Bloody beginner needs right hand advice


Baron Schmatz
Registered User
Joined: 03/12/18
Posts: 6
Baron Schmatz
Registered User
Joined: 03/12/18
Posts: 6
04/07/2018 9:32 am

Hi there .. please can someone help me. I practice hard but my right hand is driving me mad. I have absolutely no anchor point for it... every time its in a slight different position and I miss the strings in arpeggios even between 6 to 5 to 4 .. hardly strum 6 and 4 from time to time missing 5. I have no idea to fix that... If I think I have it I take away the right hand and afterwards all is different again. even if I use the palm lying on my bridge as a kind of anchor I miss every third string. its dissapointing . Even different picks, thick and thin, do not solve the problem. Any tip for me? Thank you


# 1
ChristopherSchlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 08/09/05
Posts: 8,328
ChristopherSchlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 08/09/05
Posts: 8,328
04/10/2018 12:09 am
Originally Posted by: Baron Schmatz

I practice hard but my right hand is driving me mad. I have absolutely no anchor point for it...

Most of this is just repetitious practice to get the motions refined to the point that it happens automatically. That's why it's a good idea to slow down your motion to the point at which you can do things correctly, cleanly & clearly every time.

Then gradually speed up! :)[br][br]You can try anchoring your palm on the bridge or your forearm on the body of the guitar. Or even your pinky on the body below the strings. But no matter which position you use or try, the bottom line is that you need to focus on just making your right hand pick properly.

You might even take time to just stay on one chord or no chord! And repeatedly pick strings in various simple arpeggio patterns.

Thicker picks can help somewhat. But unless you've got the basic mechanics down it won't help in the end.

Be patient with yourself. :)


Christopher Schlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor

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# 2
LisaMcC
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 11/02/06
Posts: 3,965
LisaMcC
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 11/02/06
Posts: 3,965
04/11/2018 1:23 pm

Dear Baron,

I agree with my colleague Christopher's good advice.

What I tell my students who are having similar frustrations to you is this:

Slow. It. Way. Down.

Pay Attention. (notice exactly why some things aren't working the way you want them to be)

Experiement (with a slightly different angle, different muscle group, whatever you can find)

Breathe.

As you look at the problem spots through a microscope, make the tiny adjustments that make a difference for the better, breathing calmly and deeply helps the learning take hold in your brain.

-Lisa


Lisa McCormick, GT Instructor
Acoustic, Folk, Pop, Blues

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# 3

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