[Rational Gaze]

A short exposition:

I've been playing since I was around 7 yrs. old. Started on a classical guitar. Played up until 11. Moved to the States from the Slovak Republic in 1995. Had a really bad wrist injury, severing most of the nerves in the wrist completely. Didn't play until 2001. Picked up an electric guitar, started learning again. Developed a bad habit of playing with the elbow since I couldn't really feel my wrist. Moral of the story is I can't "reset" myself.

I've practiced 1-2 hours every day if time allows. I've regained some feeling in my wrist about a year or so ago and it's made me want to really work on my picking technique. But everytime I do my drills, I notice I just cannot seem to stop playing using my elbow. I can use the wrist if I really concentrate on it but when I just play, I tend to go back to the very bad, and annoying habit I've developed over the years. I basically don't know what to do anymore. I'm frustrated. It's pissing me off, and sometimes I don't even feel like practicing altogether. I know guitar skill comes gradually, but I'm so frustrated that I've lost the ability I developed when I was younger and just can't seem to get past this wall. Please, any suggestions you guys have would be so appreciated.

try to use both elbow and wrist?

[TimSE]

hmmm
personaly i start slow and work on it that way
simple but effective i think

BUT does the elbow picking thing work for you? if so then really u already have a tech that works so its not worth gettin all pissed off about not being able to pick from the wrist
maybe try using ur fingers as well as wrist? or insted of

the way i do it is have my palm on teh guitar at all times
basically forcing me to play from the wrist (and in my case fingers as well)

[Rational Gaze]

^Thanks. Well, basically my elbow ends up getting really tired at the end of a regiment. I can play with it sure, I just want to learn with the wrist, since it's just much more efficient to me. Meh, I dunno. I guess I'm just venting since I've been trying to get past it for a long while and I don't really know what I'm doing wrong.

[TimSE]

ya sure
i think anyone would feel the same
wat i would do is have teh edge of my palm on teh gutiar around the edge of the bridge and make sure it never leaves the guitar surface
obvz for the higher strings u have to move your hand over the strings to reach easily but still for prac id make sure not to let it leave the guitar
and take it from there i suppose

[Rational Gaze]

Yeah, I actually have been trying that in recent months, and I guess it's the closest I've gotten to gaining some control. It just sucks since a lot of the time the wrist just won't do what I want it to since it's so jacked up. It'll just take time. Thanks for the help though.

[FanghornFlorist]

Some jazz players utilize an immobile wrist and use of the forearm, if you can find ivor martinas' book, it may help, but it is a complete revision of form. I don't know much about speed picking otherwise (the book is difficult), but i don't see buckethead's wrist move much. Sorry to hear of your injury.

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Posture is another consideration.

Positioning the guitar like a jazz or classical player will allow your fretting hand to play in a much more relaxed position, with much wider reach that with the guitar slung low to your knees like the rock star types.

Here's a good example, specifically at 0:15 and 1:09.
Rusty Cooley March 08, Betcha can't play this

[Neal]

Goddammit Rusty Cooley is a prick.

The classical position might help with the left hand, but I find myself unconsciously picking from the elbow when the guitar is sitting too high. Obviously Mr. Cooley can do it just fine, and maybe it's just me, but it seems easier to isolate the wrist with the guitar a little lower (not Slash style).

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Originally Posted by Neal

Goddammit Rusty Cooley is a prick.

The classical position might help with the left hand, but I find myself unconsciously picking from the elbow when the guitar is sitting too high. Obviously Mr. Cooley can do it just fine, and maybe it's just me, but it seems easier to isolate the wrist with the guitar a little lower (not Slash style).

If your forearm is relaxed on the body contour, your right hand is in a better position to relax & re-learn the technique.

I did this in the early 90's & took about six months completely incorporating this technique into my playing to the point that it is just instinctive. From then on, I wasn't getting a sore wrist & forearm. I also started paying much closer attention to how my guitars were setup & started addressing it immediately. Both the technique and a well seup instrument work hand in hand in protecting yourself, and improving your playing.