# Great angle of Billy String's picking technique

**URL:** https://forum.troygrady.com/t/great-angle-of-billy-strings-picking-technique/33631
**Category:** Playing Technique
**Created:** [September 2, 2020, 12:14pm UTC](https://forum.troygrady.com/t/great-angle-of-billy-strings-picking-technique/33631 "2020-09-02T12:14:22Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![giggsy](https://forum.troygrady.com/user_avatar/forum.troygrady.com/giggsy/32/866_2.png) [@giggsy](https://forum.troygrady.com/u/giggsy)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2020, 12:14pm UTC](https://forum.troygrady.com/t/great-angle-of-billy-strings-picking-technique/33631/1 "2020-09-02T12:14:22Z")

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Hey all. I just wanted to share this great clip of Billy Strings playing a fiddle tune. It’s filmed, with what I image to be, a gopro attached to his headstock. This is the closest to the CTC angle I’ve seen in any of his videos. Figured this maybe useful for anyone who is a fan of his, or more broadly looking to get into bluegrass guitar.

[![](https://forum.troygrady.com/uploads/default/original/2X/5/56b5402d2b5559b95beec57939d530d9d14ff2d4.jpeg "Billy Strings - East Tennessee Blues (IGTV)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99DqDF93kPw)

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### Author: ![MichaelTapp](https://forum.troygrady.com/user_avatar/forum.troygrady.com/michaeltapp/32/15156_2.png) [@MichaelTapp](https://forum.troygrady.com/u/MichaelTapp)
#### Post date: [August 20, 2026, 4:51pm UTC](https://forum.troygrady.com/t/great-angle-of-billy-strings-picking-technique/33631/2 "2026-08-20T16:51:43Z")

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Thanks for sharing! Looks like he is stringhopping, ha. IE making a V shape when picking

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### Author: ![steve506](https://forum.troygrady.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@steve506](https://forum.troygrady.com/u/steve506)
#### Post date: [August 20, 2026, 5:25pm UTC](https://forum.troygrady.com/t/great-angle-of-billy-strings-picking-technique/33631/3 "2026-08-20T17:25:40Z")

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I’m inclined to agree, and on that note, this is a great reminder that string hopping can be great when used in a non-shred context.

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### Author: ![Riffdiculous](https://forum.troygrady.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/53a042/32.png) [@Riffdiculous](https://forum.troygrady.com/u/Riffdiculous)
#### Post date: [August 20, 2026, 5:49pm UTC](https://forum.troygrady.com/t/great-angle-of-billy-strings-picking-technique/33631/4 "2026-08-20T17:49:55Z")

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> [@MichaelTapp](#):
>
> Looks like he is stringhopping

He’s not, this is a mix of wrist and _rotator cuff_. Observe his forearm when he plays continuous notes - it is bouncing towards and then away from the guitar body. Sorta strange technique, but it doesn’t have the consistent muscle reuse you see with stringhopping..