Picking Technique's archives

Jerry Garcia’s Surprisingly Interesting Technique

Posted by admin in Monday, February 1st 2010   
Topics: Fingering, Jerry Garcia, Picking Technique    
6 Comments 690 views

High Knuckles = ‘Well-Spoken’ Tone?
Here’s a guy I never thought we’d write about on this blog. In case that’s not clear, I’ll come right out with it: I’m not a Grateful Dead fan. The whole never-ending concert, drooling stoner, zero-aggression, electric caravan music scene was never my thing. Call me close-minded, but I never got [...]

Allan Holdsworth on Not Sweep-Picking…

Posted by admin in Friday, January 29th 2010   
Topics: Allan Holdsworth, Fingering, Frank Gambale, Picking Technique    
No Comment 777 views

…and Not Needing To
In keeping with our picking theme this week, here’s more, this time from the one and only Allan Holdsworth.
In a 1990 Guitar Player magazine interview, he says he can’t sweep pick – which I’m assuming is true only because he doesn’t really want to because there’s nothing Allan can’t do on a [...]

Sweep-Picking: Are You For It or Against It?

Posted by admin in Wednesday, January 27th 2010   
Topics: John Petrucci, Picking Technique    
5 Comments 374 views

Sometime back I started a thread on thegearpage.net titled “Outlaw sweep-picking?” and I meant it – sort of. I meant it in the sense that 9 out of the 10 times I’ve seen or heard sweep-picking in the rock arena, it’s been pure “wankage.” It may even detract from all-important TONE.

Blackmore’s Technique and Opinions (part 2)

Posted by admin in Monday, April 27th 2009   
Topics: Edward Van Halen, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page/Zep, Picking Technique, Ritchie Blackmore, Robin Trower, Yngwie Malmsteen    
1 Comment 1,599 views

Page Played ‘You Really Got Me?!’

Here’s part 2, the last part for now, of my deep dive into Ritchie Blackmore’s tone. Below Ritchie first talks about his technique, and then he issues opinions on everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Jeff Beck (all from the same sources as used in part 1).

Best NAMM Vids So Far

Posted by admin in Tuesday, January 20th 2009   
Topics: Fender, Ibanez, Johnny Hiland, PRS, Paul Gilbert, Picking Technique, Steve Vai, Wizard amps, Yngwie Malmsteen    
1 Comment 325 views

Yours truly scrolled through all 700+ Winter 2009 NAMM show YouTube vidoes (and a few others) to find the best vids uploaded so far – WoodyTone-wise, that is – and they are below, in no particular order.
Tone-wise, my favorites are the Wizard amps – I believe Wizards are made by Angus Young’s roadie and are [...]

On the Other Hand/Finger

Posted by admin in Wednesday, October 22nd 2008   
Topics: John Petrucci, Paul Gilbert, Picking Technique    
No Comment 82 views

On the subject of switching your picking from thumb/forefinger to thumb/first two fingers — well, you can go the other way too. Paul Gilbert used to play with two fingers and a thumb, but switched to thumb/forefinger, apparently just to get a cooler, cello-like pick attack — and because of a little thumb pain.

Attack of the Pick

Posted by admin in Monday, October 20th 2008   
Topics: Edward Van Halen, George Lynch, Picking Technique, Steve Morse    
1 Comment 205 views

Years ago I was watching a Steve Morse instructional video (yes, on VHS) in which he talked about how he holds his pick. Specifically, if I remember right, he holds it with his thumb and first two fingers — contrary to the grip 99% of people seem to use, which is thumb and first (pointer) [...]

Ed the Force Is

Posted by admin in Monday, October 13th 2008   
Topics: Edward Van Halen, Picking Technique    
No Comment 124 views

Today I was going to write something about Yngwie getting a bad rap or maybe start looking into how Skynyrd got such great tones out of Peavey amps, but instead ran into this quote on the Van Halen News Desk. It’s from an interview with EVH’s guitar tech Tom Weber, who was on his maiden [...]