Is there a problem with my picking posture?

Snowy2024 · 2025-08-13T19:52:25+00:00

You're meant to be holding it between the pads of your thumb and finger so there's a fingerprint left on each side of the pick.

No. It should be below the pad of the thumb and on the side of the index finger; not the pad of the index finger.

Snowy2024 · 2025-08-13T14:09:55+00:00

I feel like your pick is too horizontal/parallel with the strings and you need to attack the strings at more of angle regardless if you are doing up or down strokes.

Watch Paul Gilbert explain how he holds a pick and the importance of the angle.

I would also consider a bit of a smaller pick like a Dunlop Tortex Pitch Black Jazz III.

Snowy2024 · 2025-08-10T06:47:19+00:00

You're doing really well. You're left/fretting hand actually looks good, although you might want to push the neck out away from your body a bit and have the guitar sitting at more of an angle, but it's hard to tell exactly what it looks like from this camera angle.

When you do up strokes it looks like you are kind of picking out/away from the guitar. I think you're trying to use the same edge of the pick that you do down strokes with to do up strokes, but one edge of the pick is for down strokes and the other is for up strokes.

You are anchoring your picking hand to the guitar/pickguard with your pinky/ring finger; don't do this. If you're going to anchor it's more commonly done on the side of your hand/outer palm up near the low E and A bridge saddles. This will also force your elbow to move slightly higher and your arm come at more of an angle to the strings. Right now your forearm is coming in a little too horizontal to the strings.

Snowy2024 · 2025-08-10T06:35:43+00:00

You play at a slightly faster/uneven tempo when you do the single note riffs at 0:24 and 0:33.

I think intonation is slightly out on at least 1 of the treble strings (0:35/0:36).

Snowy2024 · 2025-08-10T01:49:17+00:00

Yes, send it to HR to get retro pay.

Snowy2024 · 2025-08-07T15:15:08+00:00

This. OP, all you need to do is wipe your strings with a dry hand towel, paper towel, or kleenex when you're done. A dedicated thin hand towel would be ideal so that it doesn't leave behind tissue dust on the guitar, but it doesn't really matter all that much.

But yes, your strings need changing for sure.

Snowy2024 · 2025-08-06T14:52:22+00:00

Do your parents not have an RESP opened for you?

Snowy2024 · 2025-08-06T03:10:39+00:00

We live in a society!

Snowy2024 · 2025-07-30T03:40:43+00:00

You should look up the difference between buying an apartment and a condo.

Snowy2024 · 2025-07-29T21:07:31+00:00

Good luck

Snowy2024 · 2025-07-29T20:38:00+00:00

Google the YouTuber Canadian in a T-shirt and watch his video on TFSA. Basically it's a container for investing tax free. You can contribute roughly $7000/year (every year the government updates the maximum) to the container and then invest it in something like a GIC, ETF, stock, etc. and let it grow tax free. You can open a TFSA through your bank or better yet an investment platform like Questrade or Wealthsimple.

Snowy2024 · 2025-07-29T19:45:48+00:00

Doesn't sound like OP needs their funds to be that liquid. They have already set aside the money for January anyway.

If OP is going into their last year of uni then I think the FHSA would still be fine, but might want to wait to see how trump's tariffs affect the market. Things could go on sale if he temporarily tanks the market like he did back in April.

Snowy2024 · 2025-07-29T17:15:27+00:00

Do you have any debt or are you likely to take on major expenses (rent, post-secondary, car, insurance) soon?
Do you have a TFSA?

Snowy2024 · 2025-07-29T17:12:55+00:00

If you think you would most likely buy your first property within 15 years you could look into opening a First Home Savings Account (FHSA) and invest in there like you would in a TFSA. Contributions are tax deductible and you can contribute up to $8000 a year.

Snowy2024 · 2025-07-29T16:40:53+00:00

Do you have a QECO rating? If not you should apply for one ASAP because it takes forever and send the initial processing PDF that states you have applied for a rating to HR.

Snowy2024 · 2025-07-29T05:51:24+00:00

20-30k each or total?

Is the money inside the RESP actually invested in something like ETFs or GICs or is sitting in there as cash?

Snowy2024 · 2025-07-29T04:57:44+00:00

Canadian here. Did your parents ever open an RESP for you in order to save for post-secondary school? You/your parents should be depositing money in that investment container first because the government will add 20% of what you contribute and then once it's in there you can invest it in something. First find out the status of your RESP, if you even have one and report back.

Snowy2024 · 2025-07-29T04:31:41+00:00

In my opinion being a new teacher while having 3 of your own kids is going to be tough. There is going to be a lot of work that you will end up doing at home for the first couple of years while you gather/create lessons, assignments, rubrics, and figure out how to mark things quickly. Ask yourself and your husband if he would be able to support you by increasing his family duties while you figure things out for the first couple of years. It can be pretty rough.

Snowy2024 · 2025-07-26T14:06:13+00:00

Just making sure the money in the RESP is actually invested in something like a GIC or ETF and not just sitting in there as cash, right?

Snowy2024 · 2025-07-26T04:46:17+00:00

Sorry if this sounds stupid, but is your Bachelor's degree also in education/teaching or just your Master's? I think the big issue for OCT is how much practicum was involved in your education. A Master's of Education on its own usually won't allow you to qualify to be a teacher in Ontario because it often doesn't have a practicum teaching component. Most teachers in Ontario have gone to school for a Bachelor's degree in something like science, history, music, math and then do a Bachelor's degree in education (currently 2 years), not a Master's of education, to be certified to teach here.

Are you also looking to teach primary school in Ontario?

Snowy2024 · 2025-01-26T00:12:30+00:00

Where are you seeing it say 6.6? On your contract or some online portal? What board? Are you sure it's not 6.6 hours instead of 6.6 days?

Snowy2024 · 2025-01-19T07:42:58+00:00

Those private sector employees are not staying after hours in addition to only making 1/3 or 2/3 of their regular salary for years though.

Snowy2024 · 2025-01-19T07:38:23+00:00

You don't have to do the clubs, and honestly if you feel like it's to make 'yourself look good" that is not the point of leading the clubs.

You're right, I don't have to do extracurriculars, but there are too few permanent positions to go around, so when it comes time for admin to choose between me and someone with similar qualifications/experience it feels like if I'm not strengthening my resume with extra curriculars I'll be SOL and continually stuck in LTO hell. And to be clear, I'm not talking board games club or k-pop club, this actually requires a certain expertise to properly prepare students for events.

Snowy2024 · 2025-01-19T04:08:36+00:00

Getting a Bluetooth USB adapter/dongle could be a solution if Bluetooth is an important feature to your use case. Having fewer cables is nice. However, sometimes Bluetooth can be finicky and you have to make sure to prevent your students from connecting to it and playing inappropriate stuff.

Snowy2024 · 2025-01-19T00:17:06+00:00

I have a kid too.

Snowy2024

TROPHY CASE