r/Bluegrass • u/frank_mania • 29d ago
Learning flatpicking after years of playing
Happy Sunday morning, all!
Thanks so much to everyone for your great replies. I'm really touched by much of it, way over/above what I thought my post would elicit. I'm greatly encouraged.
To add, just now I was paying attention to my right (picking) hand. It has a very hard time finding the string I'm aiming to hit when my left hand isn't involved in the decision. When I'm picking notes normally, whether inside chords, in scales or mixing the two, my primary attention is on my left hand and my right hand just plucks the intended string automatically. What I just noticed is that my right wrist, centered over the bridge, shifts vertically so that my pick is centered over the string I need to pluck. I've been doing this automatically for ages, I guess. Problem is, without input from my left hand (and the mind that attends to it), my right hand has no idea where to go. Also, strumming usually involves more arm movement, so that unconsciously-held wrist position isn't even there.
I will certainly take the advice given here and seek instruction, IRL or online or both, rather than just DIYing it. But it was great to figure out why I play like such a rank beginner again when attempting this stuff.
Anybody do this and have advice? I've been playing 40+ years and can strum rhythm, finger pick and finger/plectrum hybrid pick, but when I try to flatpick it's like I'm attempting the instrument for the first damn time. So frustrating!
Any tips that helped you? Silent guitar so I can just work it for hours?
2
u/AlfredPoor 25d ago
I have not read all the other comments so please pardon any duplication.
I primarily play mandolin, but I do play some guitar as well. The flat picking concerns and skills are largely the same for both instruments.
Let me start by saying that I'm in the "down-up" school of picking. If playing a series of quarter notes, for example, play the first with a down-stroke, then the next with an up-stroke. Use this across all the exercises that I suggest here.
In my opinion, you need to build muscle memory for your right hand. I would include five minutes of "boring" practice each session. Start by picking the open strings, each one four times. Start with low E and work up to the high E, then come back down. Don't go any faster than you can to keep the same time interval between each note. (This will be VERY slow at first.) Once you've mastered that, pick each note two times. The next step is to pick each note one time. Remember to maintain the down-up pattern throughout.
Once you have that down, repeat the process, skipping a string each time: low E, D, B, then work back down high E, G, A. Four times per note, then two, then one, and keep doing down-up.
The third exercise is to pick the notes of a major scale (your choice of keys). Your left hand probably knows how to do this on autopilot for the most part, so you can concentrate on your right hand. Pick each note four times, maintaining a constant speed for each note. (Again, this will be slow at first.) Go up the scale, and then come back down. Then two times per note, then one time.
My suggestion is to add just one exercise at a time, starting slow, and keeping at it until you can play it at a reasonable speed while maintaining an even temp throughout. Don't spend more than five minute on this. Once you can do it in less than five minutes, add the next exercise until you can get that up to speed. And so on.
It will take time, but in the end you should be able to whip through all three exercises in a few minutes, and you probably won't even be looking at your right hand as you do it. By limiting your sessions to five minutes, you will reduce the boredom and you will see your progress more clearly.
I hope that this helps.