back-strumming

[Cougar]

How can you strum all the strings, forward and then back, with a pick? I don't know that he's using a pick, but I'm talking about the strumming style George Harrison uses in

. A lot of those accents are on the back-strum. The only way I could come vaguely close to that is just using the thumb, no pick, which is obviously less loud and seems like it'd be getting blood on the guitar strings before long....

[quapman]

Hey Cougar,

 

Are you just talking about basic up and down stroke strumming?

I'm not exactly sure what you are asking but if it's what I am thinking then it's just basic strumming?

Am I wrong?

 

A quick google search for basic guitar strumming should yield a ton of results.

My apologies if I am misunderstanding you. I kinda just take strumming for granted and don't really think about it.

I may be doing it wrong but it's close enough. lol.

 

To me what you are asking sounds like basic strumming. I could be totally out to lunch.

 

Good luck.

[Retired]

I'm not quite sure if it's basic strumming he's talking about. I haven't seen the video, but basic strumming is up and down. That's what everyone first learns playing the guitar even before chords, or at least I did. Cougar says forward and back. So that would be picking each string forward one step moving towards the frets, then when you pick the first E string, you pick backwards again in the same manner towards the 6th E string. Not sure what that would accomplish though and I may be wrong too! I watched the video, and it shows him just sitting there on a stump not doing anything.

['Scales]

Just sounds like using strum patterns to my untrained ear.

 

like DUD DUU DD...

 

But I'm sure Cougar you must hear something specific in it that could be more complex, so will be interested to see what others perceive and probably learn something useful along the way too.

[merciful-evans]

I could be missing something, but it sounds like ordinary strumming to me.

[fromnabulax]

I think I know what he's referring to based on his reference to the Harrison tune. Even if I am wrong though, the answer has to be the seem as with any challenging new technique, practice...

 

Start slow, build from there and practice.

[capmaster]

... A lot of those accents are on the back-strum. ...

To my guess the accents are the point here.

 

Using alternate picking for strumming will typically produce two different chord sounds. Downstrokes tend to emphasize the bass strings while upstrokes accentuate the treble strings. Close listening to George's rhythm guitar reveals that, too. This is not just due to hitting the strings picked first harder, it is also because they are hit earlier. In addition, treble strings produce faster transients which are more audible, too. This will cause forward masking of the lower strings' attack sounds.

 

Depending on fretboard or, in this case, string runs radius, there are several approaches to reduce the effect. Basically it is best to pick very fast and very lightly, but experimenting with pick angles, strum angles, and delicate shifts in strumming speeds during attack can be helpful. Most important I think is to stay relaxed and avoid cramping. I wouldn't add the thumb for picking.

 

Thin, flexible picks may help, too, but also can reduce the desired accents. It is best to select the pick gauge for the desired dynamic range at the given strumming speed.

 

Finally, most listeners won't judge your playing from details like accentuating certain strings. They will rather perceive the groove resulting from accentuated chords.

[Cougar]

Are you just talking about basic up and down stroke strumming?

 

Essentially, yes. On the down stroke, isn't the pick angled a bit? Then on the up stroke, that angle will cause the pick to catch on the high E string. I can't make the up stroke with the pick angled the wrong way, even a little. That Harrison tune strums down and up so fast, I can't see any technique that changes the pick angle between downs and ups. Capmaster's suggestion about a very flexible pick is probably the solution....

[Cougar]

That's what everyone first learns playing the guitar even before chords....

 

Hey, I'm just a piano player, haha.

[JayinLA]

Peter Tosh !!!

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtFAztZZsNY

[rct]

Essentially, yes. On the down stroke, isn't the pick angled a bit? Then on the up stroke, that angle will cause the pick to catch on the high E string. I can't make the up stroke with the pick angled the wrong way, even a little. That Harrison tune strums down and up so fast, I can't see any technique that changes the pick angle between downs and ups.

 

Oh sure. You do it without even thinking.

 

Capmaster's suggestion about a very flexible pick is probably the solution....

 

Maybe. Also probably not, most don't like the sound of a thin pick when it is used like that, tends to put a slap sound on top.

 

rct

[fromnabulax]

Oh sure. You do it without even thinking.

 

 

 

Maybe. Also probably not, most don't like the sound of a thin pick when it is used like that, tends to put a slap sound on top.

 

rct

 

I gotta think ol' RCT is correct here. George did a lot more fingerpicking than people give him credit for (Chet Atkins was huge influence), but listen to those early Beatles records and it sounds like he's using a concrete slab for a flat pick. Not at all like a flimsy old thin pick. Lots of upstrokes across all six strings for accents as well.

[Mr. Gibson]

Thin pick or I'll just keep the pick so the tip barley sticks out between my 2 fingers.🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶

[capmaster]

In my opinion it is best to do alternate strumming with a campfire attitude. Just playing along for song accompaniment and creating the groove with accents wherever they fit the beat may do the trick. The special kind of partly moving the hand down and up, partly rotating it with the forearm will come automatically.

 

When sitting cross-legged on the ground, some players prefer putting their guitar on the right thigh, others - like me - on the left one as a right-hand player. It's a position convenient for picking and fretting as well since it comes close to my posture with a guitar strapped over my shoulders. I think I would beat up guitar tops when putting a guitar on my right thigh. I just have less control over my picking hand this way.

 

Just try out what works for you and have fun!

[Retired]

1452696436[/url]' post='1730111']

Hey, I'm just a piano player, haha.

 

Ha, lol. Don't know about all you great guitar players but when I was taught, my cousin had me double picking with a pick on lots of songs to get used to it. To me it was very hard. The Ventures Pipeline was one I struggled at building up speed. I use thick picks very rarely, mostly soft and medium. I just can't strum or double pick strings fast with thick picks. When I ran out and needed one, I used to cut them out of butter lids. They work great

[Retired]

1452717464[/url]' post='1730188']

Thin pick or I'll just keep the pick so the tip barley sticks out between my 2 fingers.🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶

 

Yep! I use Fender slims.

[Mr. Gibson]

Marshall Tucker Bands Toy Caldwell never used a pick,always the thumb and fingers on his les Paul.

[capmaster]

... I use thick picks very rarely, mostly soft and medium. I just can't strum or double pick strings fast with thick picks. When I ran out and needed one, I used to cut them out of butter lids. They work great

You prefer very thin picks indeed!

[rct]

Marshall Tucker Bands Toy Caldwell never used a pick,always the thumb and fingers on his les Paul.

 

Oh man. Here's a good show of his massive thumb muscle, my whole life it wasn't 4th set without this:

 

 

rct

[quapman]

On the down stroke, isn't the pick angled a bit? Then on the up stroke, that angle will cause the pick to catch on the high E string. I can't make the up stroke with the pick angled the wrong way, even a little.

 

 

Honestly I don't ever really think about it that much. I do angle my pick but that's more for soloing.

I really don't consciously think about what I'm doing when I'm strumming.

I only hope I don't drop my pick in the sound hole. lol.

 

Maybe just try and stop thinking about what you are doing and start trying to reproduce what you want

to hear. I bet if you play a little more by feel you would have more success than following an UDD UUD pattern.

If you listen to the George link you posted you can kinda hear the upstrokes. Just try and play along with

it and mimic it as opposed to trying to tab it out or be structured.

 

A quick google for "Apple Scruffs chords" should get you the chords if you don't already have them.

 

And for the record. I wish I could play the piano.

[stein]

Picking takes practice. There isn't just "technique" that can be taught, you also have to teach your fingers.

 

Lot's of stuff happens subconsciously, like how hard the grip is, letting the pick flex or move withing the grip, stuff our fingers/hands learn without us really being aware.

 

Just go for it, start strumming. It will come. That's the fun of it all

[Cougar]

Oh sure. You do it without even thinking.

 

I'll keep trying.

 

my whole life it wasn't 4th set without this:

 

Great piece... and thumb playing! I would have liked to catch one of your 4th sets.

[Cougar]

....George.... sounds like he's using a concrete slab for a flat pick. Not at all like a flimsy old thin pick. Lots of upstrokes across all six strings for accents as well.

 

That's what I'm hearing, but unable to reproduce (so far) with a pick....

[Cougar]

....I'll just keep the pick so the tip barley sticks out between my 2 fingers.

 

That I'll try.

[rct]

I'll keep trying.

 

 

 

Great piece... and thumb playing! I would have liked to catch one of your 4th sets.

 

Heh. Yeah, it was a hoot for the times for sure. We usually started with this one and of course jammed it out. Later in life I always sang lead and enjoyed it even more.

 

The best way to get to where you want to be is to walk around with your guitar, spend much time standing as though singing, and actually sing while playing. That will help get this whole twirling pick thing out of your brain and into yer muscles so you don't have to think about it. I hold the pick like an ape probably, but it moves all over the place in the course of one down and one up. Remember too you don't always want to hit all of the strings, and a partial down that starts at the D and a partial up that starts at the G can have their place as well.

 

If you are learning a song and you just can't quite get that inversion of that D or whatever that you are hearing on the record but can't hear on yer guitar, always always always start over and hit it up, see if that does it. Took me long time to make that a habit.

 

rct