Wrist Motion and the Upstroke

Playing Technique
#1

Hi,

Not entirely sure why I’m posting this but hey, we’re in quarantine and there’s not much else to do.

I think tonight I’ve had a small victory when it comes to wrist picking. After deciding to just revert to what felt natural for me to do (i.e. the movement I’ve done for years), and really analysing it, I’ve just realised I’m using a small amount wrist flexion to create the upstroke movement - so I guess down to up would be 3/4 to around 7 on the clock face model?

This in turn has always led to me being trapped on the upstroke, because the flexion movement is pushing me towards the body of the guitar. So after realising this, I subsequently tried to think about just using a wrist deviation movement for the upstroke instead, combined with a slight tilt of the hand towards the bridge, and suddenly everything just felt much more free immediately.

I’m not really co-ordinated with it yet, I suspect that may take a while but to me it was a bit of a lightbulb moment. Not sure why my natural tendency was to use flexion to create the upstroke instead of straight line deviation.

Anyway I’m hoping this might help someone who may be having trouble, sorry for the long winded explanation.

Really enjoying reading everyone’s posts and experiences. Makes this quarantine business that little bit less lonely when you live alone.

Kind regards,

Jonny

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#2

Hi Jonny,

Thanks for your comments.

I noticed that I do this too and get caught a bit on upstrokes.
On the upstrokes, I am making a subtle “scooping motion”.
It is really only visible on slow motion video.

I am now trying to straighten out the motion so the downstroke
and upstroke follow motion in the same plane.

So far, when I increase speed the old “scooping” motion takes over.

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#3

Hey dcarroll2891,

Yes that’s a good way to describe what I’m ultimately trying to say, getting the pick to move in a linear motion path. I’ve been toying around with it more over the past hour, and I’m 99% sure this is the movement I’ve been trying to get for a long time.

I don’t know if this helps but it feels a little like I’m using a really tiny bit of wrist extension on the upstroke but mainly a deviation movement? Not so much extension that it turns into string hopping though, it feels smooth.

I should say my hand position is almost flat to the strings, not so much the ‘slouchy’ hand position that’s used for the Yngwie forearm/wrist style, but mainly flat with the slightest tilt towards the bridge.

Take what I’m saying with a pinch of salt of course, hopefully someone who’s mastered it can weigh in here. I guess the main thing is just concentrating on stopping that rolling motion towards the body on the upstroke? Let me know how you get on with it.

Kind regards,

Jonny

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