Originally Posted by: HambergCan you explain this a little bit more clearly please. If I did this circular thing that you speak of I might beable to break the sound barrier.

Hmm...kinda tough to put into words...

Keep in mind, there's various ways to circle pick, but I'll try to explain my approach the best I can. Assuming you pick with your right hand:

pick just ONE string for now, say the top E; don't even fret it.

Rest forearm on body of neck. Rest the guitar on your right thigh.

Using the thumb and forefinger ONLY, attack the downward stroke towards your left knee; on the upstroke, also at an angle toward your right shouldER.

Start slowly, until you get the hang of the mechanics, especially if you're a straight up/down picker. Exaggerate the motions at first to see and feel the difference between how you pick now.

Next, pick up the speed, but make the up/down "tighter"- smaller. When you get comfortable, you can incorporate your wrist; when you incorporate your wrist, makes sure it's loose. Let the wrist do most of the work now; NOT the the thumb/forefinger AND the wrist together. No way can you get the 2 in sync.

I usually start with the thumb/forefinger first, 1, to keep it really simple, and 2, so you can easily see how different it is from a straight up/down. Try it now; pick straight up/down as fast as you can (without moviing your whole arm), then try what I explained above. Feel the difference?

Your ultimate goal is to get that "circular" movement as small as possible- which is reall an elipse, that I described in my earlier post:
() <--make that as tight as possible- (look at it sideways).

When I'm picking as fast as I can, I often move my whole arm. I'm told that's "wrong", but it works for me. The key though is to be as relaxed as possible. Otherwise, you'll end up with tendonitis of the elbow (tennis elbow).

That's the best I can do at this hour (1:30 a.m. where I am). Google cirular picking, I'm sure you'll find hits on different approaches. Hope this was of some help. If you have any questions, I'll try my best to answer.

Remember: SPEED KILLS! :D