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Start with picking. '''Your common picking motion should come from either your wrist or elbow, ''not'' your finger/thumb joints'''. As your technique develops, you may be able to add inflection and accents using your fingers, but as a beginner, you don't want to get in the habit of using them exclusively. This can lead to difficulty crossing strings, strumming, and speed, as well as leading to injury.
The location on A '''downstroke''' is when you push the pick where it should initiate contact is very near the tip; however, this will vary depending on the desired dynamic level you want from closest to achieveyour head towards your feet. For loud, aggressive playing, It feels like you will really want to "dig in", using more of are pushing the pickdown through the string(s). SimilarlyThis is the most common picking stroke, similar to a hammer motion or how tight you hold hit a table top with a stick. An '''upstroke''' is the reverse, almost like you are pulling the pick will also determine how far from equillibrium you displace up through the string before it begins to slide and snaps off the tip of the pick(s). An upstroke may feel a little strange at first. Both of these variables should It's not necessary to master it at first - just be kept within a comfortable rangeaware that you eventually will need to use both. You don't want to use either method to start making big circular movements with your hand where you are picking the point of discomfort without trying to incorporate some of strings going down but moving your hand far away from the other method firststrings when coming back up. EventuallyNaturally you will have to move it slightly away from the strings when coming back up if you are only using downstrokes, but it shouldn't be drastic. This will become very natural only make upstrokes that more difficult to master when you start to vary both the amount of pick used and right hand tension at the same time without even thinking about itincorporate them into your playing.
The above section This will vary depending on ''dynamics will also affect tone'' in most cases. Playing harder usually causes the string to slap against the frets during the initial part of its sound, adding a kind of raucousness desired dynamic level you want to your playingachieve. If anythingFor loud, it makes your aggressive playing more percussive and each note can be heard more clearly. Rock music typically involves compression or distortion of the signal, which tends you will really want to reduce the dynamic range "dig in", using more of the instrumentpick. ThusSimilarly, picking dynamics tend to influence tone more than actual volume. The '''how tight you hold the pick angle''' ''can be manipulated will also determine how far from equillibrium you displace the string before it begins to subtly alter your tone''. I do not mean slide and snaps off the angle in relation to tip of the bodypick. The pick Both of these variables should be relatively perpendicular to the bodykept within a comfortable range as you develop as a player. IYou don'm talking about its angle in relation t want to the strings. Normal position for me is slightly angled - the pick is almost parallel use either method to the string. If it were completely parallel, the string would touch the entire face point of the pick during the picking motion and may not slide off discomfort without trying to incorporate some of it as easily, especially if you hold the pick tightother method first. On the other handEventually, turning the pick completely perpendicular to the string feels it will become very awkward - you will find it hard to apply pressure natural to vary both the string, as the string quickly and easily slides towards the tip amount of the pick. These different feels don't simply affect feel - they translate into used and right hand tension at the tone the string produces. '''My advice is to get comfortable picking in general before starting to manipulate tone in this mannersame time without even thinking about it.'''
A downstroke The main method to manipulate tone is when ''where you push pick the string''. Moving close to where the strings touch the pick from closest bridge, you get a very bright, metallic sound, similar to your head towards your feetsitar. It feels like you are pushing Moving closer to the pick down through middle of the string(s12th fret), you get a more hollow, bell-like sound, similar to a harp. The above section on ''dynamics will also affect tone'' in most cases. This is Playing harder usually causes the string to slap against the frets during the most common picking strokeinitial part of its sound, similar adding a kind of raucousness to a hammer motion or how you hit a table top with a stickyour playing. If anything, it makes your playing more percussive and each note can be heard more clearly. An upstroke is Rock music typically involves compression or distortion of the reversesignal, almost like you are pulling which tends to reduce the pick up through dynamic range of the string(s)instrument. An upstroke may feel a little strange at firstThus, picking dynamics tend to influence tone more than actual volume. The '''pick angle''' ''can be manipulated to subtly alter your tone''. It's I do not necessary mean the angle in relation to master it at first - just the body. The pick should be aware that you eventually will need relatively perpendicular to use boththe body. You donI't want m talking about its angle in relation to start making big circular movements with your hand where you are picking the strings going down but moving your hand far away from . Normal position for me is slightly angled - the pick is almost parallel to the strings when coming back upstring. Naturally you will have to move If it slightly away from were completely parallel, the string would touch the entire face of the pick during the strings when coming back up picking motion and may not slide off of it as easily, especially if you are only using downstrokeshold the pick tight. On the other hand, but turning the pick completely perpendicular to the string feels very awkward - you will find it shouldnhard to apply pressure to the string, as the string quickly and easily slides towards the tip of the pick. These different feels don't be drasticsimply affect feel - they translate into the tone the string produces. This will only make upstrokes that more difficult '''My advice is to master when you start get comfortable picking in general before starting to incorporate them into your playingmanipulate tone in this manner.'''
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Let's start with picking. This refers to playing a single string at a time. Later we will cover strumming techniques, but I recommend learning to play single notes first. This helps to develop each finger individually, as well as giving you a better understanding of the instrument and theory rather than learning a handful of chord shapes. '''Your common picking motion should come from either your wrist or elbow, ''not'' your finger/thumb joints'''. As your technique develops, you may be able to add inflection and accents using your fingers, but as a beginner, you don't want to get in the habit of using them exclusively. This can lead to difficulty crossing strings, strumming, and speed, as well as leading to injury. The picking motion is similar to waving hello to someone. You are "chopping", not "slapping" or "flapping". The relative distance from your hand to the guitar body should not change much during your picking motion. You want to "push through" the string, applying greater and greater pressure against the string until it slides off the tip of the pick. You do ''not'' want to apply some tension to the string then move the pick from the body, which I call "pecking", like a bird trying to eat a worm. The motion you use to play a single string should also work for multiple strings by simply continuing it (if you are "pecking" it will require a pecking motion for each string). The pick should also remain "pointing" at or perpendicular to the guitar face, so it is equally easy to pick [[#Downstrokes and Upstrokes|downstrokes]] as well as [[#Downstrokes and Upstrokes|upstrokes]] through the string. As you push on the string, it will push back on the natural give of your pick and your grip, until the pick is angled enough to allow the string to slide off its tip. Depending on [[Choosing a Pick|your pick choice]] and how heavy-handed you are, even with a [[Holding the Guitar and Pick#The Pick|good grip]], you may find it is difficult to "release" the string without significant force...causing the resulting string resonance to be too strong with fret buzz and a detuned sound during the attack of the note. Try loosening your grip on the pick, or maybe even try a thinner pick.
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=== Manipulating Dynamics Downstrokes and Upstrokes===
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=== Manipulating Tone Dynamics ===
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The main method to manipulate tone is ''location on the pick where you pick it initially touches the string''. Moving will be relatively close to where the strings touch the bridgetip. Depending on your [[Choosing a Pick|pick choice]] and how you grip it, there will be a certain amount of pick surface you get a very bright, metallic sound, similar to sitar. Moving closer apply to the middle of the string (12th fret), where you get a more hollow, bell-like sound, similar to a harpcan pick comfortably and with sufficient control over dynamic range.
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===Downstrokes and UpstrokesManipulating Tone ===
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As for the left-hand, the important thing is the ''quality'' of your fretting. ('''Fretting''' is the act of pushing the string down against a fret.) You want to push the string down right "behind" (towards the nut side of) the fret, so that it is held firmly against the fret. This gets a ''clean'' sound. If you hold the string lightly against the fret or far away from it, the string has the ability to come off and slam down against the fret as it resonates, which sounds like metal hitting metal. It is noisy, making it more difficult to hear the note you are trying to play. It also dimishes sustain, causing the note to fade out more quickly. A badly-fretted note will sound like "pinck" whereas a well-fretted one will sound like "biiiiiinnnngggg". Open strings are automatically fretted perfectly and make a good reference to determine how well you are fretting; however, they do have a bell-like quality that you cannot get from a fretted note. They are also less likely to have fret buzz - there's only so well that you can fret a fret.
Try to use the tips of your left-hand fingers to fret - this flesh is a little firmer than your fingerprints and makes for a cleaner fretting. ''It may be a bit painful at first, especially on the thin strings.'' You definitely don't want your finger tips to become raw and painful or start bleeding - don't overwork them at first. Over a week or two, your finger tips will start developing calluses, protecting them from injury, reducing pain, and making them firmer.
You would use your '''i'''ndex finger on the first fret, then your '''m'''iddle finger on 2nd fret, '''r'''ing on 3rd, '''p'''inky on 4th. Note that you can hold down any frets behind the one you are playing without any real impact on tone. This can somtimes improve economy of motion. For example, look at the following tab:
p
r------
m------------
As for left hand position or how you "hold" the neck, there are basically two different extremes. Neither is "correct" - you will vary this depending on what you are trying to play.
The <u>"proper " technique</u> I was taught when I first started and lots of instruction books use is to ''place your thumb in the middle of the back of the neck'', then angle your hand so your ''fingers are parallel with the frets'' when laid on top all the strings. Then curl your fingers so that the very tips of your fingers are used to fret the strings. As you play more, the tips of your fingers will callus and become firmer, making them ideal for making contact with the strings. This technique is great for classical guitar or acoustic, where there's less need for muting, lead playing, and vibrato. You can finger complex chords and reach notes on the thicker strings higher on the fretboard. However, if you observe most modern rock guitar players, even the well-learned virtuoso ones, most deviate heavily from this technique.
The <u>"modern " technique</u> involves placing your ''thumb closer to (or in some cases wrapped around) the top of the fretboard''. Your fingers will naturally be more flat than curled when fretting, and it will be difficult to impossible to turn your wrist to make your fingers parallel to the frets. There are a couple advantages to this. First, you can sometimes use your thumb to fret a note on the 6th string, which allows for some more interesting chords. Second, flatter fingers are more useful to mute neighboring strings while fretting. Third, this technique allow you to use rotation of your left wrist to perform bends and vibrato, which naturally has more control than trying to use your finger muscles or bending your left wrist.
As I said neither technique is correct, and you will likely always be somewhere between both extremes. I would suggest attempting to use more ''proper technique'' when starting, as it is more difficult to develop. As we move more into lead playing and bends you will want to gravitate more towards ''modern technique''.
* Practice the --1--2--3--4--3--2--1-- excercise above on each string. Go slow at first. Try only using one finger to fret at a time, then try it again while holding the frets below the one being played.
* Repeat the --1--2--3--4--3--2--1-- exercise while focusing on "proper" left hand grip, then repeat again using "modern" grip - modern grip should be more apparent on the 1st and 2nd strings, while the proper or classical grip and modern grip seem more similar for the 5th and 6th strings.
* Start practicing the [[Basic Technique Exercises]]. You may not be able to do all of them yet - just try to do most of them.
==Q/A==