String Skipping Speed For Shredding, How fast do you have to get? Options

[dairwolf]

I was just wondering how much speed you would have to develop on the following technique to be able to shred:

G-0---0---0-----------------------
A---0---0---0---------------------

You´ll encounter this problem a lot of times, for example if you try to play a scale in fragments of four, so e.g.:

( ) ( )
E--12--10--8-----10--8------------8-------------
B---------------12---------12--10----12--10------

Another example would be the pentatonic in steps of three notes:

( ) ( )
E-12--10------10------------------------------------
B-----------12-----12--10--12--10-----10----------
G--------------------------------------12-----12--9---

The final example I´d like to talk about is the famous Paul Gilbert lick:


( ) ( )
D---------------9-----------------------9-----------
A--9--10--12----12--10-9--10--12----12-10-9------

I put exclamation marks over the parts where you have to change strings real quickly and then again go back to the original string yet again.

What I am really wondering about is the following: Let´s say you wanted to play the first two examples at a tempo of 200 beats per minute with four notes per beat, and the Paul Gilbert example at a tempo of 135 beats per Minute and six notes per beat (triplet feel).
If you wanted to be able to do so, you also have to be able to change strings at the same tempo, right?

I can totally understand how you can move the pick from side to side at those tempi, but what I don´t get is how you can get over the next string at those speeds (I am talking about alternate picking). The muscle I need to lift the pick high enough to get over the next string without accidentally hitting it is the same muscle that I use when I am knocking at someone´s door (or when I am knocking on the table), right?

I actually tried to knock on the table at a speed of 200, and I can only get half as fast as I would need to be. I mean, you have to get the pick up after you hit the first string, and then get it get it down again after you pass the next string, right? That makes four one movement up and four times one movement down if you try to practice string crossing in the way I tabbed it in the very first tab, or am I mistaking?

What do I not get that this is such a mystery to me?

I am sorry, the exclamation marks are not where I want them to be. But I think you´ll understand anyway!

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This post has been edited by dairwolf: Nov 20 2012, 11:24 PM