philwood Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 (edited) Hi Chaps and Chapesses, Just a quick question on right hand picking. Im self taught and have been using free stroke all these years and only just stumbled across rest stroke. In short I cant seem to develop the same speed using rest stroke, so is this a technique used for just solid medium paced lines and free stroke for faster passages or am I barking up the wrong tree?? Many Thanks Phil Edited February 7, 2008 by philwood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Hi Phil, Strokes really are a matter of choice. I've used both, and still continue to use both. Neither is wrong, they just sound quite different. In classical guitar (from what I understand) most guitarists tend to learn to use free strokes as they can be used for everything, whether it's single lines, comping chords or whatever, whilst rest strokes cannot be used to pluck chords. By their very definition they will dampen the string below. However they choose to use rest strokes as it has a more defined and solid tone to the note. Gary Willis mentions the 'thud' of hitting the lower string in a rest stroke as being invaluable in putting out a strong(er) tone (relative to a free stroke). I think the next question that you would realistically never have to address when using free strokes, is whether to rake or not. Unfortunately classical guitar technique and classical upright bass technique (again, from my understanding) teach somewhat opposite viewpoints on raking vs strict alternation, I think it's important to try both and see which you feel the instrument (or at least the way you play and approach the instrument) is more suited to. In short, either is good, learn to do both, if I were you I'd stick with free strokes for the reasons above, and if you've got it down already, it'll save you a world of trouble changing your technique for (perhaps?) no good reason. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philwood Posted February 7, 2008 Author Share Posted February 7, 2008 Thanks Mark much appreciated I can grasp all of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 You're welcome bud, if you have any more questions feel free to message or post on here for some interesting discussion! Mind if I ask how or why you started out with free strokes? 9/10 bassists seem to instinctively start out with rest strokes, so I'm curious. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philwood Posted February 7, 2008 Author Share Posted February 7, 2008 Actually from watching an Abraham Laboriel Video about 10 years ago i saw him doing the whole P-I-M-A thing and assumed i should do the same with my thumb anchored on pickup. Also it was the only way i could get any kind of speed. Ive appreciated your reply as i have now found myself flitting between the two so good to hear you do the same! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Oddly enough I do almost exactly the same, my free stroke use is purely when using the P-I-M-A/4 finger technique popularised by people like Matt Garrison. With good technique you can get beautiful clean punchy tone with free strokes, it's great. Only advice I'd give is un-anchor your thumb! Switch to floating. I know people say to do what is comfortable, but anchoring really is unnecessary, and as such is a hindrance rather than a help, regardless of what people may tell you. That may seem quite a blanketed cover all statement, however the very fact that you can use the 4 digit technique without suffering shows we don't [i]need[/i] it to stay anchored and that we can use the thumb for something [i]far[/i] more useful than a mute we don't even need! (i.e. a mute that frees up the left hand or that negates the need for the intricate finger dancing of the ring and pinky fingers between strings to stop them ringing out when not in use that people like Janek or J Patitucci do, respect to them by the way!) than an anchor we don't even need. Again, just my opinion... Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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