How Physical Is Fast Picking ?
Ben Higgins
Feb 10 2012, 10:22 AM
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I'm really interested in how picking fast feels for everyone. We're always told to relax and not play with tension, which I agree with. A relaxed muscle moves easier and faster.

However, in order to demand more performance we still have to make our muscles work right ?

I pick from the wrist but when I start speeding up and playing over my comfort zone, I can feel the muscles engaging somewhere above my elbow. It feels like it's either the tricep or behind the tricep. I'm not consciously 'tensing up' the arm but I'm very conscious of the muscle working. It doesn't hurt and I've not suffered any aches or pains because of it. I've managed to increase the speed and stamina of my picking lately and the speeds which previously felt more 'physical' are now a bit less 'physical'.

To all you fast pickers out there, can you describe how it feels when you pick fast ? I think it would help people who are confused about how relaxed they should be and are afraid of pushing their speed boundaries because they see muscle fatigue as tension so they avoid it and stay in a certain range.

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This post has been edited by Ben Higgins: Feb 10 2012, 10:22 AM
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Ben Higgins
Feb 21 2012, 10:49 AM
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Todd, are you sure he's picking from the elbow ? It doesn't look that way to me ? Here's another vid of his showing it close up



Not saying you're wrong of course.. you may be right about it ! smile.gif

This is definite picking from the elbow.. Slayer's Jeff Hanneman !! ohmy.gif



Hurts just looking at it !

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Todd Simpson
Feb 22 2012, 01:49 AM
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I'm sure he is doing do it, he's not doing it constantly though. Check the video at about 1:17 or so. Granted it's a single string bit, but it's purely from the elbow. He does vary it up though during other passages. It's only the elbow picking that I'd encourage folks to avoid if they can.

Look again at around 3:00 he's picking from the elbow so hard he even talks about his trapezious muscles tensing up. Not to mention his popeye muscles tensing. Notice his wrist is barely bending, and how tense he is at these times?

That's one way, and it works for him smile.gif But yeah, doing it that way tends to burn out your muscles pretty quick and limits your speed and endurance IMHO. So learning to make it sound fast, while picking from the wrist forward (instead of wrist back elbow/shoulder) it's possible to gain speed and endurance. Though it does feel counterintuitive for a year or two.

[/quote]

QUOTE (Ben Higgins @ Feb 21 2012, 04:49 AM) *
Todd, are you sure he's picking from the elbow ? It doesn't look that way to me ? Here's another vid of his showing it close up
Hurts just looking at it !


Even that bit around 1:17 could be done with a much lighter approach and picked from the wrist. That's sorta why I shot that video of just my right hand. To illustrate how even when barely using the left hand, you can still pick quite fast. My left hand is working quite a bit, but I've cut the pressure off on the right hand so the hands are working at two separate tension levels. What often happens is that people let left hand tension drift on to their right hand.

It did take some serious pain during play for me to learn to play loose and still play fast. Not that I'd suggest injuring yourself just to use it as a training technique.

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This post has been edited by Todd Simpson: Feb 22 2012, 02:01 AM
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Ben Higgins
Feb 22 2012, 08:43 AM
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QUOTE (Todd Simpson @ Feb 22 2012, 12:49 AM) *
I'm sure he is doing do it, he's not doing it constantly though. Check the video at about 1:17 or so.


You're right, it does look elbow induced ! Owww huh.gif Didn't see that before.

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Posts in this topic
- Ben Higgins   How Physical Is Fast Picking ?   Feb 10 2012, 10:22 AM
- - Sinisa Cekic   Whether I am a valid person to answer ? Anyway, ...   Feb 10 2012, 05:33 PM
- - Gabriel Leopardi   Well, it's true that the idea is always to kee...   Feb 10 2012, 07:02 PM
|- - Ben Higgins   QUOTE (Gabriel Leopardi @ Feb 10 2012, 06...   Feb 10 2012, 08:05 PM
|- - Gabriel Leopardi   QUOTE (Ben Higgins @ Feb 10 2012, 04:05 P...   Feb 10 2012, 10:39 PM
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- - derper   Thanks all!! Lovin' this thread!...   Feb 10 2012, 07:27 PM
- - Azzaboi   Fast picking is NOT just going nuts, playing as fa...   Feb 10 2012, 08:13 PM
- - Todd Simpson   BEN! I know exactly what you mean. It's ...   Feb 10 2012, 10:46 PM
- - Saddlefall   QUOTE (Ben Higgins @ Feb 10 2012, 10:22 A...   Feb 12 2012, 12:18 AM
|- - Ben Higgins   QUOTE (Saddlefall @ Feb 11 2012, 11:18 PM...   Feb 12 2012, 11:01 AM
|- - Saddlefall   QUOTE (Ben Higgins @ Feb 12 2012, 11:01 A...   Feb 12 2012, 11:35 AM
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- - Ben Higgins   Hey Guys, I thought I'd resurrect this thread ...   Feb 19 2012, 05:02 PM
|- - Todd Simpson   Ouch! Sadly this guy is actually doing the exa...   Feb 21 2012, 01:20 AM
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- - maharzan   Great Video Todd. It looks you are actually pickin...   Feb 20 2012, 09:01 AM
- - JaxN4   great video Ben.... very good tips. cheers   Feb 20 2012, 12:49 PM
- - dark dude   Aye, nice video, cheers. I was reluctant to post ...   Feb 20 2012, 06:13 PM
- - Marcus Desaiha   QUOTE (Ben Higgins @ Feb 10 2012, 10:22 A...   Feb 20 2012, 06:23 PM
|- - Ben Higgins   QUOTE (Marcus Desaiha @ Feb 20 2012, 05:2...   Feb 20 2012, 07:08 PM
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- - SpaseMoonkey   QUOTE (Ben Higgins @ Feb 21 2012, 05:49 A...   Feb 21 2012, 12:12 PM
- - Todd Simpson   QUOTE (Ben Higgins @ Feb 22 2012, 02:43 A...   Feb 23 2012, 12:11 AM
- - Ben Higgins   QUOTE (Todd Simpson @ Feb 22 2012, 11:11 ...   Feb 23 2012, 10:49 AM
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