Benson Picking Poll

**MarkRhodes** · 08-21-2014, 05:16 PM

Lot of talk about Benson picking here lately. Time for a sense of what The Larger Community thinks about it.

**docbop** · 08-21-2014, 06:14 PM

No answer fits me. I tried Benson picking, well what I could come up with on my own from watching videos and kind of like it. Trouble is after playing so long changing was really a battle, so I have altered what I do to make it more Benson-esque and that is my picking these days. Still have a tendency to slip back to my older picking, I usually hear the difference and re-angle my pick to get the better note definition like like of my Benson-esque picking.

**M-ster** · 08-21-2014, 09:13 PM

I need a "Been working on it, still at it, but not sure if I'm progressing"

**jasaco** · 08-21-2014, 09:18 PM

I need the same answer as M-ster

**MarkRhodes** · 08-21-2014, 09:23 PM

14 votes in a few hours on Thursday---I'm impressed at the "turnout" so far!

**fumblefingers** · 08-22-2014, 12:23 AM

Benson used to be my fave. Probably still would be if he had continued to play as much guitar as he used to but then there is the singing success thing...

Anyway, I think that people make a bit too much of his picking. There are faster alternate players, economy players, and then there are the gypsy guys, a few of whom leave one practically speechless.

so i think that it's a testament to how masterfully and tastefully Benson plays that gets people obsessed with his technique (and of course that article by finger stylist Tuck A.)

Perhaps people should be evaluating a few other things in Benson's playing that really sets him apart???

**SuperFour00** · 08-22-2014, 02:12 AM

Originally Posted by fumblefingers

Perhaps people should be evaluating a few other things in Benson's playing that really sets him apart???

Like, every time I've seen him, he seemed to only use his little finger (left hand) for chords or octaves, not for single note lines. Do I need glasses?

Poll needs a "I'd rather pick like Pat Martino" choice.

**fumblefingers** · 08-22-2014, 08:57 AM

he doesn't seem to use it a lot unless he's really going to town...

**MarkRhodes** · 08-22-2014, 09:16 AM

Originally Posted by fumblefingers

Anyway, I think that people make a bit too much of his picking. There are faster alternate players, economy players, and then there are the gypsy guys, a few of whom leave one practically speechless.

I think the number one reason people gravitate toward Benson picking is that they have spent years picking the standard way and running into roadblocks. Obviously, some people pick the standard way and do just fine. God bless them all, every one. Yet many who pick the standard way have sketchy right hand technique and must compensate with slurs, hammers, and what not. (Nothing against slurs, hammers and what not, but a lot of guys who use the standard grip will tell you they wish their right hand technique was as good as their left hand technique.)

One of the things that really set George apart was his ability to play fast with a great in-the-pocket feel. That's not so easily done.

**MarkRhodes** · 08-22-2014, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by fumblefingers

he doesn't seem to use it a lot unless he's really going to town...

There's a thread about 3-finger playing and players. (Wes and Charlie Christian fit into that category, as does George Barnes.) This doesn't mean NEVER used the pinky but rather "um, not so much."

Some have argued that if you move around the neck in a certain way, then the pinky isn't needed the way it is if you play out of four-fret-grid positions. (And the great three-finger players knew how to get around the neck; they weren't 'up and down' players so much as 'along the neck' players.)

**djangoles** · 08-22-2014, 11:12 AM

**MarkRhodes** · 08-22-2014, 11:26 AM

Ha! "George Benson Way." Where is that?

Funny story. I have a good friend in southwest Louisiana. We met in 2000 and he told me his area just recently got a 911 system. This required that the streets have official names---and that everyone (-at least, responders to 911 calls) used the same names for the streets. He got his dad to get their street officially named "Blue Jay Way." And so it was. (For non-Beatles fans, that was a George Harrison tune from the "Magical Mystery Tour" album.)

**djangoles** · 08-22-2014, 11:47 AM

It's on the North Fork of Long Island.....been there for at least 20 years. It does come up on google maps, but I think it's a private road for some reason. Don't know anything else about it

**MarkRhodes** · 08-24-2014, 10:14 AM

Interesting results so far.

A solid quarter of us have no interest in Benson picking. Another 20 % either know nothing about it (which means they haven't tried it) or tried it but didn't like it. That's nearly half of us.

Just over 20% are curious but unsure whether to try it. Right at 19% love it while another 12% are working on it and seeing some progress.

I think that's a tremendous amount of interest for a way of picking that is pretty much opposite to what most beginners are taught. (Quick question: does anyone know of a guitar method book that advocates Benson picking?)

**mr. beaumont** · 08-24-2014, 11:18 AM

I wonder if there's still confusion over what Benson picking actually is...or if it's just me?

I mean, is it just angling the pick "backwards," or is it the whole nine yards--arm position, locked index, thin pick, etc...

For the record, I teach my beginners two ways to hold the pick--the "mel bay" and my way, angled back, but not really any of the other hallmarks of Benson picking.

I'd say 5 out of 6 go with my way...

**MarkRhodes** · 08-24-2014, 01:19 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

I wonder if there's still confusion over what Benson picking actually is...or if it's just me?
For the record, I teach my beginners two ways to hold the pick--the "mel bay" and my way, angled back, but not really any of the other hallmarks of Benson picking.

I'd say 5 out of 6 go with my way...

Hey, Jeff, I think it's great that you give beginning students an option. I'm fascinated that so many choose your way.

I wonder how many pro players---jazz, country, funk, bluegrass, blues, what have you---hold their pick the "Mel Bay" way. (No knock on Mel. I love the guy and owe him a lot. I've learned a lot from his books. But I don't hold my pick like that and am not at all sure it's the best way to have beginning students learn to hold one.) ]

I think a lot of players are like you----they're not doing it the "Mel Bay" way and they haven't gone, uh. "full Benson" either. They're clearly holding the pick in a non-standard way and using a good bit of angle which allows them to play faster. Maybe most of them haven't thought in years, decades even, about how they hold their pick but if you showed them a picture of the way they grip it and a picture from their first beginner guitar book, they would immediately see the difference.

Maybe we need a name (or a few names) for 'between Bay and Benson' picking. Not that I think everything must be named, but we talk a lot about picking in this joint and many members, just like you, are somewhere between The Basic Beginner Grip and the Benson grip. Heck, that may be where half the members of this place are. Who knows?)

**GuyBoden** · 08-24-2014, 04:33 PM

I wouldn't change my picking technique, but I love the Benson groove.

**Broyale** · 08-24-2014, 06:42 PM

Okay, what is Benson picking? Is it rest-picking?

**MarkRhodes** · 08-24-2014, 09:18 PM

Originally Posted by Broyale

Okay, what is Benson picking? Is it rest-picking?

O, man, what a can of worms! Start with the OP in Philco's thread on this. (24,000 views, still going strong, and get this, NO POLITICS!)

Benson Picking technique on Gibson L5 Wesmo

Philco's video (the OP) is first rate, and Mark Cally (setemupjoe) has a good one in there too. You'll find lots of clips of George playing, and also JC Stylles (-who teaches Benson picking and plays some groove-alicious jazz too). Lots and lots of stuff there. Enjoy!

**edh** · 08-25-2014, 07:00 PM

That thread, in itself, is a lesson on "Benson picking".

Lots of info.

**MarkRhodes** · 08-28-2014, 05:59 PM

This poll has now closed. Let the analysis begin...

**docbop** · 08-28-2014, 07:40 PM

I was talking to a Berklee instructor recently and they were saying it interest to see foreigns student come there picking normally, and within a year you see their wrist bent picking.

**MarkRhodes** · 08-28-2014, 09:01 PM

Originally Posted by docbop

I was talking to a Berklee instructor recently and they were saying it interest to see foreigns student come there picking normally, and within a year you see their wrist bent picking.

Interesting. Is that taught at Berkelee?

**ecj** · 08-28-2014, 09:23 PM

Originally Posted by MarkRhodes

Interesting. Is that taught at Berkelee?

I think it's Sheryl Bailey's fault.

I've also not run into too many jazz guitarists that haven't heard about or tried Benson picking anymore. It's changed a lot over the last 5 years, probably due to the internet discussions like Philco's threads. Before JC Stylle's tutorial, most of what I had learned about it came from message boards like this one, RMMJG (which I can't read anymore due to the unrelenting spam), The Gear Page, etc.

If other folks had similar experiences to me, where it was like a switch went off, it doesn't surprise me that a lot of people are changing over.

**docbop** · 08-28-2014, 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by MarkRhodes

Interesting. Is that taught at Berkelee?

I doubt from my music school experience stuff like that usually gets picked up from a student's private instructor, or just hanging with other guitarists.