Woodshed Ep. 50 - The foundation of my alternate picking.

[@Shroomer47]

Manzanita is SUCH a fun song. I recommend anyone to learn that one.

[@ShawnTubbs]

I hate you. I mean I LOVE YOU...but...I hate you. I do love you though. You're the best Andy!!!

[@andywoodmusic]

dude YOU are the best!!!

[@MrMetalhorse]

Thanks Andy, this is the lesson I needed. This is the hardest stuff for me. Honestly this is way harder than just going balls out shredding because most shredding is just patterns that are easy to blaze through. Is the medium speed that gets me because these melodies are not so pattern based.

[@andywoodmusic]

Exactly my dude!! You got this!

[@scottbronder]

35 years of playing and i'm going to toss my guitars in the trash right now trying this... this is great stuff. Thanks Andy

[@bertwhite1297]

I’ve watched all videos I can find with Andy playing, easily the best player I’ve ever heard or seen. You killing it man, thank you for what you do. Keep posting stuff for us.

[@stickgs]

My favorite fiddle tune has to be Beaumont Rag! Tony Rice absolutely kills it!

[@davidp158]

Thanks Andy. I think your acoustic background is why you have such a deadly sense of rhythm and timing, that shows up in your electric playing.

[@srubel59]

Right at the intro I noticed the Martin. Hearing you bought it for your Grandfather makes it incredibly special. What a guy! The fact that it's back with you with after years with your Grandfather makes it beyond special. It would be my most prized position, without a doubt. Maybe one day it will be passed down within the family again.

[@VilleKuitunen6]

I've just been binge watching Troy Grady's "Cracking The Code" and practicing like crazy. Your insight is at least equally delightful! Thank you so much Andy I hope to catch you live some day! Beer will be on me!

[@andywoodmusic]

I love Troy and what he does!

[@michaeledwards1097]

thank you ANDY !!

[@QuinnParsley]

Great tips, dude! Love the music examples.

[@frankgreco]

Great lesson Andy. You said what you were going to explain... you explained it... and then you reviewed what you explained. That's a pattern of great teachers. Just one note on your video setup. The resolution is great as well as the audio. The lighting is a bit uneven, esp at the end where part of your face was in shadow. Just fyi.

[@billdedrick1914]

Incredible and difficult techniques...Unbelievable player..What flat pick are you using and thickness..some picks and designs/shapes are easier to adapt to than others

[@tedc6694]

So used to being spoon fed how to do things it's weird being told i WON'T be told how to hold my pick and such. But I'm all in. Trying different things and seeing what works. I am still binge watching woodshed vids and still surprised how much content is available for free. If anybody reads this, i think the patreon group is well worth the money btw. I keep getting better by trying to follow Wood's suggestions anyway

[@michaelsingley5641]

Observations from Andy's videos. 1. Great player. 2. Great teacher. 3. Great guy. Perfect Trifecta. 🎸

[@staylor537]

Best so far Andy Wood !

[@joestentzalienguitarist9814]

I must go practice now. Total inspiration. Thank you.

[@winstonsmith8240]

You're just too good. Changed my picking forever. Can't thank you enough. Truly. ❤

[@Jamesivansongwriting]

I would have loved to have seen the look on your Grandpa's face when he opened up that D-45 you bought him that he had always wanted! THOSE are the memories that last forever!!

[@markgillespie7591]

That guitar was blowing up my ear buds!

[@hearpalhere]

Wow man! Your right hand is something else Andy! I'm going to have to watch this a few more times to even comprehend what it is I'm going to have to work on. This just seems otherworldly to me at the moment but I love it. Thanks for sharing it and just want to say that it's a lovely guitar too! Very nice to know that you had such a great relationship with your grandfather. I'm sure he was proud of you!

[@GrumpleSenior]

Best picking lesson I’ve seen. I used to be a shredder, stopped playing for years, got back into playing but as a thumb picker so all Chet and Jerry stuff. Recently got my first electric guitar in years and realised I could alternate pick anymore. Now trying to learn hybrid picking to let me do banjo rolls without the thumb pick while working on my alternate picking. Top lesson and top playing sir, thank you.

[@gitarmats]

Just discovered these Woodshed videos... Seems I have a lot of good stuff to check out here!

[@andywoodmusic]

Cheers! 🍻

[@flybynight1929]

The Martin is a beauty Andy!

[@MrDavemiley]

I'll never have that much speed and precision , but it is fun trying.

[@BS-gj5ot]

Great as always Andy

[@raybaird4672]

Awesome

[@bradly373]

Awesome vid. Thank you

[@ScottGailor]

HONK! Love the tone of that guitar

[@masterbuilder3166]

Great lesson Andy. Thank you buddy 💯👍🎸

[@mglickman13]

Thank you Andy

[@davidwoods358]

I really enjoy your playing and instruction. I have always held the pick more on the pads and ends of the 1st finger and thumb. I keep my finger straighter and not bent. This affords me less grip on the pick because it is not being supported by the bent side of the 1st finger, but, it's just whats always felt right. I believe this is how Steve Morse holds his pick. I had major problems with pick slippage (I'm going back 30 years here.) there really were no picks with grips back then. Long story short, I created zenfire picks to solve my own problem. Now, there seems to be no shortage of picks with grips. It's a good thing.

[@Camaink1]

Great content! Maestro! Remember guys! You cannot brute force your picking!

[@chilljlt]

You got me into bluegrass the first time I heard you, and subsequently watched your appearance on Troy's Cracking the Code. Excellent video!

[@johnroslak]

Sooo good! Man, you and Billy Strings jamming would be something special 🤘

[@Sadowsky46]

Oh yes! A dream combo! 👍

[@marthadonnelly4199]

Gotta love andy wood!

[@defkind]

Maybe your best video yet! 🍻

[@BillAltman]

Nice lesson man! Im in Asheville , remember John the soundman from Knoxville Wild Wings singing your praises 15 years ago, he aint wrong!

[@jubnx2781]

Not even sweating huh thanks so much

[@marcomillul4082]

Starting to discover your playing and music through Henning's "Gearbox" review...you got a new fan!

[@plankspankersparadise3113]

Great! Thanx!👍🏻

[@RiffCollector]

You're awesome and inspiring dude! Thanks.

[@SharpEdgeStandardOfficial]

Andy, in regards to your comment about how one should approach their pick hold and not forcing something, I found that after 30 yrs of playing I could never get that powerful punch in my picking hand I studied guys like Jake Workman and Trey Hensley, and discovered that they, especially Jake, pick with a fist type hold as opposed to a thumb and top edge of wrist kind of motion. I began practicing this and immediately noticed much more power and punch to the notes being generated by picking hand. Of course I was a tad slower and a bit sloppier than I would normally be but after playing for 30 years I believe I can retrain my brain and muscle memory to adapt this type of “punch” technique. Thoughts?

[@gregdavidson5898]

Great stuff. After decades of picking one way this is really difficult to get. I "do naturally" like this D-U-D, D-U-D, etc. on THIS particular riff. Normally I DO complete DUPUPUP's like this example at 6:00, but not in cross picking. Frustrating! to change my hand's automation. What's that, practice practice ?

[@bobbreckenkamp4641]

Awesome info!!!! Thanks!

[@seggbert]

Andy, first saw and heard u on troy gradys channel... Great! I have been searching on u tube for help to improve my right hand and i found his channel and then yours. My guitar teachers 20ys ago never spent any time on right hand technique #sad Your vids really helped a LOT. Never thought i could make any more progress in picking. Maybe you can save a few minutes in one of your next videos to share your thoughts on picks!... (best wishes from berlin!)

[@rottalmusik6563]

This great 💜🎸🤘

[@JimFothergill]

Great lesson thanks!!!!!

[@shaharbar]

Man, that distortion is SICK, Axe Fucker III?

[@R_Thomp]

Great playing as usual!

[@BartCub]

Great content! Many thanks!! Is the small pick you're holding in the thumbnail, the D'Addario, a "Black Ice"? What gauge(s) do you like?

[@monsterzero1965]

So I know most of these licks at medium speed but the real warp factor 8 speed I just cant get and I'm pretty good lol. Is it the pick hold/angle/wrist/pick depth there IS a secret or anyone could do it!

[@chrischoir3594]

Bravo !!!

[@dustinwood5317]

Great lesson as always! Would you also describe a “natural” motion as one without tension? Seems like you’re super relaxed even at super high tempos.

[@tonyfondacaro1980]

Yes. Being relaxed is THE key to playing high tempo stuff.

[@mglickman13]

Check Robert Fripp's picking technique Andy...

[@thorstenritter2860]

Hey Andy, you may have noticed meanwhile: you didn't play it cross picked in the intro, but added the B string on the way back - so no string skipping there. Guess that's why you got confused when you demonstrated it again later... ;-) But the essence remains: fiddle tunes. Phil X claims playing the Bouzouki did it for him. I hope anything will do it for me eventually.

[@andywoodmusic]

I actually mention shifting the pattern through thru the intro. When I’m using these techniques in real time musical applications I’m not dropping in “pre built” patterns and switching them at pre destined points. I’m trying to blend it all together seamlessly when I actually play. So teaching it is a bit difficult, I can’t be like “I do this pattern, and then at bar 4 I do this pattern and then this” because it isn’t memorized like that. It’s meant to be fluid to the point where it’s subconscious and I can accent the note that I want, or switch to a new string etc.

[@andywoodmusic]

Yeah the pattern shifts at least 3 times in the first 7 seconds.

[@wakjob961]

Camera was a great investment...looks stellar. Are you gonna use it for the live streams?

[@albatros1418]

Hey Andy I was wondering, what string size do you use on this guitare ? on acoustic in general I guess its 12 with low action or maybe 11 Nice work out btw, I have hard times practicing those rolls and other picking stuffs, your right hand is smooth, wish I could play like you

[@bobshreddie]

ok that's .something to practice for the next decade!

[@BenEller]

Hang on, it’s down, up..... left????

[@andywoodmusic]

Not exactly. You wanna go Down, then follow that with Up. Ok, now you’re gonna repeat that. Don’t go left.

[@andywoodmusic]

@a free man in america yeah! you got it!

[@gordonparrishguitar413]

It's down, up, down up, triangle, circle, R2, R1 to unlock ultimate alternate picking.

[@seggbert]

Been following your channel for a while now, just great! Andy, what picks are you using? Thxalot!

[@andywoodmusic]

Blue chip and Daddario

[@chrishandley]

Something worth noting perhaps, both you and Guthrie both seem to use your wrists in your picking rather than rotating your forearm. Both of you have been playing almost all your lives and wrist action picking seems to be a result of learning when very young? That Martin sounds awesome btw!

[@Sadowsky46]

All great players emphasize that playing from the wrist is much more efficient

[@federicogherardini3687]

Great lesson Andy! Is there an anthology or “Real book” or something similar for fiddle tunes?

[@andywoodmusic]

I’d just type “fuddle tunes” into your search engines and enjoy!

[@andywoodmusic]

Any “real books” are gonna have different variations as a side bar.

[@sigsfast]

Holy crow.

[@nelsonw2096]

Beep beep!

[@drankin7827]

honk😂

[@ekkuapo62]

Honk👌

[@bootlegapples]

Stand out picker,terrible at covering the mechanics of his picking.It's mostly feel for him I assume.IE we need to slow it down and analize ourselves

[@andywoodmusic]

Or you can check out my in depth mechanics in courses from TrueFire or on my weekly Patreon masterclasses. Not possible to go into big detail in 15 minute KZbin videos bro ;)

[@bootlegapples]

The man hisself..I 😀.Thanks!