influential players on bass, and guitar for that matter, who don't practice all the "correct" techniques, yet outplay us all.

I don't mean to say how you're picking is "wrong" either. As long as whatever you're doing works, and isn't painful, you're doing just fine.

I'd tell him to keep his unwanted "lessons" to himself.
 

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