Reverse picking

  • Thread starter Thread starter VonBonfire
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VonBonfire

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Picking with the back edge of the pick instead of the front. I spent about 5 months trying to readjust my picking style to this method and I finally made it automatic to my playing a few weeks ago. I just noticed it is fully automatic a few minutes ago and realize I been already doing it a while now. That took a minute. It's def helped me clean up my technique and get a better string attack. I use a thumb and fingerpick and I have a good hitch hiker thumb but it still took some time to catch that ride and get that thumb leant back straight away. The slight hand readjustment for me also puts the fingerpick more likely to hit the back edge more often. I get better harmonics and a cleaner attack this way.

Obviously I got the technique from someone who used a normal flat pick but it has been the best thing for me for my suck ass picking hand since switching to the thumb-finger pick arrangement. Anyone else use reverse picking either by default or by choice? I didn't even know this was a thing until five months ago, not sure why I never heard of it, but I sampled it and was impressed with the results. It's def improved my playing and enjoyment all around. I know some guys don't like the technique but it worked for me so I thought I'd ask/share. Thanks for listening and be well.
 
I think SRV was known for this. It seems odd to me but I'll give it a shot
 
crankyrayhanky said:
I think SRV was known for this. It seems odd to me but I'll give it a shot
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Until it was brought up I never noticed what guys were doing with the right hand. I just figured it was all off the front of the pick. I think Jimi might pick like that quite a bit also cause looking at footage again I notice his wrist is more curved forward towards the neck which seems to ease reverse picking.

Someone at another site posted a 45 minute video and I had to ask, "so he's just picking off the back edge?". Not sure why it needed a multi part series with 45 minute vids tho, lol. Let me know how it works and sounds for you. I found it gave a brighter, clearer, cleaner, and more definite string attack once I had it nailed down. It just took some months to not have to remember "hold your hand like this".
 
So there was a Ben Eller video about this. One thing he said that was interesting is that a lot of folks cannot bend their thumb past midpoint of the joint and will end up by default being “leading edge pickers”. Vs those of us who have some odd ability to hyperextend the thumb joint and use the following edge. I use both. But I really enjoy the following edge. But only to be different.
 
alund said:
So there was a Ben Eller video about this. One thing he said that was interesting is that a lot of folks cannot bend their thumb past midpoint of the joint and will end up by default being “leading edge pickers”. Vs those of us who have some odd ability to hyperextend the thumb joint and use the following edge. I use both. But I really enjoy the following edge. But only to be different.
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I was only ever shown how to hold the pick, not how I should be striking the strings. I have never had great right hand technique. The reverse picking might've helped with a flat pick but I switched to fingerpicks before that because I had learnt how to do it on an acoustic in Nashville and when I got an ES guitar it seemed like I was sort of playing an acoustic again so it was best of both worlds. Plus one of my favorites, Freddie King played that way so it all seemed to add up to the thing to do. Can't say I'd ever go back to a flat pick but the reverse picking really pushed me towards cleaner technique once it was nailed down. You can def add some extra blues in there with the fingers.
 
Yeah Ben Eller recently talked about this. John Sykes and Hendrix and lots of other picked that way. Not SRV tho. Troy Grady did a video on it that of course is deep into it, he calls it reverse dart thrower.



 
This is my standard technique and how I play everything.

If there are any nuances you have questions about, let me know, I've been doing it the entire time I've played guitar, and it DOES change the pickstrokes for alot of styles of run, especially alternate picking stuff.
 
DanTravis62 said:
This is my standard technique and how I play everything.

If there are any nuances you have questions about, let me know, I've been doing it the entire time I've played guitar, and it DOES change the pickstrokes for alot of styles of run, especially alternate picking stuff.
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Thanks Dan. I use a thumbpick so it's all down strokes with that like a punk rocker. Gives a nice chunk to 12 bar rhythms. I upstroke with my index finger. I can actually get a nice strum going that way believe it or not.
 
VonBonfire said:
Thanks Dan. I use a thumbpick so it's all down strokes with that like a punk rocker. Gives a nice chunk to 12 bar rhythms. I upstroke with my index finger. I can actually get a nice strum going that way believe it or not.
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Makes sense

So you finger/hybrid pick all descending threes and fours and stuff like that?
 
DanTravis62 said:
Makes sense

So you finger/hybrid pick all descending threes and fours and stuff like that?
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Naw, I never have had the precision right hand where I pick every note. I can alternate pick with a flat pick ok but if we are talking descending sequences of threes and fours that's all pull offs and hammer ons for me. I might pick one or two of the notes but the rest is slurred.
 
The closest I've ever gotten to what I think you are talking about would be attempting the first 16 measures or whatever of the intro to Master of Puppets using alternate picking. Mainly because down-stroking that, for me, is pretty hard.
 
agentrx said:
it's embarrassing when I pick...
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I'm no good with a flat pick either so I use banjo picks now as a kind of acoustic and electric mix technique since blues is what I like to play. For me the reverse picking attempts are very worth it and it's slowly getting more natural. It'll clean up your playing and give a better attack to the notes you just gotta work on integrating it into your chops.
 
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