Hello everyone! I’m new to all of this picking and right-hand technique stuff, but I figured it’s about time I started learning (just started my subscription today). Here’s a bit about my story, not unlike some of the posts I’ve seen perusing. I’ll try to keep it brief.
I’ve been playing the guitar for about 14 years total, with some years not as much as others. I have an interest in RNB, 90s Hip Hop, Jazz, Rock, and recently realized my love of certain Fusion. One of my biggest inspirations for guitar playing in the early years was Eric Johnson’s Cliffs of Dover. Hearing that solo on Guitar Hero 3 for the first time in my living room really lit a spark in me to want to play that way. I started taking guitar seriously not long after, and was self-taught for a while, until something happened.
I went to music school. 4-year degree in music tech/performance. I learned lots about theory and jazz harmony, music tech, and many other adjacent things, but not much focus on picking technique. In fact, it was always a sore point for me, so much so that I avoided playing faster solos or music (bebop specifically). After 4 years of intense study and desire to please my professors/get my degree, I lost that spark. 3 years went by, and my guitar didn’t get played that much, and music felt like a sore wound for a while.
When I was showing a friend of mine that Austin City Limits recording of Cliffs, he had a similar spark to the guitar that I did. Long story short, he asked me if I could play it, and of course, I said “Nope. Never was able to, but always wanted to.” Then, the spark came roaring back in. I decided that I was going to fully dive into learning Cliffs, and many other songs I had wanted to play from many other genres, with the goal of freedom and control over my right hand without tenseness. That brings me here, making this post.
I’m excited to learn lots, and I’m happy to be here. Thanks for reading!