Printable Version of Topic

Click here to view this topic in its original format

GMC Forum _ Techniques (Muris) _ Getting Better At Alternate Picking

Posted by: Nermin May 15 2008, 05:06 PM

Hey Muris,

I have been practicing few couple weeks now the alternate picking, and i am finaly starting to see good results. I am still not with the speed where i want to be, but my technic is more solid now, so speed is going to have to take some time but the more i practice the faster i get.

What i noticed what helped me was resting my palm on the bridge like you do it, and also lifting up my pinky of pickguard. I play on strat, so before when i leave my pinky on pickguard the volume switch would get in my way, but now when i pick i keep the pinky in the air and so it glides above the volume knob. And its easier to switch from playing palm muted notes to clean notes cuse you palm is right there on the bridge.

Also what i learned from practicing this is metronome is must, and you have to feal and know how triplest, 16th nots etc. sound, you have to feal the rythm of these notes when you pick them, so that you are playing them in perfect time. Triplets have certain feal when they are being pickied as oposed to 16th notes etc.

So i just wanted to share quick update. smile.gif



Posted by: JamesT May 16 2008, 08:50 PM

I'm getting better too, thanks to some of the lessons here at GMC and to the great inspiration that comes from watching the great guitarists like Muris here. In reading and watching here, I've changed how I hold the pick from using the tips of the index finger and thumb to the more conventional technique of holding the pick with index finger bent and at the side of my index finger. It gives much better control but changing this initially felt almost like starting over. My speed and accuracy are getting better. I'm also experimenting with placing my palm on the bridge and using more of hand motion instead of whole arm to pick fast. Sometimes as I move the tempo upward, my arm wants to jump in and help happy.gif but then the motion of the pick becomes less controlled.

One question, should I try to make sure that the arm stays more still? ... also (ok, two questions laugh.gif ) , I've been playing forever and have worked on speed for many years but have been stuck at about 100bps (16tn notes), I know not very fast sad.gif , for a long time. I'm left handed and my left fingers cooperate nicely (legato is pretty good), but picking fast has always been one of my weaknesses. I have new hope that holding the pick differently is going to help me to break this tempo barrier. Are there any more tricks or well understood things that I should be doing to get fast besides just practice?


Posted by: Nermin May 17 2008, 05:44 AM

Hello James,

From my experience the key is really to keep the wrist moving not the whole arm. If you use the whole arm like you said you lose control. I keep my palm on the bridge and that keeps it stable and then just move the hand, but the move takes place at the wrist, not the whole arm. I hope you anderstand what i am trying to say here, my english is broken. smile.gif

Dont worry about the speed, what you want to worry about is the accuracy, make sure the notes are even. There is good lessons on alternate picking here definitly would recomend to check them out it would be easer to explain when i can show sombody then write in words. smile.gif

Make sure your pick hits the string at an angle that will allow you to pick faster. And just take it slow if you practice with metronome you will see improvement because that 100bps 16th is going to start fealing more confortable after a while and then you add more temp etc.

Posted by: JamesT May 18 2008, 01:48 AM

Thanks for the reply. I'll work on resting my palm on the bridge and slow down until I feel I have more control. I do notice that after even a few minutes at a slower tempo, it becomes easy to play smoothly. I'll focus on smooth. Your english is great Nermin! ...probably better than mine!


Posted by: Nermin May 18 2008, 06:42 AM

Thanks,

Key is really to practice with metronome, and to play accurately, and speed will come with practice. Also another thing i could give suggest you is try to find a pick that's pointy, i have been playing with Dunloop Jazz 3 for few years now and i love those. If you can find them check them out, but then again pick is a preference and every players has his favorite, so you might like it, or you might not.

Muris is the expert i am sure he could give you better advice, and i would also recomend checking out his lessons on alternate picking. smile.gif

See ya! smile.gif

Posted by: Muris Varajic May 18 2008, 09:01 AM

I'm really happy to hear you're having progress,well done!!
And you said it right,solid tone/picking is much important than just speed,yeah. smile.gif

Posted by: Adis May 27 2008, 04:15 PM

Hello,
I would like to join the conversation if I could.....
I have tried some of the Muris's lessons but I haven't seriously attacked any of them....I've tried the "Alternete picking lesson" the neoclassical sounding one....(maybe a bit advanced for me)
Nermin, is that the lesson you were talking about?

The way I hold my hand is the that I rest my palm on the bridge but not toching the strings and also the pinkie on the guitar body. I don't know if this techniquie is wrong or not. Muris what do you think?

PS: Bas mi je drago da smo se ovako iskupili wink.gif

Powered by Invision Power Board (http://www.invisionboard.com)
© Invision Power Services (http://www.invisionpower.com)