George Benson Picking Method

[markf]

Originally Posted by BluesWaltz

By the way, the tenderness in my thumb only started since I've upped my playing time...yesterday it was 6 1/2 hours, and I noticed some fatigue and minor sharp pains in my thumb. It isn't serious now, but it seems like one of those things that could just get worse. I'm going to try playing for about 4 hours today (because I have to practice that much... I'm in music school). If it hurts again, I'm going to be really bummed out...

holy crap! 6and1/2 hours

I'd be amazed if you practised for 6 and 1/2 hours, and didn't have a sore thumb, hand, wrist, elbow, shoulder, neck, and back.

[BluesWaltz]

Originally Posted by markf

holy crap! 6and1/2 hours

I'd be amazed if you practised for 6 and 1/2 hours, and didn't have a sore thumb, hand, wrist, elbow, shoulder, neck, and back.

Yeah, you have a point there...but I was taking breaks on the hour, and really nothing was sore except for my picking hand! Weird, because I've had problems in the LEFT hand in the past.
Also, I tried gripping the pick without bending the thumb and, although it comes close, it doesn't really seem to give me the stability I need. Hopefully, it turns out to be nothing serious and I can just continue playing with this style. I could see how the technique would work with a straight thumb, but since mine bends back so much, it never wants to stay straight so again it doesn't seem like there's enough stability there. I'll probably stick to my old style unless it starts hurting again...

[merseybeat]

Anyone had any success with this?

To me its muchos ouchos!

But the tone produced is awesome! I seem to be getting his tone better from My Epi 335 dot!

Considering a GB200 costs nearly 2000UKP its weird that 80% of the Benson sound is in the Pick technique and not the actual guitar???

Eddie

[simonguitar]

I've been doing this for a year now, and it's completely changed my playing. (I don't suck anymore! he).
For me, a set of Thomastik-Infeld Swing 13's and picking with this method produce the ultimate guitar sound. Although, I've been playing for many years, I can't wait to get to play my guitar every day.

[merseybeat]

Cheers Simon!

I am reluctant to commit 100% as I really need to be shown the technique one to one! Although people have explained it well? Without a physical demo I don't want to cock up my current technique (Normal), I am pretty much fluent at 16's at 140BPM and I use the Benson method for slower licks to get that "Snappy sound". If anyone produces a video I will certainly buy it!

[Fractal]

I have been trying to get a sense of what this technique actually looks like I can't quite see it. So, if you start with the flat plane of the pick parallel with the strings and then by bending the thumb backwards the pick left edge of the pick (towards the headstock) rotates up towards your head and you pick from that position? Ugh, it makes my thumb sore and doesn't feel comfortable at all haha

[Shadow of the Sun]

I was bored this morning, and I found that the Benson technique is probably THE most efficient way to do sweep picking there is. The pick, if you're holding it right, sounds the string by just sliding along them, instead of getting caught, which leads to a damn smooth sound.

[xdc the doc]

This is driving me nuts... I just can't be sure I am doing it right without more images. Can anyone link to a video of this in action? I can't quite find a santana/benson video that illustrates it well.

[merseybeat]

A video will be cool! I will make a donation for whoever provides!
I am so tempted to have a go!

Its taken me six months to convert from wrist picking movement to arm movement and I have to say although this was weird at first, it was well worth the work as my lines are much more fluid! I still struggle with sweep picking though! I can descend smoothly enough but ascending is a little 'bitty'!

Eddie

[bobgure]

Count me among the many who are frustrated, yet determined to get this 'Benson' style of picking down. So far, so confused.

However - Adam Rogers uses the same right hand style without bending his thumb back and i've been watching YouTube videos of him, in my effort to see exactly how the mechanics of this thing works. Incredibly fluid.
Bobby Broom and to a certain extent Russell Malone also use this style.

Clip of Adam Rogers with M.Brecker quartet:
YouTube - Michael Brecker Quartet - Half Past Late #2 [2003]

My prevailing problem is:
1- Is there no anchor? Is the pinky the only anchor? Is the side (karate chop) of the hand anchored?
2- I can't see playing this way without the right side of the pick's point going through the string for the downstroke and the left side for the upstroke -- which are both angles.
In other words, with Benson/Rogers, is the pick just tilted in the opposite direction from the standard 'palm on the bridge' style? How can the hand be positioned this way and play with the pick 'dead on' like in bluegrass picking?

This way of picking looks and sounds SO efficient and economical and looks so effortless when they do it.

Glad this forum is discussing it.
I know I'll eventually 'get it'....but need to know it correctly before practicing it correctly.

[Fractal]

Originally Posted by merseybeat

A video will be cool! I will make a donation for whoever provides!
I am so tempted to have a go!

Its taken me six months to convert from wrist picking movement to arm movement and I have to say although this was weird at first, it was well worth the work as my lines are much more fluid! I still struggle with sweep picking though! I can descend smoothly enough but ascending is a little 'bitty'!

Eddie

I am pretty sure the Benson method relies on wrist motion rather than arm...

[mcohen777]

someone really needs to post a video im sorry

[simonguitar]

Ok try this link:YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. is Sheryl Bailey (a well known player in New York) and this video shows quite well how she holds the pick with her thumb and first finger locked together. If you look closely, you can see that the pick is attacking the string with the EDGE of the pick and not the flat surface, and you can also see how economical her wrist movement is. (Oh, and that she's also just a fabulous player).

[jeffstocksmusic]

I had a long post written about my experience w/ this technique through Rodney Jones (prior to it even being a technique...). I decided it was too negative so I scrapped it.

I will say to be wary of 'magic elixirs'. This is simply another way of holding a pick. Nothing more, nothing less. It is no more or less efficient, fluid, liquid, blah, blah, a method than any number of other ways. If you need proof, take a look at the multitude of ways that your favorite musicians hold their picks and their ease at creating music. They found something that was comfortable/natural for them and worked hard at the actual production of music. I have heard far too many times that the right hand is just not a consideration for the guys I admire (I have asked them directly). It simply does what the left hand tells it to do.

I am not trying to disuade giving it a go, but I do want to add something to the conversation other than glowing praise.

Consider how valuable your musical time is and think hard about whether it is worth a hot second spent not furthering your musical goals. The idea of taking a second away from dealing w/ music is just not interesting. And when you toss in frustration (?), physical pain (!) and the loss of hybrid picking...forget it. Like Monk said....a genius is one most like himself.....

[franco6719]

Well-said Jeff. I think that is exactly right as far as technique is concerned. If your thumb sounds good, like Wes Montgomery, play with that. If you have only two fingers, try to think like Django. Can you play with your feet? Who knows?

[markerhodes]

Great thread. This helped me a lot. My thumb bends like that, so holding the pick that way is no problem. Indeed, I *used* to hold it that way but a teacher told me it was wrong and for years I've struggled with 'conventional' grips that worked inconsistently for me. Talk about frustration! What's key to this for me is my thumb can *stay* that way. (I've always had trouble with the pick 'moving around on me' while playing. It made for terrible inconsistency, which has been the greatest single frustration of my playing life.)

[simonguitar]

Ok...something screwed up the link. Here's the link to Sheryl Bailey:

YouTube - Sheryl Bailey - Guitar Solo

About 30 seconds into the song, the camera angle moves to include her right hand.

[Lucian Williams]

I am late on this thread but all the talk of double jointed thumbs leads me to believe a key element is missing; namely the rotation of the elbow joint.
Put the palm of your right hand on your stomach. Your right elbow joint is now in a similar position as traditional picking with the back of the hand and forearm parallel to the guitar strings. Now, pretend you want to create a table with your right palm on which you could place a cup of tea. This is the kind on elbow rotation I am talking about. Now your palm is facing up and the back of your hand is facing the floor. You obviously cannot pick a guitar with your arm in this position so bring it back about half way. Hold the pick (I use the rounded edge, like George, for a fatter sound) between your thumb and straightened index finger and anchor your pinky on the pick guard. Keep the angle of the pick consistent on all of the strings. That is what should determine the exact amount of elbow rotation.
Hope that makes some sense. Good luck.

[Mace]

i wish there was a explanation video about his picking! many great guitar player played this way.

[Foulds Jazz Guitars]

I moved over to this way of doing things a few months ago and I'm still not 100% with it but I'm not going back to the old way as for me it gives much better smoothness and better dynamics with chords. Takes all tension out of the right arm as well.

YouTube Video

[Mace]

wow! great thank you for the video! i looks really smooth. i have problem with a slippery plec.. can you recommend this technic? thank you for the video!

[Foulds Jazz Guitars]

Works for me at the moment but everyone's different of course. One thing hardly anyone mentions is that you must have a pick with a very sharp point because you are passing the pick over the string at a angle where a round tip doesn't work.

[SwingSwangSwung]

I grew up using the Benson technique - or something very close to it. I didn't know it was the Benson technique - it was just the way I started playing and no one ever taught me a different way. I'd describe the way I picked for the first 30 year of my playing was like a left handed person holds a pen when writing - with the wrist bent in towards the palm side of the hand and the 1st & 2nd fingers holding the pick against the thumb.

In 2005 I started using a different technique where my wrist is straight, the pick is held between the 1st finger & thumb, and the other 3 fingers are straight - but relaxed. I like the control and the tone better with this technique, but it took me a few years to make it feel comfortable and natural. I still use the other/Benson technique, shifting between the two.

I sure appreciate Tuck doing such a great write up on picking styles. I wish he'd do videos demonstrating them as some of them are a bit hard to grasp from the written word.

[Mace]

Originally Posted by SwingSwangSwung

I sure appreciate Tuck doing such a great write up on picking styles. I wish he'd do videos demonstrating them as some of them are a bit hard to grasp from the written word.

you say it! a video or dvd would be awesome!