Hey Everyone,
I've been practicing some earlier John Mayer songs and most were learned in my apartment. Now that my living situation allows me to play with a pick, I'm having a bit of difficulty keeping in time with the songs. I can get the timing down pretty close when I'm strumming with my thumb, but the pick is giving me trouble. When I listen back to my recordings I am not playing in time on some of the faster parts with eighth and sixteenth notes.
I have a metronome and I've also revisited the Essentials Chords, Picking, Strumming, Muting lessons, which have helped bring me back to the basics, but I'm still having some trouble with the faster parts. Counting/strumming/subdividing quarter notes in 4/4 is much easier than eighth and sixteenth notes.
Also, I've experimented with how I hold the pick, my angle of attack, as well as where I'm strumming relative to the sound hole. Sometimes when I play eighth or sixteenth notes the pick will move and it will throw off my timing - very frustrating since I can play these songs pretty close to the live recordings with my thumb.
I'd love to hear what's helped others who may have had a similar issue.
Thank you!
Thank you Charles for your experience.
You can pick a little simpler song than this song (which gives you a little trouble)
You can slow down.
You can simplify it.
Bottom line is foundation & muting technique etc.
Sight-reading series can give you a lot of details in techniques.
I taught John a few duet etudes so he can work on muting & alternate picking.
R 3 7 Swing rhythm guitar is so good! I really made John to practice that a lot!
With a metronome. Left hand muting and steady right hand strumming technique.
Thank you.
Tomo
Hi Charles,
Thanks for your post. I too have started to use a pick more often. Like you I have done mostly fingerstyle for many years. I'm still trying to get better at strumming using pick cause like you the pick moves too often and like you it throws off your rhythm. Not so much with picking single strings etc.
As for me I'm working very slowly on this skills. For example, in 4/4 timing at 50-60bpm, I'm working on 1/4 note strumming with all down strokes and slowly adding in up strokes as that is the area that for some reason makes my pick move. As for songs, Id agree with Tomo, maybe pick a simple tune. I'm using Nice Dream by Radiohead at a slow tempo. Basically the same strumming pattern throughout and I think that is helping me to use a pick better.
Hope our advice will help you out. Have a great day!
Thank you Michael for encouragement and sharing your experiences.
Tomo
Tomo - Yes, I need to revisit the R 3 7 swing groove. It's a good exercise. I have recordings, but not sure if I can link them here. It would be great if you could do a lesson a more advanced lesson on improving strumming and holding a pick. I know you already mention in it in your lessons, but I think it would be helpful to dive deeper on the subject. Thanks and have a good weekend!
Hey Michael, I see you feel my pain! Thank you for the suggestions. It's helpful to play with a metronome for sure. Strumming on acoustic is a bit more trickier than on electric. Have a good weekend!