Bluegrass Guitar Picking

Bluegrass is one of the most demanding music styles for guitarists. Not only is it fast, but it involves a ton of coordination and accuracy.

In this article, we will discuss the basics of bluegrass picking in order to get you off on the right foot.

The style of picking used in bluegrass is called “crosspicking.” Crosspicking is similar to flatpicking in that it uses the flat pick to pick groups of strings together, hence the name “crosspicking.”

Getting used to this style of picking is a challenge, especially for guitarists who are used to more common picking styles such as alternate picking, sweep picking, and economy picking. While it is difficult, it is nowhere near impossible.

The first thing that you should do is watch some bluegrass guitarists. This will allow you to pick up on differences in style. Study their technique, how the guitar pick is held (if they use one) and how they approach licks. You’ll tend to notice that bluegrass guitarists play notes as groups, achieving a sometimes chaotic sound.

Bluegrass guitar picking is well known for this sound. If you are a rock, blues, or metal guitarist, a good way to study bluegrass picking that can be used in your own type of music is to watch guitarist John 5 play.

While he is known most specifically for his work with Marilyn Manson and, currently, as being the guitarist for Rob Zombie, he is also a phenomenal bluegrass player who has a few solo albums under his belt. He tends to use a hybrid of rock guitar and bluegrass which makes for a unique and interesting sound.

Once you’ve watched some bluegrass guitarists, you will have a better understanding of what crosspicking is. You may find it difficult to play multiple strings at once in the beginning, as most guitarists learn to separate chords from licks and leads. Bluegrass will be the one style to break this rule for you.

Start out by flat picking across three strings, as this is the most common number of notes used at once in bluegrass. Allow yourself to get used to the feel of picking across the amount of strings, then try adding a fretted note into the mix. If you are using the G, B, and high E strings for your crosspicking, try playing the second fret of the G string, the note A, and then slide it up to the fourth fret, the note B.

Try playing your basic major and minor scales using cross picking. With the bass strings (low E, A, and D), use the two strings beneath the sounding note as your crosspicking strings. For the treble strings (G, B, and high E), use the two strings above the sounding note as your crosspicking strings.

The best way to better your skills and develop your bluegrass picking technique is to practice. Designate a portion of each practice section to working on your crosspicking technique. The more comfortable you become, the more patterns you can incorporate into your crosspicking repertoire. Remember to use a metronome while practicing. Have fun, and good luck!

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