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Picking Directions
Hi There! My name is Carol and I’m super excited to be here! I am starting with the 30 days to play challenge. I am totally loving it, and learning so much!
I learned to play guitar decades ago, mostly as a way to accompany my singing. However, my cord repertoire was limited. I did a bit of fingerpicking and really no experience with the flat pic. It wasn’t as fun when I felt limited in what I could do. I stopped playing until recently, when I realized that I could experience so much more joy and freedom with singing, if I truly knew how to play the guitar.
I am doing my best to fully immerse myself in these teachings, and “unlearn“ some things as well.
I noticed that Tony emphasize the importance of picking down with the numbered beat and up with the offbeat. I have been practicing that quite a bit. I want to establish really solid habits and skills.
In the fourth week, we are learning about scales and doing solos. It appears that the pic is just used as a downward motion. Perhaps there’s a reason for that? I’m wondering if it matters if I continue to do up and down? I was just surprised that all the picking was in a downward motion.
I would greatly appreciate some feedback, particularly from someone who is familiar with Tony’s teachings relating to that.
Thank you so much!
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9 Replies
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Your understanding of picking down on the downbeat and up on the upbeat is correct. Upbeats typically implies eighth notes, if you are just playing quarter notes then there is just a downbeat.
Another way of saying it that a measure in 4/4 time you would count it
1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and
The numbers are the downbeat and the “and” is the upbeat. If there is no note being played on the upbeat, then you would just strum with all down strums.
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Thank you for your “timely” reply! 🙏🎶😆. I totally understand what you are saying. And although I didn’t word my question in a way that indicated I understand anything about Music timing, I do. Been singing for decades, and no quite a bit about music theory, etc.
That being said, I want to make sure that I apply the same principles to guitar playing.
I understand the picking pattern may be related to the timing and whether there are eighth notes. I guess I was just thinking that we will be working on increasing speed/tempo.
It seems that the other scales we learned involved alternate picking with the upbeat.
I am wondering if, in this case, it is all meant to be quarter notes, regardless of the tempo?
I certainly do not know it all, and appreciate your feedback and your thoughts!
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Maybe I’m reading too much into this. I will trust that. They are meant to be quarter notes and all down beats. I know that he shows other techniques as well. It would probably make it very difficult to do with alternate picking.<div>
</div><div>Thanks again!</div> -
Once again, thank you so much for your clear feedback. I have allowed myself to absorb exactly what you said, and it makes complete sense!<div>
</div><div>Although I understand about timing, I have not always “practiced it “!</div>
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Tempo is independent of the notes in a measure.
For example if you have 4 quarter notes in a measure and the tempo is 60bpm there will be 4 beats in the measure and you will play a note each second. If you take that same measure and increase the tempo to 120bpm you will play two notes every second (using downstrokes). It gives the same result as playing 8 eighth notes at 60bpm but it is a completely different piece of music.
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Thank you 🙏 for your responses to my questions. I truly appreciate your clear and concise way of explaining the difference between timing and tempo.
Your words paint a picture that helps me to understand.
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Hello @PhoenixRising ;
First, let me reiterate that normally, the up/down direction of the pick helps to keep your hand in sync with the timing of the music. However, I thought you asked about why Tony showed all down strokes.
There is a simple explanation. First, most guitarists never “learned” music theory. They could care less what theorists say about their music or how they analyze it. All down strokes gives a different sound and feel. Period. That’s it.
So, can you play down/up and copy any rhythm out there? Sorta. To a large extent, you can emulate a rhythm sound by doing it differently than the original player. But not always. Sometimes there is an unusual timing to the rhythm that happens because of the way the guitarist was moving his hand.
Bottom line, it’s up to you whether or not you wish to learn both styles or just stick to down/up.
MG 😀
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Thank you Mike for your response. I appreciate you taking the time to understand the situation better.<div>
</div><div>I have decided to follow how everything is presented by Tony as is. I have a greater understanding of why it was all down beats.</div><div>
</div><div>I understand it has a lot to do with timing and is not about tempo. I got those two mixed up. I just wanted to make sure that I was practicing proper form… So I would not have to “unlearn“ something I could be potentially practicing improperly.</div><div>
</div><div>Again, thank you so much! I have not been very involved with the forums yet, and was able to print out the journal very recently. however, I do look forward to getting more involved and love the idea of being part of this amazing community!</div><div>
</div><div>Carol 🎶</div>-
👍 Awesome @PhoenixRising . Glad I could help and glad you are going to take advantage of this great community. 😉
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