Scott Henderson Discussion

[trap]

Hi Scott, I'm trying not to sound stupid asking this but here goes: Do you hold the pick with a strong grip and dig in or do you try to pick lightly in general? Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Scott Henderson]

That depends on the style of music I'm playing. if I'm playing blues, with a slightly distorted sound, straight into the amp or using a boost pedal, I pick hard for some phrases and soft for others, because blues is a very dynamic style of music. Part of the vibe of the blues comes from the mixing of soft and loud phrases.

If I'm playing jazz with a "horn-like" sound using high gain, I pick really soft because I play legato, meaning I don't pick very much. I use hammer-on's, pull-off's, and slides whenever possible instead of picked notes. By picking soft, it's impossible to hear which notes are picked and which one's aren't. This style of picking best simulates the sound of a horn.

[trap]

Thanks Scott! This section is a great idea.