Angle Your Pick For Smooth Strums

What you’re about to learn is such a tiny change, but it makes strumming easier! The devil is in the details - and the full lesson is here!

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Just had a quick scan through some of the lessons and this one stuck out for me. Justin gives a much fuller explanation of pick angle in two planes. I had sort of worked this out previously from a other videos, Grade 1 including RUST, but was good to see it all combined in one lesson, with a clear explanation.
Michael :+1:

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I did it wrong all these years. I had too much motion with my wrist.

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Roland @Rolandson
I was the opposite of you I don’t think I was doing enough wrist rotation. Since trying it out after the lesson much more comfortable, with up strums in particular.
Michael

For me, I always find that the pick seems to slide a little out of position. Kind of behind the line of my thumb nail… i do not know if this is a bad thing… but when playing it seems to always find its way there…

I am very aware of it and find myself trying to correct it all the time thus distracting my playing…

Plus… I find i can really hear the difference when the pick passes over the strings… almost like a scratching sound as opposed to a Click

Chris @cjt5079
I tried a orange tortex a while ago but as it is smooth it kept moving around when I was strumming so gone back to JD USA Nylon which has a bit texture where the fingers go and that works for me. I also have some JD Max Grip which has more texture.
Might be worth trying one of those.
Michael

Hi, I’m 61 and have been playing about ten years. The first instructor I had was insistent that the wrist should rotate when strumming. A motion like “brushing crumbs off the table.” And he always corrected us when our strumming was too much elbow movement and not enough wrist. So I was really surprised when Justin was just as insistent that you should NOT rotate the wrist much. Interesting how there can be such a strong difference of opinion on something so basic! Anyway, I signed up for this course because I was frustrated with my strumming and I have to say that so far I’m doing much better with Justin’s method! Thanks man! Mike

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Thanks Michael… I appreciate your reply and feedback!

I also have the JD picks with a light texture which offers a little more stability… i do find the same thing happens though…

I dont know why lol

Chris

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Chris @cjt5079
I think there is always a tendency for the pick to move around and I sort do what Jason teaches in one of his lessons on manipulating the pick but when it was nearly every strum that was unworkable.
I did try the max grip 0.6 but found it less flexible than JD USA Nylon 0.6 and was giving the same issue as the orange tortex.
Started Justin’s new strumming course and have dropped back to JD USA Nylon 0.46 and finding much less problems with the pick moving.
Michael

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You should eventually use both arm and wrist but in my experience its better to start with the arm and use the wrist when things get a little faster! :slight_smile: Glad ur enjoying it!

I doa whole less on on pick manipulation in the Dynamics course - and how to use the pick as a ‘fiddle toy’ to help you control it!

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