Nick Jennison - Picking Strategies

Unlock the full potential of your picking hand with “Nick Jennison - Picking Strategies,” an essential online guitar course from LickLibrary.com. If you’re ready to elevate your playing from intermediate to advanced, this comprehensive guide, led by world-renowned guitarist and educator Nick Jennison, provides the tools and techniques to achieve flawless picking precision. This course is designed for guitarists who want to master a variety of picking styles, improve their speed and accuracy, and develop the fluid, expressive playing that defines professional musicians. Whether you’re looking to refine your alternate picking, explore the efficiencies of economy picking, or add the versatility of hybrid picking to your arsenal, this guitar tutorial offers a structured path to success.
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Nick Jennison Tutor, Professional Guitarist
Image of tutor: Nick Jennison

Lessons Included in this Course

1 Core Concepts and Terminology
2 Physical Technique
3 The Six Picking Strategies
4 Discovering Your Preferred Picking Strategy
5 Solo Study Introduction
6 Solo Study - Single Escape Picking
7 Solo Study - Asymmetrical Economy Picking
8 Two Way Economy Picking
9 Solo Study - Double Escape Alternate Picking

Course Content Overview

This in-depth course provides a complete curriculum for mastering advanced picking techniques. You will learn:

  • Core Picking Fundamentals: Establish a solid foundation with detailed instruction on proper hand position, pick grip, and motion mechanics for optimal tone and efficiency.
  • Alternate Picking Mastery: Develop the precision and stamina required for fast, clean, and articulate alternate picking across single and multiple strings.
  • Economy and Sweep Picking Techniques: Learn to seamlessly integrate economy and sweep picking to play arpeggios and scale runs with incredible speed and fluidity.
  • Hybrid Picking Versatility: Discover the creative possibilities of hybrid picking, combining a pick and fingers to play intricate passages and add new textures to your playing.
  • The Six Essential Picking Strategies: Dive deep into Nick Jennison’s six key picking strategies, including single escape, two-way economy, and double escape alternate picking.
  • Musical Application and Phrasing: Go beyond mechanical exercises and learn how to apply these techniques in a musical context, with a focus on phrasing, dynamics, and feel.
  • Solo Studies and Performance Context: Apply your new skills to real-world solo studies that demonstrate how to integrate these picking strategies into your own improvisations and compositions.


This Course is Ideal for Players Who...

This course is ideal for intermediate to advanced guitar players who are serious about taking their technical skills to the next level. If you find yourself hitting a plateau in your picking speed or accuracy, or if you want to expand your vocabulary beyond basic picking techniques, this course is for you. It is also perfect for guitarists who want to learn from a world-class professional and gain insights into the practice methods and mindset required for high-level playing. Whether you play rock, metal, blues, or jazz, the principles and techniques taught in this course will enhance your playing across any genre.

What will I achieve from completing this course?

“Nick Jennison - Picking Strategies” is more than just a collection of exercises; it’s a structured, step-by-step system for developing world-class picking technique. The course is effective because it is taught by Nick Jennison, a highly respected guitarist and educator known for his clear, concise, and practical teaching style. The curriculum is logically structured, building from fundamental concepts to advanced applications, ensuring that you develop a deep understanding of each technique. With high-quality video lessons, detailed explanations, and practical solo studies, this LickLibrary.com course provides an immersive learning experience that will transform your guitar playing.

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Nick Jennison - Picking Strategies by Nick Jennison

Explore the intricacies of guitar picking with Nick Jennison's comprehensive course, "Nick Jennison - Picking Strategies." This series of guitar lessons delves deep into essential picking techniques, guiding you through every step to enhance your playing skills. From understanding core concepts to mastering advanced picking strategies, this course offers a thorough education designed to elevate your guitar prowess.

Core Concepts and Terminology

Before diving into the practical techniques, Nick Jennison lays the groundwork with an in-depth exploration of core concepts and terminology. Understanding these basics is crucial as they form the foundation for all advanced techniques. Topics such as alternate picking, sweep picking, and hybrid picking are explained in detail, ensuring you have a solid theoretical background to build upon.

Physical Technique

Physical technique is a critical component of effective guitar playing. In this section, Nick focuses on developing your dexterity, hand strength, and precision. Exercises and drills are provided to enhance your picking accuracy and speed, preparing you for the more advanced strategies covered later in the course.

The Six Picking Strategies

Nick Jennison introduces six unique picking strategies designed to tackle various musical challenges. These strategies offer a versatile toolkit for any guitarist looking to expand their technical repertoire. Each strategy is broken down with clear explanations and practical demonstrations.

  1. Single Escape Picking: Focuses on minimising pick motion for speed and efficiency.
  2. Asymmetrical Economy Picking: Combines alternate picking with sweep picking for fluidity.
  3. Two Way Economy Picking: Merges economy picking with direction changes for complex passages.
  4. Double Escape Alternate Picking: Emphasises clean alternate picking across strings.
  5. Hybrid Picking: Integrates fingerpicking with traditional plectrum techniques.
  6. Sweep Picking: Utilises sweeping motions to play arpeggios smoothly.

Discovering Your Preferred Picking Strategy

Nick helps you discover which picking strategy best suits your playing style and musical goals. Through guided exercises and reflective practice, you'll identify your strengths and preferences, allowing you to focus your efforts on the most effective techniques for you.

Solo Study Introduction

In the Solo Study Introduction, Nick Jennison provides an overview of how to apply the picking strategies in a musical context. This section prepares you for the subsequent detailed solo studies by setting clear learning objectives and demonstrating how each picking strategy can be integrated into solo performances.

Solo Study - Single Escape Picking

This solo study focuses on the Single Escape Picking technique. Nick demonstrates how this strategy can be used to achieve rapid, precise picking in solo passages. The study includes practical exercises and a solo piece designed to reinforce the concepts taught.

Benefits

  • Enhances picking speed and efficiency.
  • Reduces unnecessary hand movements.
  • Improves accuracy in fast passages.

Solo Study - Asymmetrical Economy Picking

The Asymmetrical Economy Picking study explores how to combine alternate and sweep picking for a smoother, more fluid sound. Nick breaks down complex phrases and demonstrates how to seamlessly integrate this technique into your playing.

Benefits

  • Achieves fluid, legato-like phrases.
  • Combines speed with musicality.
  • Enhances ability to navigate string changes effortlessly.

Solo Study - Two Way Economy Picking

In this study, Nick teaches the Two Way Economy Picking technique, which combines economy picking with directional changes. This method is particularly useful for playing complex, multi-string passages with ease.

Benefits

  • Efficiently handles complex string transitions.
  • Reduces picking hand fatigue.
  • Improves overall picking fluidity.

Solo Study - Double Escape Alternate Picking

Double Escape Alternate Picking emphasises clean and precise alternate picking across multiple strings. Nick provides exercises to develop this technique, followed by a solo study that integrates it into a musical context.

Benefits

  • Ensures clean string transitions.
  • Enhances control and precision.
  • Ideal for fast, intricate passages.

The Importance of Performance Context

Seeing techniques applied in a performance context is crucial for understanding their practical utility. Nick Jennison includes performances throughout the lessons to demonstrate how each picking strategy can be used in real musical scenarios. These performances offer valuable insights into timing, expression, and how to seamlessly integrate techniques into your playing.

Guitar Techniques Used in This Course

Embark on your journey to mastering guitar picking with Nick Jennison's expertly crafted lessons. Whether you're a beginner looking to develop a strong foundation or an advanced player seeking to refine your technique, "Nick Jennison - Picking Strategies" offers the guidance and inspiration you need.

Nick Jennison playing the guitar.

About The Tutor

Tutor Profile

Nick Jennison

I’m Nick Jennison, a guitarist, vocalist, producer and educator from the North East of England. It’s pretty cold up here, which seems like the perfect excuse to stay inside and make a bunch of great guitar-related videos for your viewing pleasure. I’ll be covering topics from technique, tone and musicality,...

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