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Rest Stroke picking - Patreon bonus lesson! (Patreon)

Published:
2024-02-14 12:00:07
Edited:
2025-01-13 12:03:13
Imported:
2026-08
Tags:

Content

A technical breakdown of the all important "rest stroke" technique as used by myself, and many jazz, gypsy and bluegrass pickers. A technique that originated from acoustic pickers who wanted more tone and projection from their notes in the days before amplification!

I often mention this technique in my videos and get quite a few questions about it so I thought it would be good to do a dedicated video on it.

I hope it sheds a little light on the subject! Do let me know in the comments if you have any questions at all.

P.S; Happy Valentines to you all!

Files

Rest stroke lesson

Comments

James Gaudette

Awesome! I do the same hybrid picking between rest and modern picking styles. 🎸🎵

Michael Lumert

Perfect timing Alex! I’ve been working on my picking over the past week or so, trying to get some kinks out, and this is just what I needed. Very, very much appreciated! I’ve noticed you have quite good picking technique, able to tackle just about anything, and was hoping you’d do a picking lesson soon. Thanks again!

Steve Mayle

Great lesson, thanks. Also valuable for someone like me who plays mainly fingerstyle on nylon strings. Staying in the pocket can be a struggle for solo playing so any tips on that subject are welcome. This reminds me of some flamenco lessons I've had, where the techniques very much depend on rest strokes, "picado". Now I've learned the chords for The Girl from Ipanema I'll try playing the melody fingerstyle with rest strokes - seems ideal for that. PS: Lost your hat, mate?

Thomas Graham

Thanks Alex great video on picking, just to clarify I need to keep my strumming hand off the guitar top because it destroys my timing. I've always had a question about that but see many good guitar players with their hand resting on the top for stability. I'll change my approach if it will sound better.

Alex Farran Guitar

Glad you enjoyed it Thomas. I would certainly recommend trying not to rest the fingers on the top of the guitar.. at least not if you're trying to play any of this kind of music I'm teaching here. The only time I would ever do it would possibly be on finger style pieces now and then.. but again, I'd preferably not do it. Out of interest, which good players have you seen who do it? I can't think of any! (not in the world of jazz, swing or country at least)

Alex Farran Guitar

Thanks Michael, glad you found it useful. I'm proud of my picking technique for sure. I think it's super important for good solid tone.

Alex Farran Guitar

Nice! Glad to hear its useful Steve. Haha yes, first thing in the morning so hatless for a change.. have to go off-brand now and then :D

Alex Farran Guitar

nice one James! Good to know there are others who feel the same way!

Thomas Graham

Thanks Alex I thought you might ask who Ha Ha I'll have to research that question, but doesn't matter to me. I trust your teaching and will take my fingers off the guitar. Thanks again

Alex Farran Guitar

haha no worries Thomas, just genuinely intrigued. I know Tommy Emmanuel does quite often, but that style of picking, and using a thumb pick is a whole nutha kettle of fish altogether. Thanks for the question buddy :)

George Nichols

Ive been picking on my wife lately she is glad i took a rest.

Alex Farran Guitar

It’s a John Le Voi selmer type of guitar. Handmade in a town very near me (Lincolnshire)

Jerome Oks

classical music players

Jerome Oks

Alex, Are you familiar with the recordings Django Reinhardt did in the 50's playing an Electric Guitar. They are great, I think. I find myself listening to those these days rather than his classic recordings.

Jerome Oks

The album I have his called Brussels (1947) & Paris (1951-53). He plays with a Jazz Band. I know the Django purists have a different opinion than mine, so what!;)

Julian Gross

I just saw a lesson from bluegrass master Tyler Grant, who rests the pinky on the guitar top. I think he said it gives him location stability for the very fast picking runs

Julian Gross

Classical guitarists use the rest stroke a lot too, with the nail of course. One of the classical books I have says that one of the reasons the tone is so much fuller is bc rest stroke sets the string vibrating perpendicular to the soundboard, which apparently gives your more soundboard vibration than you get with the same force when the string vibration is parallel to the soundboard

Julian Gross

I found this helpful bc it makes you think of really pressing the string directly down toward the soundboard on the rest stroke, as much as possible anyway, for real punch

Julian Gross

Feels very weird to me tho and def like it would inhibit the right hand rhythm, as you say Alex

Paul Scafidi

Thank you Alex. Your ability to verbally articulate concepts is exceeded only by your talent for articulating them on the instrument.

Paul Scafidi

Merle Travis, Scotty Moore I think, Tommy Emmanuel preaches it. I’m with you though. I’ve tried it. I don’t like confining myself. I feel better staying loose and using all my available appendages, without removing my shoes and pants of course. I sometimes lightly rest my pinky on the high E though.

Alex Farran Guitar

Haha yeah I know about those guys too, but their playing style couldn’t really be any more different to what I’m doing here with the flat picking stuff. Like I said above, sure if we’re doing thumb pick Travis picking I can understand it (still preferably keep things floating though).. but for the ability to really strum and use rest strokes ala jazz, bluegrass and country flat pickers.. it’s really not smart. 😂

Gert De Groof

Great insight lesson Alex! I’ve been wanting to dip my fingers in gipsy guitar for a good amount of years now but never really been able to dedicate enough time to it. Also wondering wether a Selmer style guitar for a reasonable price (Gitane/Cigano) would be worth the investment. I know what you’ll say, you can learn on any guitar, which is probably true, but I do tend to find it hard on my classical guitar, cause of the larger nut-width I assume (never played a GJ style guitar). I do believe that the fluidity you accomplish on the guitar might be due to your study of this style, and like you I hope that someday I can merge all these influences in my own playing, so thanks again for helping me on the way! Take care

Alex Farran Guitar

Thank you Gert, glad you found this useful! Ah yes, I think your case certainly falls into the exception to my rule of not letting the gear get in the way of learning.. with the wider spacing, playing fluid and fast gypsy jazz lines will be pretty laborious. I used to own a nice Gitane DG255 (I think that's what it was called!?).. and it was a lovely guitar for the bargain price of £500.. not sure if they cost more nowadays. I've also played Altamira guitars which I believe are better than the Gitanes so do check them out too. I agree that learning gypsy jazz will sharpen your fluidity and technique in every possible way. It's such an unforgiving, raw style.. there really is nowhere to hide.

Alex Farran Guitar

I love all of the Django eras equal measure. I guess I have a slight preference to the middle years, the 1940's where he was progressing his vocabulary so quickly into more abstract and bebop ideas. Very interesting!

Alex Farran Guitar

Of course! I love those too.. all of his output from the 30's to the 50's is held in equal esteem by me. I love it all!

Gert De Groof

Great…there’s a Gitane DG255 on reverb for 790€, shipping and hardcase included…mmm. Also a Cigano GJ-10 for 700€ but though I like the open pore finish, probably a lesser instrument…the thing is…I’m currently getting a serious workout allready, trying to keep up with your lessons, maybe I should stick to that for now 🤔

Jerome Oks

If Django had lived longer, he would have been playing a 52 Telecaster. Word!

Gert De Groof

Revisiting this lesson after that gipsy run occurring again in the Tom Waits lesson and the reststroke in the ‘Indifference’ lead. I like this ‘tuned down’ format and would love to see a similar insight on exactly HOW you go about on practicing (triads, arpeggios, 3’s, 6ths, scales,…). You might say that is something for the one on one private lessons, and I would totally understand that. Nevertheless I think it might be a great help, for me and probably others. I do practice a lot more since I became a Patreon, but still struggle with organizing and finetuning my exercises…anyway, thanks for everything.

Alex Farran Guitar

Thanks for the suggestions Gert, definitely will be doing many more "fundamentals" videos, but yes, by the time I've covered the correct ways to format and practice the arpeggios, scales etc the lesson would be 4 hours long! haha. Definitely something that's easier to get across in private lessons (as I'm sure all of my one on one students will testify).. but I shall do my best!

Gert De Groof

I understand Alex, I already like the ‘building blocks’ you’re adding in recent lessons, though they rather cover the ‘what’ instead of the ‘how’ to practice. I know I should be planning a private lesson, even if it was just to have a chat with you 😀. The thing is, you just put out so much value for money, I have a hard time convincing myself to spend the extra cash. I’m not even sure about exactly what I’m asking for, I just notice that my practice goes all over the place without having any direction so a few tips and tricks on how you practice would be nice 😉. Anyway, I’m still loving everything coming my way! Take care.