Secrets Of Speed Picking, "Tricks of the Trade" Options

[Todd Simpson]

Thanks Todd good to hear it confirmed from an experienced player. I'll probably go into a music shop sometime and try some other guitars out, haven't bought one for 9 years anyway.

I'd say your due! Try to play an amp in the music shop thats similar to your setup at home. If you are playing a small practice amp at home, and try guitars on Marshall Stack at the music shop, you are not getting a realistic portrayal of what you'll get back at the homestead.

Todd

[JesseJ]

How much of our pick should we have showing from in between our fingers ?

[Azzaboi]

JesseJ - Bend your pinking hand index finger around so it almost touchs the skin, lay the pick on top so it's only sticking out a little in over the fingernail (only a few millimeters), lay the thumb on top. Then relax it! You want as little as possible sticking out while still being relaxed. Less resistance = more speed.

The other finger can either stick out straight or curl in, however when you start off, karate chop the hand over the bridge edge of the strings to form a palm mute over all the 6 strings. Let it fold forward over the strings so the pick rests on them. Your'll notice your pick is not flat to the strings but on an angle of attack. Then relax that! You want the pick not angling upwards or downwards, but rotated forwards or backwards so your picking from the edge of it and using even less surface area to just graze the strings. Remember the rule: Less resistance = more speed.

Don't dig into the strings at high speeds. The thumb will also stop being flexable and become straight at faster speeds.

Check out Paul Gilberts technique and/or ask Todd for a better example:


Then it's a matter of learning to play very lightly and still have a solid tone. Take it slowly at first, make sure your remove your bad habits. It's the light touch, minimum resistance which makes speed build up naturally. If your not relaxing or tighting up over time, then stop, shake it out and don't play again till relaxed. Never play under pressure.

Once your got that technique, pinch harmonics and other picking tones are extremely easy as well to throw in whenever you want by just a slight rotate of the picking hand thumb. It's fun as and sounds much tighter and extreme! Syncing up the hands to both perform at the same speed in time with each other is the next challenge. Work on one hand at a time, focusing more on the slowest hand.

This post has been edited by Azzaboi: Jun 22 2012, 10:01 PM

[Todd Simpson]

Well said AZZA! I could not have said it any better myself. Great tips and really well explained.

JESSE: Try these and see how it works for ya!

JesseJ - Bend your pinking hand index finger around so it almost touchs the skin, lay the pick on top so it's only sticking out a little in over the fingernail (only a few millimeters), lay the thumb on top. Then relax it! You want as little as possible sticking out while still being relaxed. Less resistance = more speed.

The other finger can either stick out straight or curl in, however when you start off, karate chop the hand over the bridge edge of the strings to form a palm mute over all the 6 strings. Let it fold forward over the strings so the pick rests on them. Your'll notice your pick is not flat to the strings but on an angle of attack. Then relax that! You want the pick not angling upwards or downwards, but rotated forwards or backwards so your picking from the edge of it and using even less surface area to just graze the strings. Remember the rule: Less resistance = more speed.

Don't dig into the strings at high speeds. The thumb will also stop being flexable and become straight at faster speeds.

Check out Paul Gilberts technique and/or ask Todd for a better example:


Then it's a matter of learning to play very lightly and still have a solid tone. Take it slowly at first, make sure your remove your bad habits. It's the light touch, minimum resistance which makes speed build up naturally. If your not relaxing or tighting up over time, then stop, shake it out and don't play again till relaxed. Never play under pressure.

Once your got that technique, pinch harmonics and other picking tones are extremely easy as well to throw in whenever you want by just a slight rotate of the picking hand thumb. It's fun as and sounds much tighter and extreme! Syncing up the hands to both perform at the same speed in time with each other is the next challenge. Work on one hand at a time, focusing more on the slowest hand.