Lesson 6

Strumming and Picking

Using the three chords from Lesson 3, we now look at different ways in which these chords can be played.

Using a Pick

This lesson shifts from the fretting hand to the picking hand. Most modern players use a pick to hit the strings. By contrast, classical and flamenco players pluck the strings with the thumb and fingers. Although you’ll see many rock players use fingerpicking to achieve certain effects, even Joe Satriani would find it tough to play heavy-duty, high-speed solos without a pick.

Picks come in many different shapes, sizes, and materials. Take some time getting to know which ones you prefer, because they can seriously affect your playing. For example, soloists tend to favor small, heavy-gauge picks that allow nimble movement; a thinner, flexible plectrum is well suited for strumming. Some of the various types can be seen on page 128 of K.I.S.S. Guide to Playing Guitar.

Pick Positioning

The idea is simple: you hold the pick between your thumb and first finger so that it does not move when it hits the string — if it does, then it will be in the wrong position when you are ready to strike the next note.

Whether you curl the remaining fingers towards the hand or away from your hand is up to you, but whichever you choose, take care that they don’t accidentally dampen the strings.

Practice holding the pick firmly between your thumb and forefinger (photo courtesy of Dorling Kindersley Picture Library).

Get a good grip on the pick so it doesn’t slip (photo courtesy of Dorling Kindersley Picture Library).

For most types of playing, striking the string between two and four inches from the bridge will sound great. But you can create interesting sounds playing closer to the fingerboard.

Try playing the E, A, and D major chords with a pick. Listen to the way the sound alters depending on where you strike the strings.

Picking Chords

There are two different types of picking. The down-stroke, as the name suggests, means that the pick strikes the string from above, pushing down past the string. The upstroke is the reverse — it describes the pick being brought up from beneath the string.

An alternating stroke is a down-stroke followed immediately by an upstroke. Learning this technique is critical if you are to play single-note runs with any degree of speed or accuracy. Try this exercise and you’ll understand why:

1. Play the open sixth string (the bottom E) using a down-stroke
2. Now try to play a succession of open sixth strings as quickly as you can

As you can see, once the pick strikes a note, it rests below the vibrating string. To play that note again, the pick has to first be brought back above the string. Why waste that energy when the pick would already have been in the correct starting position for an upstroke? So let’s try that exercise again:

1. Play the open sixth string using a down-stroke
2. While the string is still vibrating, strike it again using an upstroke
3. If you continue playing the open sixth string using alternating strokes, you’ll notice that it’s easier to play faster, and it uses up less energy

Here’s another picking exercise for you to try out: Fret an E major chord. You’re now going to play the notes of this chord one string at a time. This is called arpeggiating. Let the sound of each string resonate. In this way, you will create a chordal effect without playing the notes simultaneously.

1. Play the sixth string (E) with a down-stroke
2. Play the fifth string (B) with an upstroke
3. Play the fourth string (E) with a down-stroke
4. Play the third string (G#) with an upstroke
5. Play the second string (B) with a down-stroke
6. Play the first string (E) with an upstroke

Repeat this exercise with the A and D major chords.

Classical Differences

Teaching classical guitar is a far more formal affair. Traditional right-hand technique keeps the fingers straight, rather than clawed. Furthermore, the strings are struck with the nail.

Finger-picking

Mastering the pick is an art form in itself, but in some types of music — classical and flamenco, for example — picks are rarely used. Instead, the strings are struck by the fingers or fingernails. Although traditionally used on nylon-strung guitars, finger-picking is widely used in rock, jazz, country, and folk on steel-string instruments. It’s worth learning this method since it allows you to create a wider variety of sounds — and that is always good.

Those who teach classical guitar usually begin by getting their pupils accustomed to the Spanish names for each of the fingers of the right hand. This is a system known as “PIMA.” The thumb is “P”(Pulgar); the first finger is “I” (Indicio); the second finger is “M” (Medio); and the third finger is “A” (Anular). (The fourth finger is rarely used in practice, but can be referred to as “C,” “X,” or “E”.)

These letters can appear on written music to indicate which finger should be used to play a specific note. It may sound a bit clumsy at first, but it’s an effective way of getting the idea across.

To play any finger-picking style, your right hand needs to be poised above the strings in front of the bridge. The thumb and first three fingers are used to pluck different strings. Most pop styles of finger-picking have the fingers curled inwards in a claw-like position — this is known as claw-hammer technique. The pad of the finger or thumb comes into contact with the string and gently pulls sideways before releasing the string.

guitar demo: finger-picking [quicktime, guitar 06, clip 01]

This finger-picking exercise on page 170 of our textbook is played using only the open strings. This means that you don’t have to worry about fretting notes: the letters P, I, M, or A tell you which finger should strike the string. As a general rule, the fingers play the treble strings (the top three) and the thumb plays the bass strings (the bottom three). You can listen to the exercise by playing track 26 on the CD that comes with your book.

This finger-picking exercise on page 170 of our textbook is played using only the open strings. This means that you don’t have to worry about fretting notes: the letters P, I, M, or A tell you which finger should strike the string. As a general rule, the fingers play the treble strings (the top three) and the thumb plays the bass strings (the bottom three). You can listen to the exercise by playing track 26 on the CD that comes with your book.

Finger-picking Chords

Finally, let’s work through the three chords you have learned. You all know the song “Jimmy Crack Corn,” don’t you? You know the one: “Jimmy crack corn and I don’t care . . . ” Well, you can play the chords to it now.

In sequence they are: A major, E major, E major, A major, A major, D major, E major, A major. Strum these chords to play “Jimmy Crack Corn.”

“Jimmy Crack Corn”

A

E

E

A

A

D

E

A

Begin by fretting an A major chord. If you want to attempt to sing along with it, your starting note is E (the open first string).

Moving Forward

Continue to work on moving between the different chords — it’s a skill that only comes with practice. And if you want to learn more about pick technique, go to Chapter 11 of the K.I.S.S. Guide to Playing Guitar. The next lesson will cover perhaps the hardest skill of all to learn: timing. More on that and the wonders of rhythm, coming up.

Assignment : Pick Out Some Picks

• Take a look at Chapter 11 of K.I.S.S. Guide to Playing Guitar, “Picks or Fingers.”
• Visit a local music store and boggle at the variety of available picks — then buy a few.
• Practice the fingerpicking exercises in the lesson.
• Check in with your fellow students on the Message Board and discuss which comes easier to you — strumming or fingerpicking.