Per a https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=60129&pid=768271&st=0&#entry768271, I thought I'd put up a QUICK LICKS that features a strict alternate picking pattern across strings (traverse). This is a very simple pattern. 6 Notes, that's all, just 6 simple notes. The same shape on 2 strings so there is no hand shift. It allows you to focus on the picking. The key to picking FAST indeed, the
KEY TO SHREDDING, is
to simply NOT tense up. Tensing up is one of the worst things you can do. Notice in the video how I'm barely even using the wrist, not at all using the forearm, and above all staying relaxed. Focus on staying relaxed at low speed then speed up while focusing more on staying relaxed than on the notes. The notes are not as important as staying relaxed to be honest. You will hit a brick wall at some point playing in a TENSED fashion. Breaking through that is critical to being able to shred imho. Give these 6 notes a try!
Well done! This is a great speed drill. I can see that you have plenty of speed on your picking and on your fingering hand, synch could use a bit of polish at speed, but over all you got this! This one goes great with a metronome as a way to work on hand synch. Because there is so much traverse in this, it's easy to either miss a strike or hit the wrong strike. You can play this lick just fine. It's only once you get going brisk that I start hearing little hiccups. You've got the speed and power, it just needs a pinch more control. When you played it slow you didn't miss a note, now all you need to do is match the brisk precision with the slower precision and bam!!
You just..
Take 1 Sarge
https://youtu.be/63_yk91a5YY
You got it!! I did notice that your picking hand is swinging a bit wider than it needs to given how close together all the bits in this one are. The closer you can keep your pick to the string after each strike, the less recovery time each strike will need until it can hit the next note. It's a tricky thing to get used to, but using just enough strike to activate the string then keep the pick right next to the string to prep for the next strike is one of the secret keys to building speed over time.
This is yet another lick that makes a good warmup and a good way to work on ones picking/precision/speed.
What sort of pick are you using btw? Forgive me if you have shown me before
Anyhoo, well done and you just..
LEVELED UP!!!!!!
Thanks Todd,
I too noticed the excessive right hand movement when I watched the video. My right hand seems to work life a mechanical metronome, in that the slower I alternate pick the more it moves, as though it wants to keep moving life the arm on a metronome, as I speed up it moves less. Maybe it's a succinct way of trying to keep time
I use https://www.jimdunlop.com/product/427r-7-10137-05103-4.do picks and really like them, Ben Higgins got me onto them and Petrucci's picks are based on them.
Cheers
That's as it should be in general The faster one plays, the less extra motion needed on the right hand. On your second pass in the vid, you start slow and build up and get moving quite well for bit before losing synch. Keeping the strikes closer if possible, on the faster bits may help you stay in synch.
As for the pick, great choice! They are nice and pointy! Pointy picks rule imho. They can really help when one is playing briskly and or traversing. Nothing to change there.
hmm. What gauge are you strings? 09 set?
Todd
I pretty much stick to 10s on everything except acoustic
I pretty much stick to 10s on everything except acoustic
10s egad! I'm on 8s. Just for giggles, maybe try a pair of 9 gauge super slinky when you go to pick up strings next, whenever that might be. Thinner strings are a bit easier to work with in general and making playing thing a bit easier as well. You've got the sharp pick, a test set of lighter gauge strings is part 2 of the secret sauce. You've already got an Ibby so that's sorted.
I think I've got 12s on my SRV Strat, might go to 15s your muscles soon respond whenever I play acoustic for a while and go back to electric, they feel like rubber bands
Got a giggle out of that Put up the vid when the 15s get put on the srv! I think he played hugely thick strings as well.
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