2021‐08‐05
This is the text from a conversation in the Alternate Picking YouTube channel. It might hopefully be useful to more people than me. This guy is very proficient at single‐string playing, for the record.
—Great technique! Just one question: how much pressure do you use with your wrist on the strings/bridge? Only lightly brushing? I would be grateful for an answer.
—Hi Mats, Thanks! Only lightly brushing. I always make sure that I am aligned with the string I wish to pluck so I lightly rest in that string position whilst plucking that string and then move to the next string and repeat the process, ascending or descending.
—Thanks a bunch!
One more comment: It seems important to always keep the tip of the pick close to the string plane in order to avoid a ‘jumpy’ hand at faster speeds, something that has been bugging me for a long time.
—Hi Mats, Yeah, as long as you are aligned with the string that’s the key thing. The minute the alignment goes it all falls apart, BUT as long as you are aligned with each string that you wish to pluck then it all flows naturally.
—Yup, indeed. Thanks!
Also, it seems to be extremely important to curl the index finger behind the plectrum in order to minimize any movement of the thumb and index finger. You mention keeping the thumb rigid, and curling the index finger really seems to help.
—Yeah, the thumb needs to be rigid in order to not drop the plectrum and also because if you squeeze into the plectrum with the thumb it will take the pressure as you pick so that you don’t put force on the elbow/forearm/shoulders etc.
—Another thing, would you say there is a small bit of forearm involved in the stroke motion? Not explicitly, but in combination with the wrist motion. I experience that this makes it easier to play with some volume. And I can also see a small degree of forearm motion when you’re performing tremolo.
—Hi Mats, Yeah there can be. To be honest when it’s all aligned it all happens naturally because your arm, wrist and hand are in sync and this in turn makes you naturally well co ordinated in your movement. Also, each person will have their own little quirks due to their own physical characteristics. The key is to follow the basic principles and do what feels natural, easiest and comfortable... But, to answer the question specifically, the use of forearm will help with articulation due to giving extra leverage. But, a lot of the time people will force this. So, if it feels easy and natural that’s really good. Sorry to write a long paragraph but this is not that easy to explain in words.
—Thanks for that informative answer. Yes, it can be very hard to describe these mechanics, I’m fully aware of that. In the past I have been playing around with a more explicit rotation as the main picking motion, and while the forearm won’t be as involved (it will just rotate) it’s easy to stray too far from the string plane using that approach. I prefer a movement that follows the string plane, and then it’s inavoidable that the forearm will be involved to some degree, but I have no problem with that really, as long as one is totally relaxed.
—Yeah, as long as you are comfortable and relaxed so there isn’t any undue pressure that’s the main thing because it will then flow naturally.