Need picking pattern exercises

carlos

Hi folks, looking for patterns to improve my right hand. Preferably intricate fingerpicking ones that I can adapt to my hybrid picking style. Can be separate notes or chords or a mix. More complex the better as my level is intermediate to advanced but stuck in a bit of a rut. I'm looking for something I can do about 25 minutes of every day as part of my practice sessions.

Thanks! In return I can share some voice-leading improv exercises I created myself if anybody's interested.

octatonic

Play major scales & modes using pick, middle, ring, or pick, middle, ring, pinky.

carlos

octatonic said:

Play major scales & modes using pick, middle, ring, or pick, middle, ring, pinky.

Thanks. Do you mean alternate pma and pmae all on the same string? Or how do you mean play scales?

Most of what I find on the web is just pma in that order with some string skips here and there.

octatonic

Essentially, find your weakness.

The reason people get into playing ruts is because they get good at certain stuff and then they only use that stuff and don't challenge themselves.

Lets say you are playing this pattern:

Try playing it using PMA and see how you go with it.

People tend to struggle with this because you aren't using 3 notes per string the whole time.

When you have a picking pattern that is 3 notes per string and a scale that is not you have to adjust your technique- basically you end up with an asymmetrical picking to fretting pattern.

This forces you out of an automatic picking pattern- assuming that you already have PMA with 3 notes per string thoroughly learned.

If you don't then start with that.

carlos

I see where you're getting at. So for that pattern I'd be playing through the scale pm, pma, pma, pma, pma, pm to accommodate the asymmetrical aspect. I guess I can also play in 3rds and 4ths for a similar drill.

octatonic

carlos said:

I see where you're getting at. So for that pattern I'd be playing through the scale pm, pma, pma, pma, pma, pm to accommodate the asymmetrical aspect. I guess I can also play in 3rds and 4ths for a similar drill.

That is the opposite of what I'm suggesting.

Create a situation where PMA is strictly followed but the fretting pattern means that you don't start with a picked noted when you cross to the next string.

If you start every string with a picked pattern you will be reinforcing your existing playing patterns, which doesn't get you out of your rut.

You might find this very challenging to begin with because you will be totally outside your comfort zone.

carlos

AHHHHHHHHHH, I get it. It's so hard to explain/understand things over the Internet sometimes. So for that I'd be playing (commas indicate string skip): pm, apm, apm, apm, apm, ap

Okay, I can see why that would be very challenging at first.

octatonic

carlos said:

AHHHHHHHHHH, I get it. It's so hard to explain/understand things over the Internet sometimes. So for that I'd be playing (commas indicate string skip): pm, apm, apm, apm, apm, ap

Okay, I can see why that would be very challenging at first.

Yeah it is a difficult thing to explain- I probably should have notated it.

Yes it is very challenging.

I'm doing something with my drumming that is similar at the moment- I'm playing open handed (so hi-hat with left hand, snare with right hand) and using my right foot for the kick drum (using the other side of the double pedal).

It is a complete headfuck but it reveals problems with the technique.

Just to reiterate, you want to find something that you feel uncomfortable doing- this reveals weaknesses in technique that you can work up to speed. Keep the tempo moderate for a while and really learn the pattern before you try speeding up.

Also try playing it as 16th notes and as 16th note triplets.

carlos

Great. One of the things I'm working on for my picking too is the section on it from "Fundamentals of Guitar". Basically, they are all drum rudiments applied to guitar, with each hand/foot being a different string. So you get your para-diddles, etc. They are quite fun and have been really useful when trying to "lock" into a drummer's patterns while putting variations on top.

ArchtopDave

Have you come across Gustavo Assis-Brasil? He's written several books on Hybrid Picking. 

carlos

Thanks for that, @ArchtopDave

I had forgotten about him. Meanwhile I found what I believe to be a master's degree thesis from a Brazilian student guitarist on the web that's just about hybrid picking. It's full of etudes and good material. Currently going through it. Good stuff! The Gus book might be in the near future too.

Barney

Theres some good stuff in this book for hybrid
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hybrid-Picking-Guitar-Book-CD/dp/0977439801

It seems to have gone to a stupid price though...

ArchtopDave

Barney;1013349" said:

Theres some good stuff in this book for hybrid
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hybrid-Picking-Guitar-Book-CD/dp/0977439801

It seems to have gone to a stupid price though...

That's a crazy price - you can buy it direct from him for 35 dollars. I've recently bought his new book on Hybrid Licks and Lines plus both of his Cd's, which made getting it all direct from Gustavo worthwhile.