# Moving your thumb and index finger while picking?



## Orzech (Jul 28, 2014)

Hi, 
I've always wanted to ask this question. 
Most guitar teachers are against moving your right hand's thumb and index finger while picking and they recommend using your wrist only. That's what I think majority of guitar players do.

However, I've seen some GREAT players who move their fingers holding the pick (say Eric Johnson, MAB...)

Which one is preferable / better and why? 

Thanks


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## karjim (Jul 28, 2014)

At first wrist only then when you have a solid base, watch Paul Gilbert Shawn Lane MAB Steve Vai ....It's called snap picking...Really little motions with the thumb to reach up strokes faster. It's very subtle and very hard to understand that you wrist is the key first and if you want to play like these Yodas there's a secret that you describe in this post. It's more noticeable on high strings when the thumb is almost stretched because your hand mustn't move along the bridge.
A good video for this subject is this one : ANdy James Snap Picking. This is the start of Shaolin Shred Guitar....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zv4ZJYalEa8
Bruce Lee Picking or Scalpel Picking, it's called too. 

Good luck dude and don't look at Malmsteen 
This guy have his technique and it's not the best way to achieve a perfect alternate picking, great for sweeping but lacks time precision.
Gilbert VS Malmsteen : Gilbert will always win because of his perfect wrist. He's more precise and more in time.


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## OmegaSlayer (Jul 28, 2014)

But didn't Shawn Lane angled the pick at 225° instead of our common 45°?


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## Static (Jul 28, 2014)

This can be a complicated topic since it's very subjective.there's the finger moving picking like you mentioned, the wrist and the forearm one.In the end the go to response for your question or any how to pick question is play what feels most comfortable/natural for you. 

That being said, I do try to tell my students to try and build the habit of playing from the wrist because there are certain factors that you need to consider.If you play with your fingers, you can only play as fast as your fingers are able to go, which isn't much tbh,and i personally haven't seen people achieve the control they want with that style of picking and lastly,a finger using guy is probably gonna run out of gas a lot more and much earlier than a wrist using guy.

There are times I do and I have seen people like marty friedman do the finger pick thingy and that's usually to accent certain notes of a section and its usually a down stroke..but that's like the only time.

Like i said earlier, its subjective but i think as long as YOU think you're not being limited by your picking technique,it's probably okay for you to stick to it.


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## ncfiala (Jul 28, 2014)

Some people will tell you to never do that (Rusty Cooley for example), but I never say never. Do what works for you. But you do need to play mostly from the wrist first. I'm working on this myself. For some reason I play mostly from the wrist when ascending, but when descending my fingers start moving too much.


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## Semi-pro (Jul 28, 2014)

^Exactly. No need to be too stubborn to stick to one thing only. I guess the wrist gives the speed and stamina, while the fingers can help with accentuating some notes.

What comes to MAB, I think he uses his elbow/arm (instead of the wrist) while anchoring the hand with the "free" fingers yet still incorporates some thumb/index finger movement to accentuate notes just like some wrist players would do.


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## Orzech (Jul 29, 2014)

Thank you guys for those answers  I guess I stick to my current style, maybe experiment a bit in the future


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## wizbit81 (Jul 31, 2014)

Tip from a lot of work on picking:

your natural style for nearly everything BUUUUUUT...

really high speed shit requires stability and control, so find what gives you that. For me it's palm on the bridge, little finger anchored around bridge pickup, and hand angled away from the guitar. It's a different technique from your normal playing style. I move into that position like a bar before shredding, like a spaceship powering up 

Diff players have diff positions but they all give them something...rigidy, conformity, power, and control. You don't see any high speed players flapping about. 

Use a mirror, watch your hand, develop the rigidity and control.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJqz3aXdN2M

That's my playing some DT...watch the pick hand later on in the vid and you see what I mean.


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