George Benson Picking Technique Tribute & Study LIKE/SUBSCRIBE

[@philsarkol341]

the one thing besides his tecnique is his absolute feel ..unique in style..like no other...

[@cheekoandtheman]

That George Benson is one smoooth cat !

[@Theabsbot]

i was actually playing different, my picking i play also death metal, progressive metal so when i knew about this backward picking technique i started to practice and relearn all my technique again and wow its much more easy to play anything like george benson does!!

[@pierrechaouat]

Very very (and above all, very) instructive video montage. Not particularly for the picking technique which would need a slowing down, but for the phrasé. Indeed, when moving over the fretboard, he mixes the down/up movements, then the lateral one and the tempo doubling. But he does that at lights peed. It's amazing...

[@brucekeddyarmstrong]

Putting aside, for a moment, the value of these video clips for people who want to study picking technique, the footage of the Zinc gig is fantastically enjoyable! What a great band.

[@ClarenceHW]

Nice... I too find endless fascination in Benson's ultra-relaxed right hand technique, well both hands actually. That picking technique under and up. Have to use heavy enough strings to get it working right anything less than an eleven on top doesn't give enough resistance.

[@travelingman9763]

He mainly uses 13 Daddario Chromes on the road and if Thomastiks throws away the 14 and 17 and replaces with 13 and 17 High E/B

[@Geotubest]

Thanks for putting this together. GB is one of my all time favourites. Stellar player.

[@PeterFarrellGuitar]

have you heard about the George Benson Method written by George Benson and myself ? Check: peterfarrellguitar.com

[@JoshuaMaxey]

Peter Farrell Guitar hey man! Love your work. Please don’t advertise in my comments. I wouldn’t do that on your videos. All the best and really, love you work.

[@jameshullihen649]

Nice compilation Josh! Come on everyone, ya'll know an angled pick is essential to "gliding" across the strings as well as alternate picking them. Only difference I see here is that George uses a reverse angle - instead of pointing pick downward right to left (for a righty) he angles pick opposite. Basically same technique but slightly different resistance and sound. It's really not that hard! Remember - "less is more". Also try holding pick same way but use one of the rounded corners of the pick instead of the tip - U will be amazed!!! Good luck!

[@MrSteven2945]

yes his picking is so smoooooth.... allmost effortless i think his lines add more credence because his line over chords just seems to complement each other symetrically

[@flashjazzcat]

Great video - thanks for taking the time to put it together. The clip from the Zinc is particularly good. I changed to the Benson technique during the summer and it took me about three months to get into it. Pick angle is everything: I found holding it at a 45 degree slant over the strings made the technique come together. I used to play with my pinky and ring finger anchored to the pickguard, so I found the transition difficult (hand now floats), but definitely worth it.

[@Esaw100]

Absolutely Fantastic!!!

[@princeworld4769]

Benson is amazing….i pick like him..

[@TheRealZoSo]

This video is about nine months old now, but if you're still interested, Tuck Andress has a very thorough analysis of picking stance, wrist motion, and a variety of other factors on his website. I can't seem to include the link in a comment, but if you Google "Tuck Andress picking" it's the first result. The article includes a very detailed explanation of George Benson's technique in particular. Hope you find this useful!

[@jarojanu1]

Thanks pal ! I am working on my picking technique and it was very helpfull for me. :)

[@brucekeddyarmstrong]

Thanks for putting this together and posting it - it's very useful indeed for anyone who's interested in George Benson's picking technique, as I am. As TheRealZoSo mentioned, Tuck Andress' analysis of picking techniques is very good and goes into detail about Benson's approach. However it doesn't include any diagrams or pictures, so this video compilation is an invaluable complement to the Andress article. Thanks again.

[@BradEnquist]

After watching this and a few other Benson videos, I don't see much of a rotational motion that Tuck Andress mentions in his picking analysis. Maybe it's too subtle to see, I don't know. But I do see a lot of his pick motion coming from the arm (up down). Very much like the gypsy picking formula or Eric Johnson technique. Odd notes per string and sweeps. Awesome player.

[@jonahferguson4462]

Where’s second clip from?

[@mark78blues]

Nice compilation Josh, may I ask you where I can find the whole video of your second clip on KZbin?

[@onethousandtwonortheast8848]

When your father hung out with Charlie Parker regularly and you grew up around the numerous greats as he did, you’re gonna grow up to be quite a beast yourself.

[@Istari_01]

Great compilation. That locked thumb thing looks super efficient but I imagine it takes a while to relearn how to pick! Easier than than hearing what's in Georges head thigh. ;)

[@mekemontuori2186]

Looks like alternate picking technique, allows him to move faster and smoothly through the strings

[@mikebynes3720]

Seems you have an eye or ear for technical procedures👍👍👍👍

[@GinkoFu]

where I can find a complete version of the piece starting on 2.19 min? thank you very much.

[@MM-et5kz]

GinkoFu I had to rewind that section a couple times. 😎

[@danieldacosta8403]

Very good... Always

[@flashjazzcat]

@JoshuaMaxey Hard to tell about the anchoring - it may be a case of "resting". George won't have to pay constant attention to his right hand fingers in the way someone learning the technique might, so he probably lets his digits splay out any way they like. ;) I have to tuck my fingers underneath my palm at the moment to avoid going back to my old ways, and my knuckles slide across the pickguard. In any case, I'd love to chat to GB in person about it!

[@Theabsbot]

awesome!

[@Wildepicureism]

Hey Josh, where is this video of George playing jazz with a gibson (i think is L5 Lee Ritenour). U cut some parts of it and put them for example at the end of ur clip. Thanks for answering!

[@JoshuaMaxey]

Hello! Hard to say. This is a few years old and at the time all the videos were here on youtube. I didn't make a record of where everything was from (if it was even provided in the source video).

[@LandonEaversMusic]

I second this! I've been looking for the original full clip of Benson playing at that jam session for a long time. Maybe it's not on KZbin anymore? If it is, I wish I could find it.

[@LandonEaversMusic]

I found it! Search "George Benson at the Zinc"

[@myrkul777]

Wow, I've been trying to see if my technique was wrong for years...turns out I play EXACTLY like he does (even checked a website to check if my grip was the same etc)- except I play Death metal lol! If I play like he does then his pinky will sometimes curl round the pickup in a semi grip position, but hidden from sight so its not obvious. Other times it opens up and frees from the pinky lock-on/anchor, all depending on the speed and style of the phrase. A lot of different arm motions in use too!

[@homedogoli]

In the same boat, still unsure if it's viable for me but I've been doing it for 10 years + so it would be a disaster if I had to swap to downward angles now. And yeah I use the outside of my pinky as an anchor as well, it is quite hard to see as your hand covers it and moves independently.

[@ToneSpectra]

Looks like he started out playing with just his thumbnail in that hand position and then took to using a pick.

[@jamesfarrington9030]

The players Ive seen who angle the pick this way ALL have a naturally occurring bent thumb. My thumb is straight. I tried this for some time years ago, and it just didnt work for me. But hey, so many players use different angles, and that helps them.

[@TheJudplay]

As far as technique, I thought GB was known for picking with his thumb. There are YT clips of him playing in later years without straight pick or thumb pick - and of course, he's unbelievably good, using up and down strokes with his bare thumb. In these earlier clips he's obviously holding a flat pick. I'd like to hear jazz guitarists comment on this change. .

[@montysoomer6575]

Jud Watkins You're right.He can use his thumb when he wants to as Wes did to alternate pick. It's something he picked up from Wes Montgmery. He also uses the thumb for octaves. You get a mellower sound. He has always used a pick. His favorite guitar players, CHARLIE CHRISTIAN, WES MONTGOMERY, GRANT GREEN, JOHNNY SMITH....I sat with him at an airport VIP LOUNGE and he made these revelations . He got his melodic playing from GRANT GREENE... hope this helps.

[@gabegrau]

name of the song at 2:17?

[@TheJudplay]

@JoshuaMaxey Thanks for your reply.

[@stigkerstin]

Stig Svanberg,Sweden: I've tried this righthand position and for me it's totally impossible.

[@robertoetojo5861]

i like HIS SINGING BUT LOVE MORE HIS GUITAR PLAYING.

[@ericmahar7176]

He sings every note

[@dcroko]

Please can someone tell me where do I find the cd that contains GB's classes at 4:54? I bought a few years ago and someone stole it from me and I can't find it anywhere.

[@PeterFarrellGuitar]

have you heard about the George Benson Method written by George Benson and myself ? Check: peterfarrellguitar.com

[@50CJAZZ]

The ironic thing is the people posting the how to play like George Benson video play with this contorted side leaning wrist exaggerated reverse angle arm thing that George doesn't even do anymore. His right first isn't contorted like all these GB picking experts purport. Hard to describe but these videos are the holy grail not the other George Benson imposters.

[@medieval_flail]

what song is 1:04 to 1:22 from

[@brwnhornet59]

@JoshuaMaxey That's what I am seeing as well.

[@deacontheseer4804]

You also have to know what to play.