amount of tension . And if you drop a pick , have spares nearby – maybe in a Jim Dunlop Pick Holder on top of your guitar like I always do .
3 . SUPPORT . Remember , it ’ s not just about your thumb and index . Your other fingers , your wrist , and even your elbow all provide different axes that allow for optimal strumming or picking .
Your other fingers are right there to help provide additional weight to balance your hand for strumming , so keep them loose . Allow them to act like the tail of a squirrel – to help provide counterbalance .
When it comes to flatpicking or playing lead , although some folks may disagree with me on this , I feel like it ’ s ok to allow the other fingers to gently rest on the guitar body or even temporarily gently lean against the high E string for orientation .
Again , I don ’ t want to push down too hard with my fingers against the instrument , because that will lead to unnecessary bad tension . But let those fingers , your wrist , and your elbow support your efforts .
4 . APPROACH . Some guitarists strum pretty wildly with big gestures , but really , it ’ s about economy of movement and proximity .
The strumming cycle involves down and up strums , and some are selectively omitted for artistry , which means we need to approach the guitar with enough proximity to make that happen . This means we need to stay close with sort of an elliptical shape .
If you ’ re curious about my intentional approach to strumming , check out my article in Worship Musician Magazine from June 2022 – Strumming : Sloppy or Skillful for some tips on that .
But my main encouragement to you as a strummer would be to think of your strumming hand approach to be much like a hovercraft , just gently hovering close to the instrument with that delicate balance of being close enough to strum the notes you want , and intentionally miss the notes you don ’ t want .
In terms of flatpicking or lead approach , I ’ ve seen some guitarists use only their thumb and index as their axis for attack . In my opinion , it ’ s good to mix in a little wrist . For fast lead lines , economy picking and such , some guitarists will mostly use wrist . The key again is to be relaxed as you play .
You want your listener to enjoy what they hear , and you want to enjoy playing it for them , right ?
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David Harsh David Harsh is a nationally touring worship leader , songwriter and performing artist . He is passionate about equipping guitarists to discover their potential . Learn more and join now at www . GuitarSuccess4U . com
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