Crosspicking
Encyclopedia
Crosspicking is a technique for playing the mandolin or guitar using a plectrum
or flatpick in a rolling, syncopated
style across three strings. This style is probably best known as one element of the flatpicking
style in bluegrass music
, and it closely resembles a banjo
roll, the main difference being that the banjo roll is fingerpicked rather than flatpicked.
A typical element of the technique is the use of three pitches played repeatedly within a four-pulse rhythm. This results in a continual shifting of the pitches vis-a-vis the accented pulse. The three pitches are usually played on three adjacent strings—one per string. The pick direction can vary, depending on the required emphasis and the melody.
Mandolin player Jesse McReynolds
used a crosspicking roll of down - up - up / down - up - up... creating a repeating pattern of notes that expresses the melody. Guitarist George Shuffler
used a pick pattern of down - down - up / down - down- up / down - up.
The traditional banjo roll form is down - down - up / down - down - up / down - down - up . . . ; this helps to accentuate the "threes" nature of the pattern against the "four" rhythm.
The other way is using strict alternate picking: down - up - down / up - down - up / down - up - down . . . . This may be more comfortable for players who are using alternate picking for most of their playing. In actuality, one (or more) of the three pitches may be varied from one repetition of the pattern to the next, for instance the top note could be toggled up and down one step.
. McReynolds influenced later mandolin players such as Sam Bush
.
introduced crosspicking to the acoustic guitar; Shuffler developed the technique as a "fill" for back-up and leads while playing with the Stanley Brothers. Among the most well-known crosspickers are Doc Watson
and Clarence White
, whose styles influenced other guitarists, including Tony Rice
.
Among rock guitarists, King Crimson Robert Fripp has made cross-picking a signature technique. Fripp teaches the technique to his students in Guitar Craft.
Plectrum
A plectrum is a small flat tool used to pluck or strum a stringed instrument. For hand-held instruments such as guitars and mandolins, the plectrum is often called a pick, and is a separate tool held in the player's hand...
or flatpick in a rolling, syncopated
Syncopation
In music, syncopation includes a variety of rhythms which are in some way unexpected in that they deviate from the strict succession of regularly spaced strong and weak but also powerful beats in a meter . These include a stress on a normally unstressed beat or a rest where one would normally be...
style across three strings. This style is probably best known as one element of the flatpicking
Flatpicking
Flatpicking is a technique for playing a guitar using a guitar pick held between two or three fingers to strike the strings...
style in bluegrass music
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
, and it closely resembles a banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
roll, the main difference being that the banjo roll is fingerpicked rather than flatpicked.
A typical element of the technique is the use of three pitches played repeatedly within a four-pulse rhythm. This results in a continual shifting of the pitches vis-a-vis the accented pulse. The three pitches are usually played on three adjacent strings—one per string. The pick direction can vary, depending on the required emphasis and the melody.
Mandolin player Jesse McReynolds
Jesse McReynolds
Jesse Lester McReynolds is an American bluegrass musician. He is known for his innovative crosspicking and split-string styles of mandolin playing, and is a forty two year member of the Grand Ole Opry...
used a crosspicking roll of down - up - up / down - up - up... creating a repeating pattern of notes that expresses the melody. Guitarist George Shuffler
George Shuffler
George Shuffler is an innovative bluegrass guitar player and an early practitioner of the crosspicking style. During his career Shuffler played with The Bailey Brothers, The Stanley Brothers and Ralph Stanley's Clinch Mountain Boys...
used a pick pattern of down - down - up / down - down- up / down - up.
The traditional banjo roll form is down - down - up / down - down - up / down - down - up . . . ; this helps to accentuate the "threes" nature of the pattern against the "four" rhythm.
The other way is using strict alternate picking: down - up - down / up - down - up / down - up - down . . . . This may be more comfortable for players who are using alternate picking for most of their playing. In actuality, one (or more) of the three pitches may be varied from one repetition of the pattern to the next, for instance the top note could be toggled up and down one step.
Mandolin
McReynolds was the earliest exponent of the crosspicking bluegrass style on the mandolin. He developed his crosspicking style with his brother in the band Jim & JesseJim & Jesse
Jim & Jesse were an American bluegrass music duo composed of brothers Jim McReynolds and Jesse McReynolds...
. McReynolds influenced later mandolin players such as Sam Bush
Sam Bush
Sam Bush is an American bluegrass mandolin player considered an originator of the Newgrass style.- History :...
.
Guitar
George ShufflerGeorge Shuffler
George Shuffler is an innovative bluegrass guitar player and an early practitioner of the crosspicking style. During his career Shuffler played with The Bailey Brothers, The Stanley Brothers and Ralph Stanley's Clinch Mountain Boys...
introduced crosspicking to the acoustic guitar; Shuffler developed the technique as a "fill" for back-up and leads while playing with the Stanley Brothers. Among the most well-known crosspickers are Doc Watson
Doc Watson
Arthel Lane "Doc" Watson is an American guitar player, songwriter and singer of bluegrass, folk, country, blues and gospel music. He has won seven Grammy awards as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Watson's flatpicking skills and knowledge of traditional American music are highly regarded...
and Clarence White
Clarence White
Clarence White was a guitar player for Nashville West, The Byrds, Muleskinner, and the Kentucky Colonels. His parents were Acadians from New Brunswick, Canada...
, whose styles influenced other guitarists, including Tony Rice
Tony Rice
Tony Rice is an American acoustic guitarist and bluegrass musician. He is considered one of the most influential acoustic guitar players in bluegrass, progressive bluegrass, newgrass and acoustic jazz.Rice spans the range of acoustic music, from traditional bluegrass to jazz-influenced New...
.
Among rock guitarists, King Crimson Robert Fripp has made cross-picking a signature technique. Fripp teaches the technique to his students in Guitar Craft.
See also
- Fingerstyle guitarFingerstyle guitarFingerstyle guitar is the technique of playing the guitar by plucking the strings directly with the fingertips, fingernails, or picks attached to fingers, as opposed to flatpicking ....
- FlatpickingFlatpickingFlatpicking is a technique for playing a guitar using a guitar pick held between two or three fingers to strike the strings...
- Guitar pickingGuitar pickingGuitar picking is a collection of techniques for setting a string into motion to produce an audible note; that is, plucking or strumming the strings on a guitar. Picking can be done:-* With a plectrum held in the hand...
- Hybrid pickingHybrid pickingHybrid picking is a guitar-playing technique that involves picking with a pick and one or more fingers alternately or simultaneously. Hybrid picking allows guitar players who use a pick to perform music which would normally require fingerstyle playing. It also facilitates wide string leaps Hybrid...
- Scruggs styleScruggs styleScruggs style is the most common style of playing the banjo in bluegrass music. It is a fingerpicking method, also known as three-finger style. It is named after Earl Scruggs, whose innovative approach and technical mastery of the instrument has influenced generations of bluegrass banjoists ever...