# Circular picking Thread!



## jcpwn (Feb 10, 2017)

Hey guys, 
Recently discovered the amazing Takayoshi Ohmura and his picking technique blows my mind everytime. He explain this technique in a video and refer it as the circular technique. However, I can't figure out how to use the motion properly. I guess I'm missing something... Anyone here has some tips to help me? 
Any links to lessons, exercices and experiences are more than welcome. 

Link to takayoshi's lesson technique here (skip to 7:10 for english)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGbMEPhl7rg

Thanks


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## odibrom (Feb 10, 2017)

He is mostly doing accents every 3 notes, so, some are downstroke, others are upstroke... with some hybrid picking also. I think that, (not paying much attention) that these 3 notes are triplets, meaning 3 notes per beat...

Cool rhythms there and very interesting grooves.

*ONE* two three, *ONE* two three, *ONE* two three, *ONE* two three, *ONE* two three, *ONE* two three, *ONE* two three, *ONE* two three, *ONE* two three, *ONE* two three, *ONE* two three...

Then it evolves. I've done that kind of rhythms clapping my hands. Rub your hands and accentuate every 3 times. To Accent every 3 times means that the first accent is made by your stronger hand (lets say the right one) and the second by your weaker hand (lets say the left one). Each movement counts as one beat. Combos of 2 and 3 accents let you do all kind of odd rhythms of 5, 7 or more...

Then, play a little with it to get the feeling/groove of completely unexpected rhythmic patterns that can be well applied into guitar riffing.

This same concept applied to picking requires some deeper dedication, so practice your clapping before to get in the groove and then transpose it to picking.

... or so I believe to have understood what that was all about. Correct me if I am wrong please...


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## jcpwn (Feb 10, 2017)

Hi odibrom thanks for replying, 
my question here was not necessarily about his rythm but more about the picking technique he's using. He explains how he controls the pick movements with his index finger, which seems to be really similar to the "circular picking" technique. I just can't pull something off this, lacks of practice, probably, misunderstood of the technique, absolutely. haha!


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## odibrom (Feb 11, 2017)

I understand what you are saying. I think that there are as many techniques as there are players and each one of us will have his take on this or that particular expression. Position yourself out of the technique box and feel the groove, follow the groove, slow it down if you must. Technique is something that grows from within, not from forcing it. In other words, it is an achievement of expression, a discovery, not a conquest by force. Obviously that there are exercises and stuff blablabla...

Try to follow him by clapping your hands to get into the mood. Getting into the mood is good, because it gets you relaxed and that is perfect to get things executed perfectly, therefore achieving good technique.

I was thinking on this also after my last post when I picked one of my guitars and it also came to my mind that what he is doing is also a chord strumming technique applied to a single string. So practice odd rhythms in strumming mode and go from many to one strings. Picking hand MUST BE RELAXED in order to pull something alike.


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## jcpwn (Feb 11, 2017)

Hey odibrom thanks for that answer, 
What you are saying here is absolutely true; techniques differ from each other, no doubt. I'm just curious about this specific one and would really like to learn it to (or not) apply it to my own style. I really like that you figured out he was strumming one string because I tought the same. What I would like to have now is some tips to master it (who knows..!) and a better understand of the proper technique. Thanks for your advices, I do practice relaxed so I can feel the mood better as you stated above. If you have any other good advices feel free to share. Same goes to everyone who's reading it!


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