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→Picking
== Picking ==
Start with picking. Your picking motion should come from either your '''wrist or elbow, ''not'' your finger/thumb joints'''. It 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, rather than 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 than moving your hand away then move the pick from the body (, which I call "pecking)". 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).
=== Manipulating Dynamics ===
The location on the pick where it should initiate contact is very near the tip; however, this will vary depending on the desired dynamic level you want to achieve. For loud, aggressive playing, you will really want to "dig in", using more of the pick. Similarly, how tight you hold the pick will also determine how far from equillibrium you displace the string before it begins to slide and snaps off the tip of the pick. Both of these variables should be kept within a comfortable range. You don't want to use either method to the point of discomfort without trying to incorporate some of the other method first. Eventually, it will become very natural to vary both the amount of pick used and right hand tension at the same time without even thinking about it.
=== Manipulating Tone ===
The main method to manipulate tone is where you pick the string. Moving close to where the strings touch the bridge, you get a very bright, metallic sound, similar to sitar. Moving closer to the middle of the string (12th 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. Playing harder usually causes the string to slap against the frets during the initial part of its sound, adding a kind of raucousness to your playing. If anything, it makes your playing more percussive and each note can be heard more clearly. Rock music typically involves compression or distortion of the signal, which tends to reduce the dynamic range of the instrument. Thus, picking dynamics tend to influence tone more than actual volume.
The pick angle can be manipulated to subtly alter your tone. I do not mean the angle in relation to the body. The pick should be relatively perpendicular to the body. I'm talking about its angle in relation to the strings. Normal position for me is slightly angled - the pick is almost parallel to the string. If it were completely parallel, the string would touch the entire face of the pick during the picking motion and may not slide off of it as easily, especially if you hold the pick tight. On the other hand, turning the pick completely perpendicular to the string feels very awkward - you will find it hard to apply pressure to the string, as the string quickly and easily slides towards the tip of the pick. These different feels don't simply affect feel - they translate into the tone the string produces. My advice is to get comfortable picking in general before starting to manipulate tone in this manner.
===Downstrokes and Upstrokes===
A downstroke is when you push the pick from closest to your head towards your feet. It feels like you are pushing the pick down through the string(s). This is the most common picking stroke, similar to a hammer motion or how you hit a table top with a stick. An upstroke is the reverse, almost like you are pulling the pick up through the string(s). An upstroke may feel a little strange at first. It's not necessary to master it at first - just be aware that you eventually will need to use both. You don't want to start making big circular movements with your hand where you are picking the strings going down but moving your hand far away from the strings when coming back up. Naturally 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 only make upstrokes that more difficult to master when you start to incorporate them into your playing.