Right hand helped left hand...

[omegadot]

Well I was playing with a friend that now mostly plays "djent" and he was telling me to alternate pick by moving my thumb and finger rather than with my wrist like I had been. It caused me to soften up my grip considerably with both hands and my attack sounded a lot better to my ears. It was a pretty cool discovery.

[bcdon]

Can you pick at the same speed with this technique? And won't you loose a little power? Are you keeping your wrist completely still? I'll have to give this a try but it sounds very different to visualize.

[deeaa]

Huh? How do you pick lead passages without moving the thumb and forefinger mostly? I wouldn't even think it possible with moving just the wrist? Can't even get false harmonics etc. Methinks, unless u constantly move the fingers and alternate pick to strings angle and how much and which part of skin touches the strings besides the pick? I mean, if you song change the pick angle all the time the notes will sound very similar every time, don't they?

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[bcdon]

Huh? How do you pick lead passages without moving the thumb and forefinger mostly? I wouldn't even think it possible with moving just the wrist? Can't even get false harmonics etc. Methinks, unless u constantly move the fingers and alternate pick to strings angle and how much and which part of skin touches the strings besides the pick? I mean, if you song change the pick angle all the time the notes will sound very similar every time, don't they?

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Sure, of course. I though he was talking about chugging without moving the wrist at all.. hence my question about power.

[omegadot]

I've typically not moved my thumb/forefinger at all. Ever. I've done everything with my wrist for lead lines(which I'm not saying was a good thing). As far as when I hit chords I typically just move my wrist and have my forearm fairly planted on the guitar. I've typically had an issue with being a bit too rough. Changing it up I got quite a bit faster and my attack sounded a lot better. I'm not sure if this is particularly good form in the long run but I did notice improvement in that I tensed up a lot less.

[bcdon]

Hey, whatever works for you, well, works for you! Thanks for the heads up, there are some many of these things you get into the habit of doing and never look back. I'm still not sure if I hold my pick the 'right' way but it's working for me so far. ;-)

[Eric]

I've typically not moved my thumb/forefinger at all. Ever. I've done everything with my wrist for lead lines(which I'm not saying was a good thing). As far as when I hit chords I typically just move my wrist and have my forearm fairly planted on the guitar. I've typically had an issue with being a bit too rough. Changing it up I got quite a bit faster and my attack sounded a lot better. I'm not sure if this is particularly good form in the long run but I did notice improvement in that I tensed up a lot less.
Yeah now that I think about it and 'air pick' with the motion you describe, I can understand how that would be a bit stiff and tense. Hopefully the change helps.