Why do we Stringhop?

Playing Technique
#1

I’m watching the lessons and I’m curious as to why we stringhop. I was self taught and took lessons as well but my teacher never really focused on pick mechanics. I stringhop and I don’t know why. No one taught me to do this and for whatever reason, it became a natural mechanic for me, even though it’s wrong. Now that I’ve been focusing on this site and lessons, I stringhop only during slow phrases and use some type of escape motion when I’m speeding up.

  1. Why did we even start stringhopping? Where did we get it from?

  2. Is it wrong to strinhop during slow phrases?

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#2

This can’t be the whole answer, but…

If you started on a cheap acoustic (like I did), and if you’ve got one lying around… Pickslant on it. Then hop on it. Hear the difference? I’m sure that doesn’t fully explain it, but I know I much preferred the sound I got from upward-flicking off the strings versus slicing through them.

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#3

I actually got to thinking about this recently since I happen to do this on slower phrases, and like @Yaakov said definitely on acoustic since it’s a different sound. Actually inadvertently recorded myself string hopping on acoustic recently (at least I think it’s string hopping):

https://www.instagram.com/p/CK2LGxbAOsZ/?igshid=1goymvts5fk8w

#4

Thousands of techniques work at “low” speeds, but not so many work at “high” speeds. Students should be TAUGHT the correct techniques (so they don’t have to be clever), but this previously existed (with a pick) only in Gypsy Jazz, from what I can tell. Only now is proper general instruction possible, thanks to Troy. The reality is very few players have the mechanical genius to re-invent the superior techniques, and the blanket term for all non-optimal technique is “string hopping.”

#5

I think it might also have something to do with the feeling control and muting. When starting out you want to feel confident that you are going to hit the string you intend to play and be ready for what ever next note. With string hopping, you can hover over the strings in a neutral position and then dive down on the wanted string(s). It’s very intuitive.

When using other techniques that isn’t as neutral in it’s nature, i feels a lot more like I play fragments of licks that I’ve learnt using the technique. If you start out on guitar, you don’t have any such ingrained licks to turn to. In this case string hopping is the most natural way to go about.

Also, there is a component of control in that you can mute the string by placing the pick next to the string. Think of the famous staccato lick of Ace Frehley, where he bends a note and fire off som picking staccato. It is made from muting the string with the pick and I don’t know if it can be done with anything other than string hopping. I have also use this technique for phrasing bluesy licks and “milking” the string. So in search for muting, string hopping becomes a great tool.

#6

Yeah, great points.

It’s the same with metronome or massive repetition (obsessions of mine). While it’s important to see the dangers of these supposed panacea-like practices, it’s also important to understand what legitimate (though limited) use they do have.

Stringhopping isn’t evil. But it’s a tool with very particular and limited use. (You’ll even find Eric Johnson quotes somewhere around here to that effect…)

#7

I would not be doing my job if I didn’t highlight the high potential for confusion here:

  • pickslanting refers to the angle of the pick VS string plane
  • hopping means that we are not efficiently alternating muscles between upstrokes and downstrokes.

so it is perfectly possible to stringhop while having a pickslant :slight_smile:

Are you instead referring to efficient single-escape picking (USX or DSX) VS a string-hoppy DBX? And are you suggesting that you get better tone with the latter, or more generally with inefficient motions?

I don’t think I agree, just listen to the sound of Joscho Stefan (who plays very efficient USX) and Andy wood (who plays efficient DSX and DBX).

The string doesn’t really now if your muscle usages is efficient or not, it only cares about how far it’s displaced and the details of the release.

…perhaps the tonal differences you were referring to are due to completely different variables?

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#8

Yes, yes. My bad. That’s what I meant. But as for your disagreeing with the point, even correctly made… I USX on my cheap acoustic and I hear this harsh, scratchy sound; it’s ugly. I do more of a hoppy thing and that goes away entirely.

I honestly remember thinking this during my first few months of playing - “ahh, that sounds so much better! (viz. hopping).” Maybe it’s my subjective reality, but I really did think so. Grab a clunker flat top and try it, see what you think.

#9

That is most probably due to the combination of pickslanting and edge picking that you are using in conjunction with your USX motion. I.e. I’m pretty sure you can correct for that :slight_smile: