Ep. 24: Ditch the Pick! Guitar Technique and Insights!

Ditch the Pick! Andrew walks through insights gained over many years of playing the guitar and making music. He discusses the fingers as natural extensions (modified with acrylics)  and the use of a “plectrum” (pick) as well as how a person’s playing, techniques and style change over time. He shares how one gains experience from “adapting around injuries”, with sometimes customizing instruments (often even shaving a Les Paul neck or any instrument) to get the feel right for you. Andrew has suffered loss of use of BOTH arms and hands, one from an accident and another from a physician's error! He worked like CRAZY to “rehabilitate” them back into top playing form… and he plays BETTER NOW, after the injuries, by developing a higher consciousness of his body and his instruments. The theme: there’s no rule book—style emerges from your body, history of playing, and relationship with each guitar. Let your technique, instrument choices, and touch evolve—because no two notes (or players) are alike!Chapter Markers(00:00) Intro(02:10) Ditch the Pick — Nails as “natural extensions,” new possibilities(03:07) Adapt & Overcome — Injuries → rehab → evolving technique(03:47) Tools & Tradeoffs — Two fingers, plunkiness, pinches, flesh–string mix(05:29) Evolving Your Own Way — Style from body/history/feel(06:34) No Rule Book — No two people (or notes) are alike(08:40) “No Bad Notes” — Choose instruments that fit; customize necks(09:28) Instruments as Friends — Bonding with specific guitars(10:03) After the Fires — Treasuring instruments post-loss(12:01) Let It Flow — Play what emerges; “beyond command”(13:12) Close — Thanks and sign-offSong: Twisted World - andrew reed & the liberationAlbum: As a Bird of the Air… (Trilogy I Album 1)Social Media Linkswww.mvi.lifeOfficial Website: www.AndrewReedMusic.comFacebook: @andrewreedandtheliberation X: @AndrewReedMusic Instagram: @AndrewReedMusic Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2Lx7DnbB5qyt7uwV8yeHwEYoutube Channel: @andrewreedtheliberationMVI Phone #: (828) 698-5885Click here to view the episode transcript. Watch out for the next message, every two weeks on Fridays @ 7:01am (EST)!“You evolve your own way. There’s no rule book… about how to make music or how to play an instrument.”