Paul Gilberts Picking Technique Options

[me213]

Hi GMC,

This is just a quick question on picking and muting with the palm of my hand.
I palm mute with the part of my hand which is just above my wrist.
I think that it is hindering my playing when standing and when trying to mute strings during scale runs and stuff like that.

Anyhoo I would love to use the same technique as Paul Gilbert does in this video. It just looks so natural but I am having trouble trying to emulate it. Does anyone have any tips on how to do it?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Sam

[Ivan Milenkovic]

I suggest investigating more muting techniques and stuff like that. Check out my muting lesson for some ideas about how to mute the strings. If you are already familiar with muting, you can try to post a video of you playing, so I can see exactly what it's about.

Regarding Paul Gilbert, the guy pretty much practiced whole his life to achieve this kind of level of playing so it makes sense that he found a perfect right arm positioning during that time. IMO everybody who work hard enough should have no troubles to find a decent right arm at some point.

This post has been edited by Ivan Milenkovic: Aug 16 2008, 05:17 PM

[me213]

Thanks for the reply I'll try to get a video soon

[Muris Varajic]

Hi GMC,

This is just a quick question on picking and muting with the palm of my hand.
I palm mute with the part of my hand which is just above my wrist.
I think that it is hindering my playing when standing and when trying to mute strings during scale runs and stuff like that.

Anyhoo I would love to use the same technique as Paul Gilbert does in this video. It just looks so natural but I am having trouble trying to emulate it. Does anyone have any tips on how to do it?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Sam

Paul's alternate picking is extremely clean and articulate,
specially combined with palm muting as in Scarified.
Tons of players have problems to emulate it
so no worries,you're not alone in the boat.

Part of your fist that you're using for muting it the most common
for thousands of players so it's just matter of time and practice
to apply it at its best.
Also don't be afraid to experiment a bit with position of your picking hand
and part of fist you use for muting,maybe you'll find something
that fits you even better,work on.

[me213]

Thanks for the reply Muris.

I've been working on my muting and slowing down a lot so it is much cleaner now although there are still a few notes that ring out .

[Muris Varajic]

Thanks for the reply Muris.

I've been working on my muting and slowing down a lot so it is much cleaner now although there are still a few notes that ring out .

It takes some time,no worries,practice hard,
ask if you need some help with it and you'll overcome it.

[Juan M. Valero]

Hi GMC,

This is just a quick question on picking and muting with the palm of my hand.
I palm mute with the part of my hand which is just above my wrist.
I think that it is hindering my playing when standing and when trying to mute strings during scale runs and stuff like that.

Anyhoo I would love to use the same technique as Paul Gilbert does in this video. It just looks so natural but I am having trouble trying to emulate it. Does anyone have any tips on how to do it?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Sam

Amazing video, I love this song !!!!
Paul Gilbert is a master in alternate picking, so is normal you have problems with it. You need to work on your wrist and get a soft movement. So don't play too strong and try to feel the pick in your hand. It works for me so I wish it will works for you as well

[Ramiro Delforte]

You said "I palm mute with the part of my hand which is just above my wrist". My interpretation about this is that you are using the muscle of the pinky finger. That part of the hand is wright to palm mute the strings but for a riff because you don't have an angle to attack the strings. If you want to emulate the Paul Gilbert kind of palm mute you just have to do it with the upper part of the muscle of the pinky finger. In that way you have an angle to let your wrist move up and down.
Try doing that way and I think it would be much easier and comfortable.
I hope it was usefull.

[me213]

Thanks for the advice guys.

Ramiro did you mean the red part on the picture?

The blue part is kinda how I mute now.

Attached image(s)

 

[Ivan Milenkovic]

I would say it's more like a red part if you're using the palm muting for riffing. If you're using palm muting for general muting technique, then using the whole red+blues area is good, just kind of rolling it up or down, depending on what strings you pick. I hope this makes sense..

[me213]

Thanks that does make sense.

Red for rhythm riffs and both for scale runs?

[fire]

i have also a question here (maybe i should start a new topic?)

when i play on the low e string without muting (scales), how to place the wrist there? casue normaly my right hand lies on just that string, and if i'd go back to the bridge its just not comfortable to me..

so i came up with kind of rolling my wrist so that it lies on the corpus of the guitar but that seems kind of wrong to me... any ideaS?

[Jacob Sinclair]

hey man
maybe you want to watch this if you havent already seen it
its his view on picking mechanics
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpJNUGHxC3M

[me213]

Thanks man but I've seen it before. Still a useful video.

[Ramiro Delforte]

If you use the red part that you mark your hand will be able to make some movements that you cannot if you use the blue part. Try it yourself and after you decide.

[me213]

I will Ramiro. Thanks

[Muris Varajic]

Thanks that does make sense.

Red for rhythm riffs and both for scale runs?

Depends of size of your hand and the way you hold it as well
but in general terms, yes.