[JeffParticipant]

Thanks Rick, I’ll check out that area. Looks like I have my work cut out for me

I’m not quite sure what you mean about E-B-C-G not sounding like a Cmaj7 chord.

I don’t think it sounds bad, just doesn’t sound like what my ear has experienced as what a maj7 sounds like all these years. Also the B and C together seem (to me) to be an unusual choice, since we are often told to “avoid” a 1/2-step dissonance. New territory to explore.

[JeffParticipant]

Thanks for your thoughts Rick. I am sure you’re right about Pat’s playing but plays so evenly that maybe it just seems like he picks every note. I’ve only seen him live once and never met him.

As with just about everything else, the complete guitarist has to have a full tool box so over the years I have worked on (not mastered) all the techniques you listed. I think some players do not fully appreciate the subtle difference in phrasing you get when playing the same notes with alt picking vs. economy, for example.

Here’s one alt picking exercise I picked up from Guitar Player Magazine about 30 years ago.
http://seiglefamily.com/data/altpicking.jpg
Pick the notes in the order shown, strict alternate picking. This exercise requires a series of downward string skips (that is, in the direction of 1st string to 6th string), which I find the hardest thing to do when alternate picking. This really helps your right hand find out where the strings are.

On a related note, perhaps you’ve seen Tuck Andress’s lengthy essay on picking technique. He has really given this some thought!
http://www.tuckandpatti.com/pick-finger_tech.html

[JeffParticipant]

Hi, just thought I’d add that I started out as a self-taught rock player and used economy picking as a default without even knowing that it was a particular approach. I didn’t even think about how to pick, like you don’t think about how to breathe. Much later when I started playing jazz I learned about alternate picking, and I still do alternate picking exercises to develop the dexterity and timing. Then when I am actually playing with a group I just let it happen and try not to think about it.

Also from your blog: “picking every single note can start to sound a bit tiresome” I generally agree with this statement although Pat Martino has made it work for him.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 5 months ago by  Jeff.

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