Alright I've been alternate picking for probably about 3 weeks now and when I first started out I was getting pains in my elbow. Later I read up on these forums about others having that problem and that it meant they we're still picking with their arm and not their wrist.

So, now I'm having more pains except this time its not in my elbow but at the bottom of my thumb. I would assume this is NORMAL? Or not, I'm just scared about doing any damage to myself because I'm picking the wrong way.

I guess I figured that this seemed more normal because its in my hand and that it actually meant that I was picking with my wrist now. I'm also gonna start using some of the 1.0mm and 1.14mm tortex picks as I think that might help me get more oommf on the strings so it doesn't hurt my hand as much. This true?

Just want some input from you guys, thanks!

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A pain in your thumb? It could be something as simple as holding the pick too firmly. You don't want it to fall out of your hand, but you might need to ease up a little. I've noticed that with some guitarists who haven't been alternate picking for long, they end up straining to get the speed of it and in the process put more pressure than normal on the strings and/or pick. That'll go away with practice (if that's the problem).

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yeah like mortpayne said, your probably just holding the pick too hard, you'll eventually get the hang of it with practice. Also going to heavier picks will help too because you wont have to put as much pressure on the strings when your picking but just remember practice practice practice

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always focus on being relaxed while playing. when you tense up too much to go faster, you won't be able to go too fast. your muscles move more quickly when relaxed. so practice while relaxed.. get used to it. you won't feel pains, either.

if you're still unsure of your picking technique, then play infront of a mirror for a bit. watch a video of your favorite shredder (i prefer petrucci.. he's just such a damn perfectionist that copying his techniques can't go wrong) and see if your technique looks at all like it. this will show you if you're moving your pick too much, not picking with your wrist, etc.

I went through all the pains.. first elbow, then shoulder, then wrist. After about a week each pain went away and havent had them since. It improved my playing a lot.. so.. dont fret!

Rest your palm on the bridge and concentrate picking with as little movement from your arm as you can. Relax when picking don't grip the pick to hard so it starts hurting. Also stretch fingers and warm up for 10mins before picking up guitar. I used to get pains in the webbing between my thumb and first finger then a saw John Petrucci's Rock Disipline and he had good warm up techniques which i use all the time now. Maybe one of those gripmasters to strengthen finger muscles, or a tennis ball would do the same.

I dont think there is a right way just do it as comes natural and practice will take the pains away

if just doing what came naturally was the best thing, everybody would be a virtuoso.

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if you pains in your thumb its because youre holding the pick too hard. when you pick you should try and make sure that youre fingers arent flexed. just enough to hold the pick without it falling.

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I consider myself to hav good technique, I havent had a single alternate picking problem until now, im learning DragonForces Fury of the Storm. I get fatigued about half way through it, and i can keep it going, but im wondering it this is a fixable problem through technique, or if i just need to build a little bit more stamina in my arm. it hurts in my forearm, so i know this is either just fatigue, or i could be tensing up, but i dont feel tense, and have never had that problem.

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it sounds like your technique is probably good if you haven't had problems aside from playing fast through an entire song. sounds like stamina. just stop yourself while playing it and think about what parts of your body are tense. sounds like you've done that, but some people get so used to playing tensed up that they think it's natural, when it's not. be *really* relaxed.

i'm betting that your problem is just stamina, though. which arm is giving you a problem? if it's your fretboard arm, do legato exercises more. if it's your right arm, try "burning out" your muscles after each practice session. trem pick as fast as you can for as long as you can. don't hurt yourself.. stop when it starts to hurt! but this will build up your stamina. eventually you'll be able to trem pick constantly at top speed for a nearly indefinite amount of time.

edit: also check out frank gambale's "chops builder" video. it's basically an aerobics-type video for guitar players.. about an hour-long workout to build stamina. do that regularly and you'll outlast anybody

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Hey, thanks alot man, you just confirmed what i was thinking!

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There's no right way to pick. Some ways are more efficient than others, but some are more comfortable for some people than others. Just find a spot/method/guitar height/position where you're most comfortable and practice all the time on it as you'll never get tired. Then just keep busting your ass and practice a lot with the same position, unless you find better ways to play.

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+1 for petrucci's warmup scretches and massages. I still haven't even watched that video past the right hand warm-up. I can't get that riff for nothing. can someone please post it.

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