Real Brave
2 min readJul 18, 2023

🎸 Are you looking to take your guitar playing to the next level and add some exciting techniques to your repertoire? Look no further! In this guide, we’ll explore a popular guitar technique that can greatly enhance your playing and bring a new dimension to your music. So, grab your guitar, let your fingers do the talking, and let’s dive into this musical journey together! 🎶

1. The Art of Guitar Picking:

🎸 One technique that can significantly enhance your playing is mastering the art of guitar picking. It involves using a pick or your fingers to strike the strings with precision and control, adding clarity, speed, and dynamics to your sound.

Proper picking technique includes holding the pick correctly, positioning your hand and arm for optimal control, and developing a consistent and efficient motion. By practicing various picking patterns and exercises, you’ll improve your dexterity, accuracy, and overall playing speed.

2. Mastering Alternate Picking:

🎸Alternate picking is a technique that allows you to play notes with a steady and even rhythm. It involves alternating your picking direction (downstroke and upstroke) for each note, creating a fluid and seamless sound.

By incorporating alternate picking into your playing, you can achieve faster speeds, smoother transitions between strings, and a more precise and controlled sound. Practice scales, arpeggios, and challenging passages using alternate picking to develop your muscle memory and enhance your overall technique.

3. Embracing Fingerstyle Playing:

🎸 Fingerstyle playing involves using your fingers to pluck the strings individually, rather than using a pick. It allows for greater control, versatility, and the ability to simultaneously play melody, harmony, and bass lines.

By developing fingerstyle technique, you can create rich and intricate arrangements, explore various genres (such as classical, folk, or jazz), and add depth to your guitar playing. Experiment with fingerpicking patterns, thumb independence exercises, and explore the works of fingerstyle guitar masters for inspiration.

4. Incorporating Vibrato:

🎸 Vibrato is a technique that adds expression, emotion, and character to your guitar playing. It involves oscillating the pitch of a sustained note by applying small back-and-forth movements to the string.

By incorporating vibrato, you can bring life to your solos, add a vocal-like quality to your melodies, and inject emotion into your playing. Experiment with different types of vibrato (wrist, finger, or combination) and practice controlling the speed, width, and intensity of your vibrato for a personalized touch.

Real Brave

Daniel Powers is the founder of Real Brave, an online music school for 1-1 lessons, progress tracking & guaranteed progress for people that like to learn online