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GMC Forum _ Todd Simpson _ Quick Licks #79 - Building Speed On Alternate Picking

Posted by: Todd Simpson May 11 2019, 07:55 PM

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!


 79.gp5 ( 1.78K ) : 115


You are only 6 notes away from being able to shred like a mad man. The time for you to take the time to make a short vid and get some feedback is now! smile.gif
Todd


Posted by: onetabmat May 17 2019, 10:02 PM


Posted by: Todd Simpson May 19 2019, 01:12 AM

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..


LEVELED UP!!!

Todd
QUOTE (onetabmat @ May 17 2019, 05:02 PM) *

Posted by: Phil66 Dec 24 2019, 06:11 PM

Take 1 Sarge

https://youtu.be/63_yk91a5YY

Posted by: Todd Simpson Dec 27 2019, 03:42 AM

You got it!! smile.gif 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 smile.gif

Anyhoo, well done and you just..
LEVELED UP!!!!!!


Todd
QUOTE (Phil66 @ Dec 24 2019, 01:11 PM) *
Take 1 Sarge

https://youtu.be/63_yk91a5YY

Posted by: Phil66 Dec 27 2019, 06:33 AM

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 huh.gif

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

QUOTE (Todd Simpson @ Dec 27 2019, 02:42 AM) *
You got it!! smile.gif 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 smile.gif

Anyhoo, well done and you just..
LEVELED UP!!!!!!

Todd


Posted by: Todd Simpson Dec 27 2019, 07:53 AM

That's as it should be in general smile.gif 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! smile.gif 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

QUOTE (Phil66 @ Dec 27 2019, 01:33 AM) *
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 huh.gif

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

Posted by: Phil66 Dec 27 2019, 11:30 AM

I pretty much stick to 10s on everything except acoustic wink.gif

Posted by: Phil66 Dec 27 2019, 12:05 PM

I pretty much stick to 10s on everything except acoustic wink.gif

Posted by: Todd Simpson Dec 28 2019, 11:18 AM

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. smile.gif

QUOTE (Phil66 @ Dec 27 2019, 07:05 AM) *
I pretty much stick to 10s on everything except acoustic wink.gif

Posted by: Phil66 Dec 28 2019, 04:57 PM

I think I've got 12s on my SRV Strat, might go to 15s laugh.gif your muscles soon respond wink.gif whenever I play acoustic for a while and go back to electric, they feel like rubber bands laugh.gif

Posted by: Todd Simpson Dec 28 2019, 11:17 PM

Got a giggle out of that smile.gif Put up the vid when the 15s get put on the srv! I think he played hugely thick strings as well. smile.gif

QUOTE (Phil66 @ Dec 28 2019, 11:57 AM) *
I think I've got 12s on my SRV Strat, might go to 15s laugh.gif your muscles soon respond wink.gif whenever I play acoustic for a while and go back to electric, they feel like rubber bands laugh.gif

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