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I would play with your pick angle relative to the strings. Too close to parallel and you get jammed up, too close to perpendicular and you get no tone.

As answers come in I'm more confused. My assumption was learning the 4 basic patterns only helps me learn a major scale. There are 4 (slightly) different patterns for minor and for any other scale...

I really hate artistworks.

Mike Marshall is great. I'm sure all their instructors are great. The software is slow and clunky. If there is ever an issue it will break in their favor. I signed...

When I grew up I tried playing guitar 10 different times. There was always a guitar lying around and it was always right-handed. Invariably, after a month or so of not making progress, I would...

Chopping on the 2 and 4 is the most important part of mandolin rhythm playing (in bluegrass). In a full jam circle, that's probably all there is room for. With less instruments there is more space....

I've been working on understanding when and how to use double-stops and I'm a little confused. There seem to be two main kinds of double-stops I see employed.

1 - part of the chord - various...

I use the 4-finger D shape when there is a quick GDG change as well. I just don't bother using 4-fingers (specifically the index). I still gain the economy of motion without sliding and with less...

There are 3 7th shapes that I use all based off the 3 major chord shapes (example key of D):

2|4|5|x -> 5|4|5|x
7|7|9|x -> 5|7|9|x
11|12|12|x -> 11|10|12|x

If you want to sound more "guitarish" I would favor chord shapes with either the root or the 5th in the bass. For the key of A (as an example) ->

2|2|4x (root in bass) and 9|11|12x (5th in bass)...

I favor chord shapes that omit the e-string. This is especially true for chopping, where the e-string makes the chop shape more grating (to my ears). The 4-finger D shape doesn't add anything imo,...

The advice that hasn't been said is to make exercises out of trouble spots. If you struggle with a certain passage in a song or tune, figure out where the problem measure or two are and turn that...

This is basically how I pick -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awFeDMNiKX4 except on mandolin. Strumming using a floating position with the wrist slightly cocked and touching down with the heel of...

First, I don't think playing with rhythm is outside of anyone's ability to learn. It just takes time and practice. Even people with good rhythm will struggle to translate it to a new instrument.
...

Start with a loose fist that is as relaxed as possible. Insert pick between thumb and index finger with a knuckle supporting the pick. Chris Thile explains in well. ...

Everyone goes through this. I don't think the solution is special equipment. The most common reason for this is gripping too tightly (I know - counterintuitive). Try to relax your grip (if you are...

You can right-click and download all the audio tracks from the link the author posted above.

I find it helpful to study the I-IV-V chord patterns using three different three-string voicings (muting the E-string in all cases).

Using the key of A as an example:

The first I-IV-V on the...

I came across Jethro Burns' book and it was an eye opener for me to see that there were only 3 shapes you needed to play 3 voicings over every major chord.

My advice would be to learn only 3 major...

https://issuu.com/rabberson/docs/tc_excerpt_3 . Page 6-7 if you can make it out.

I'd highly recommend reading "The Talent Code". It turns out that child prodigies are just kids who practiced a lot more than normal. Mozart practiced so much that he deformed his hands...

Don Julin has a video about using two-finger chop chords. Go to the 2 minute mark: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUCHfqMXGCo

I can't play pointy picks because I can't tremolo well with them. I find a rounded corner and a stiff, thick pick really help. I know there are plenty of classical players who have no problem with...

I prefer to organize chords by logical groupings and then practice those groupings. Here is an example:168942168943

My Kentucky keeps sounding better and better as I improve. When it becomes the limiting factor in improving my tone, I'll upgrade:)

A few years back my wife and I fell on hard times. We had just sunk a bunch of money into her Master's program and I lost a high-paying job overnight, with no chance of getting it back. I went from...