The Backward Picking Technique - Vol. 2

[@csu111]

Excellent job covering this topic. Thank you!

[@JamesLaiTV]

My goodness, thank you for this. I have been trying to switch picking angles with no luck. Now I have the confidence in knowing I can stick with my backwards picking angle.

[@bradleyjgreen1]

Thats amazing James. I'm glad I've been able to give you some confidence. All the best with it moving forward.

[@STU88R1]

I've been picking like this from quite a young age, probably 12 and im 35 now. My thumbs can bend backwards like some of the people you featured here. My mate always tilted it back by using 2 fingers with a locked thumb. Something I've seen other metal guys do in the past. Theres a few things that ive noticed over the years when it come to picking speed and string changes, its easier for me to switch strings on the inside rather that the outer side of both strings. Roy marchbank mentions this in a video on Rowan J Parker's channel. I also favour hybrid picking than strick alternate. If were to play the classic paul gilbert lick i tend to play down, up, down then middle for the string change. Theres footage of my playing on my channel if anyone is interested.

[@meticmusic]

thanks for the deepdive into this topic man - it's something ive been trying to convert to as well. look forward to more!

[@explodie23]

Great follow up research and sharing, thanks Bradley!

[@romainbertrand253]

Hi, I think you missed Ed Van Halen. He's got several picking technics actullay, mainly based on backward picking. But often he holds the pick like Pat Metheny. And his tremolo technic is something else too.

[@RyanSalisburyMusic]

Awesome information!! Thanks

[@bradleyjgreen1]

Very welcome!

[@KevinB-pd3me]

How ironic that the obvious, natural way to hold a pick is called "backward".

[@armandosinger]

Nice list of Benson pickers. Would be cool to see a video about how you handle string muting.

[@iwawanol]

I was just researching about this. It seems most gospel and jazz players using this technique let their strings ring freely

[@guitarandknivesetc4219]

Awesome channel! Im A backward picker too

[@bradleyjgreen1]

Thanks so much. Awesome! Hope it's doing you well.

[@Clarke2190]

amazing video series mate

[@stringbenderbb]

Thanks! Some more to consider: Tosin Abasi, Isaiah Sharkey, Shawn Lane, Cecil Alexander, Gypsy Jazz guitarist Sebastiene Giniaux

[@armandosinger]

See his first video where he mentions almost all of these

[@Guit7Jazz]

Is this technique reliant on string action being set to particular height? How about pick gauge? Benson uses Fender Medium. I believe Dan Wilson prefers extra heavy. Corey Wong uses Dava medium picks, Cecil Alexander uses medium Dunlop flow picks and he can play heavy and light gauge strings… thoughts?

[@nacienlos70]

Nice followup. Also Tosin Abasi

[@armandosinger]

He’s mentioned in the first video

[@rafaelzengo5534]

I'm so interested in this. Thanks for these very in-depth videos. Having been a standard picker all my life (playing for 25 plus years), do you think there's any hope for a standard picker to sound less harsh and closer to a backwards picker? I've been trying some stuff with backwards picking but it just feels very difficult to re-learn all my playing at this point. I've tried bigger picks with less tip (I'm normally a jazz III user), and it indeed does help, as the bigger pick seems to absorb and dissipate the initial attack a bit better, but still there's this twangy, pokey quality of standard picking.

[@alexnecro8682]

Tobi and Dean from ARCHSPIRE

[@stevenkelley3443]

Hey, you forgot to very important guitar players number one David T Chastain, and number two Jeff Watson of Night Ranger

[@cajunclassic]

I think you forgot George Lynch.

[@billgator2005]

you neglected to mention jimi hendrix...

[@EduardoBerth]

It was mentioned in the Vol. 1 of this series indeed

[@timpitts9256]

Shawn Lane

[@alanwebbguitar]

Bass Akwards…