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GMC Forum _ Todd Simpson _ Grappa's Bootcamp
Posted by: Todd Simpson Oct 12 2016, 11:24 AM
Welcome to SHRED BOOTCAMP! I'll be your Drill Instructor! And I do mean DRILL! As in a large power tool used in slasher films and Paul Gilbert concerts. Here is were you EARN THE LIVING DEATH out of your fingers and break through any speed bumps/barriers to become a MASTER CHIEF of Shred!
THE MISSION
1.)Your mission is to go all the way back to the very start. The base of the mountain.
LESSON 1. http://bitly.com/gmclesson1
Which you will play SLOWWWWWWLLY, very SLOWWWLLLLYYYY until you master it at a crawl (As You'll Do With Each Mission, and focus on left hand FORM! Make it SUPER PERFECT!). Speed it up bit by bit until you feel your ready to take it to WAR (Any speed, it's up to you) Shoot a video of you playing the bit along with a METRONOME or DRUM click in the background so that I can hear if your on beat or not, and embed it as a post it as a reply to this post. I'll then offer a constructive and brutally honest critique.
THE AFTERMATH
Upon nailing the crap out of lesson one, and playing it a clean as a freshly waxed floor, you will be given your first insignia of Rank in BOOTCAMP!
After that proceed to MISSION #2. Here is a link to all of the missions. All 400+ of them.
http://bit.ly/twtgmc
Here is the link to your own PRIVATE HOUSE OF PAIN!...Er I mean.. SHRED!
http://bit.ly/grappasbootcamp
Practice!
Todd
Posted by: Grappa Oct 16 2016, 12:59 PM
Todd,
Hope all is well.
Here's my first go at AP #1. I've really changed my technique after reading the various bits on the site. Previously I wasn't angling the pick much and was using the fleshy part of my right hand thumb to mute (which was leading to me having the pick at a strange angle and me finding hard to move from higher to lower strings as the pick was catching the lower string I was moving to). Feels a little strange but getting better.
https://youtu.be/FXFU-ST___o
Let me know what you think..
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson Oct 16 2016, 07:48 PM
Well played!!! You are about to "LEVEL UP" and get you first badge. One thing I need you to do is Insert/Embed your very spiff vid (well produced btw). I've made a short vid on how to do this. It's a very simple process.
Using the "Insert VIDEO" function
Hope all is well.
Here's my first go at AP #1. I've really changed my technique after reading the various bits on the site. Previously I wasn't angling the pick much and was using the fleshy part of my right hand thumb to mute (which was leading to me having the pick at a strange angle and me finding hard to move from higher to lower strings as the pick was catching the lower string I was moving to). Feels a little strange but getting better.
https://youtu.be/FXFU-ST___o
Let me know what you think..
Si
Posted by: Grappa Oct 16 2016, 10:19 PM
Sorry about that!
Hopefully this works a little better.
Simon
Posted by: Todd Simpson Oct 17 2016, 11:22 PM
Congrats Soldier!! WELCOME TO BOOTCAMP!!! You have drawn FIRST BLOOD!!!
Let's debrief!!
MEDALS OF HONOR
1.)Maintained splendid palm mute / right hand control.
2.)Maintained tight and precise picking.
3.)Maintained control of each strike and it's timing.
Congrats Soldier, you just ...
LEVELED UP!!
Hopefully this works a little better.
Simon
Posted by: Grappa Oct 23 2016, 08:40 PM
Reporting for duty Sarge!
See following for exercise #2
And I've been working hard on exercise #1 and here it is at 170 bpm - insane! Never thought I'd ever get to be able to do this...
Regards,
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson Oct 23 2016, 10:01 PM
Look at him go!! Nicely fought Soldier!! Let's look at MISSION 2 first. You have made very impressive gains in a very short time and have a good handle on the basic techniques required to make it through these 400+ Missions. Chief among these is a tough mental attitude that presupposes a certain, almost defiant level, of persistence. It's this, more than anything else, that will serve you on your journey!
Let's Debrief!
MEDALS OF HONOR
1.)Precise Pick Control (Not swinging to wide or to shallow)
2.)Good Palm Mute (Planted right hand and using the pinky to help out)
3.)Aggressive style and use of Tone. (Can't have too much of either!)
Congrats Soldier, you just ...
LEVELED UP!!
Great to see you keeping working on previous missions!!! Adding previous missions in to your practice regime, and or your warmup routine, is a great way to sharpen your skills and get better and better without stopping to learn a new bit. Repetition is always the key
Of course, you'll learn new bits constantly as you go, but keeping the bits you learned in the missions as warmups/workouts, will let you focus on precision and get results like this. Well done Sarge
See following for exercise #2
And I've been working hard on exercise #1 and here it is at 170 bpm - insane! Never thought I'd ever get to be able to do this...
Regards,
Si
Posted by: Grappa Oct 30 2016, 09:43 PM
Excercise #3 for review.
Apologies for the vid quality but having some issues with my webcam at the moment..
This one's a tricky one (aren't they all!). Very easy to not pick all three notes and pull off before the string change..
Posted by: Todd Simpson Oct 31 2016, 06:23 AM
I can't help but start off with WELL PLAYED!!! Also, that's a very spiff AXE you have there, is it a PRS? Also, what is your signal chain? Amp/Plugins? Either way, sounds nice, and video quality is more than fine
Let's Debrief...
This MISSION is "UNRELENTING" is requires you to NEVER miss a beat. You have to plant your next finger and strike in less than a beat. That's part of what makes it such a challenge to play without fumbling the pick all over the place. Let me say you NAILED IT!!!! This bodes well for your future lessons Soldier!!
MEDALS OF HONOR
1.)USING THE PINKY!! : Warms my heart to see a Soldier make use of PINKY!! It's our weakest finger and needs the most work!! It pays off though!
2.)Solid as a RAWWWWKK: Your playing is nice and steady, very even. I always say, "You gotta learn to play like a Robot, in order to Shred like a God". That is to say you have to learn to play with distinct, and even, pacing, before you can dance around the notes and the beat.
3.)Maintaining a good right hand position through the entire Battle! You didn't tense up!! You didn't drift the hand! Nice!!! You show great promise Soldier!!! ATTACK THE NEXT FEW LESSONS!! Make yourself a personal promise that you will make it to a certain point by XMAS. I leave it up to you!!!
In short, ...
You Sir have just.....
!!!!!!!LEVELED UP!!!!!!!!!!!
Apologies for the vid quality but having some issues with my webcam at the moment..
This one's a tricky one (aren't they all!). Very easy to not pick all three notes and pull off before the string change..
Posted by: Grappa Nov 1 2016, 02:15 PM
Todd,
Thanks for this.
Now I've got into the swing of things I'm going to get serious with the metronome and start to push the tempos a little more with all of the exercises - this should start to push me into some new territory and hopeful I'll start to make some further gains.
I have to say the one thing that I have been historically weak in executing is 'outside' picking i.e. 3nps starting on a downstroke (the classic Gilbert exercise springs to mind!). Inside picking just feels a lot more natural. I watched some interesting stuff on Youtube about up/down pick slanting and the need to incorporate this into the picking motion in order to get to Gilbert/MAB sort of speed for 3 NPS scales. Since I've rearranged my picking hand orientation I'm hoping to improve on this but haven't focused on it at all given that all of the exercises to date have been geared to 'inside' motion. Some hints here would be useful..
On the guitar front it's a PRS/Les Paul hybrid I had made for me about 10 years ago. Whilst it looks outwardly like a PRS it's build very much in the LP vain; thicker mahogany body, stop TP etc. so for me is the best of both worlds. It was made by well respected luthier in the UK and it plays and sounds lovely.
From a signal chain perspective I use a Sonicore Xite-1 interface and run Scuffham Amps S-Gear 2 amp VST plug ins in Reaper for the tones I use for the stuff I post here. It's not worth micing stuff up and the fact I do lots late at night mean that I can do it without the wife killing me!
I'm a bit of a valve amp junkie and unlike most guitarists my amp/speaker collection exceeds my guitar collection by some magnitude. I've got the Strat/Tele/LP tones covered so for me everything else is about the rest of the chain! I can't see the amp bug stopping any time soon - I spent the last two days building a Fender 5E3 Deluxe circuit amp..sounds so sweeeeeeet.
Speak soon,
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson Nov 2 2016, 11:02 AM
I've seen a LOT of vids on how various players angle their pick. I personally just use the very tip of the pick and usually don't angle it very much at all. However, I think the instinctive principle is important here as each player is different. If you find angling the pick a certain way helps you play better, that's a good thing I fear it may have gotten more press than it actually deserves. I would suggest using a very thick pick. 1.0mm or better and making sure it comes very sharp/pointy from the factory or get a sharp pocket knife and sharpen it, like you would a pencil. Then choke up on your grip on the pick. So that only the tip is exposed to the string. Then only strike the string with the very edge of the pick. This reduces the need to even consider the angle as only the very tip is ever touching the string and it's strike point is similar from nearly any angle.
I've used many picks over thy years. I used to sharpen them myself. Then I had a custom VPICK made by vpicks and it works great. Then a GMCer named VONHOTCH made me a pick out of alluminum with a huge hole in the middle and I"ve used it quite a bit ever since. It never gets dull and needs resharpening as it's metal. Handy eh?
Here is a link to the switchblade pick I worked with Vinnie @ Vpicks to design. These are very handy Nice and stiff, no flex.
http://www.v-picks.com/product/switchblade/
Flex is your enemy when trying to play with any precision IMHO. When the pick bends, you have lost control of it and when dealing with millisecond pick strikes, (as we are heading towards in our Missions) The time it takes for the pick to flex back is time that it should be hitting the next string. Playing Paul Gilbert style bits really does almost require a nice stiff, pointy pick. Unless you happen to be paul gilbert in which case you can probably do it with an old shoe or something.
The Von Hotch picks are custom made, like the Vpicks, by hand. They are just killer. However, VonHotch has a real world job and just does picks on the side for pals and GMC folks so it's not a big production. There are not many of these picks on earth and having one is special thing IMHO They used to cost $20 each but he's found ways to get the cost down quite a bit. Each one is made to the owners taste. The good news is that even the very thin ones have ZERO flex and stay sharp always. You may notice some aluminum dust on your thumb after playing which is just the strings and the pick reacting. I love these things. I even like them thick, about 4.0 mm. They glide over the strings. However, even at .5 mm they are nice and stiff and sharp/pointy. Dull, thin picks are your enemy at this point IMHO. Once you get though these missions, you may decide you want to be a blues player and then thin picks are a very handy thing. They let you play in a looser fashion and chordality is a bit easier during lead passages partially due to the flex in the pick.
However, SHRED BOOTCAMP is not about playing loose blues. It's about precision. For precision you really need a sharp/pointy pick Here is my collection of VonHotch picks. Some are made from Plastic, most are Aluminum. All are killer You can find him on facebook and have one made if you like. 
I started out using clayton picks and sharpening them to a nice rounded point. Here is a picture of how I hold the pick. It never really changes. 
Notice how far I'm choked up on the pick, I try to only expose the sharp/pointy bit to the strings. At that point, "angle" is largely beside the point imho as the only thing hitting the string is the point/tip of my pick no matter what angle my hand is at. So whatever angle is comfy is the one to use. I don't one is better than another, just whatever is comfy. Though I have seen wads of vids/posts about this. I still say, go with comfy
Here is a vid demo of me shredding away. Notice that my pick angle is pretty much straight on. You can't really see the pick as I'm so choked up on it that only the tip/point is available to the strings. Notice that I don't ever really change the "angle" to play a different bit. It's just not really needed. We will work more on this as we proceed through the missions.
Watch the fast bit toward the end on this one. My pick is vertical to the strings for the part where I'm doing a two string traverse Paul Gilbert Lick. I"m using economy picking here. That is, two down strokes in a row when going from B to high E. That is the secret sauce my friend. Using the natural motion of the hand. When going higher, might as well use down strokes. I use alt picking typically on descending licks, as it just feels more comfy
Thanks for the rig rundown btw and I dig the Scuffham amps simps as well Actually was emailing him back and forth before the last version came out. I was asking him to put a parametric eq before the first gain stage and he said he might in the next version, which would be handy
BTW what pick did you say you were using?
Todd
Todd
Posted by: Grappa Nov 2 2016, 12:21 PM
Thanks Todd.
I use a JD Jazz III which has a bit of a rounded tip by default. I've sharpened this up a bit and it feels a lot more controlled. I've also got some JD 1mm Ultex sharp picks which I will try out and see how they feel.
I do hold the pick fairly close to the tip (but not as close as you) and will try to see how a change in pick grip influences things.
Onwards and updwards..
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson Nov 2 2016, 09:25 PM
I'm honestly thrilled to hear you use a Jazz III It's the gateway drug to super stiff super pointy picks. They are quite handy The only problem is the material used. It's not quite as stiff as it could be but they make a version of that pick that is made of something else and is stiff as a board. But for these first 10 missions that pick is a fine choice. I was worried you were going to say I use a standard .05 jd turtle pick Thank God.
The "choking up on the pick" is the secret sauce that makes the "angle" thing a pinch of a moot point IMHO. When you are choked up far enough to only expose the tip/point, angle becomes a bit less important. The only difference in angle I employ is between single string and multi string work per both vids I shared. In the first vid, fast bits are single string, thus the pick is roughly held like a flat plane sticking out from the guitar.
In the second vid, using string traverse, I switch to holding the pick vertically as if it were bisecting the guitar. This shift can be done just using the fingers for the most part so it's not a huge amount of movement.
These MISSIONS are designed to illustrate this style of play and allow your pick hand to find it's way. As you go through, you will start to see (oh now I get it) type of things and you will start to have your own moments of (wow I just found out how I think I can work this out). It's all part of the process The ranking Member of Bootcamp is Fzalfa @ Level 50. He is getting in to the tall grass about now. He has put in a lot of work and it shows in his playing. I look forward to seeing you progress as well
If you like the jazz picks, I'd highly suggest these. They are DAVA picks which are basically jazz picks with a bit added for extra grip that goes nearly to the point. This package has three types of picks. Three different material types. One is essentially very stiff plastic and that's the one with the least flex. The other two are more like regular jazz and have a bit more. But they work great as trainer picks to remind you to choke up and reach near the point. Take a look.
here is link with info
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/dava-jazz-grip-combo-small-6-pack
As with everything you will learn in bootcamp, these lessons are NOT intended as HOLY GRAIL type lessons, or "The Only Way" type of lessons. I'm teaching a very specific set of skills to help you progress toward very specific modes of play. As you learn, you will adapt this and everything else you learn in to your own style. Bits here bits there. So as with every teaching you will ever get, take it as it is, try it, give it a real chance and see where it falls in to your own style. Of course this takes time too. But so does anything worth doing in life.
Todd
I use a JD Jazz III which has a bit of a rounded tip by default. I've sharpened this up a bit and it feels a lot more controlled. I've also got some JD 1mm Ultex sharp picks which I will try out and see how they feel.
I do hold the pick fairly close to the tip (but not as close as you) and will try to see how a change in pick grip influences things.
Onwards and updwards..
Si
Posted by: Grappa Nov 7 2016, 12:05 AM
Hi Todd,
Thanks for heads up the picks - I've got some Dava's which I will try again - they seemed a bit rubbery to me but I think it was because I wasn't holding them close enough to the end and hence allowing them to flex too much in the past.
I've been working on #4. Key challenges for me here are keeping noise at bay (I find the top E string the most difficult) as my palm tends to move away from damping the bottom E and making sure I pick all of the notes....
Let me know..
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson Nov 8 2016, 10:53 PM
CONGRATS SOLDIER!!!! Yet another well fought Mission!!! You have very good form here and I do barely here a slight bit of extra string noise but I'd say you are doing a fine job of muting in general. It will only get better with practice. I notice that you are sitting "side saddle" with the guitar on the right leg (or so it looks), try a few passes with the guitar in "Classical Position" in between your legs braced on the left leg, and see how it changes your muting position on the right hand. It may allow your palm angle to shift such that your muting on Missions like this gets a bit easier and more "mutey" It's not something that feels familiar, especially if you are used to the guitar on the right leg, but give it a shot and go back and forth between the two positions to see how it impacts your hand/wrist angle and palm muting.
On to the debrief!!
MEDALS OF HONOR
1.)Precise control on picking, even at high speed (much higher speed than I was expecting)
2.)TIGHT right/left hand synch.
(There is no gap between when you need to play the notes on the two strings so it should sound like notes being played on a single string and it's very close to that so well done there!! That's the point of a drill like this.)
3.)Planted palm mute.
(Try the tips about using classical position and let me know how it impacts your next Mission!)
In short, you KRUSHED IT and this is a "Finger Twister" of a Mission. It is VERY easy to get the fingers confused or pick the wrong string, etc. You nailed it and you are using the PINKY!! keep it up!
Congrats Soldier, you just ...
LEVELED UP!!
Thanks for heads up the picks - I've got some Dava's which I will try again - they seemed a bit rubbery to me but I think it was because I wasn't holding them close enough to the end and hence allowing them to flex too much in the past.
I've been working on #4. Key challenges for me here are keeping noise at bay (I find the top E string the most difficult) as my palm tends to move away from damping the bottom E and making sure I pick all of the notes....
Let me know..
Si
Posted by: Grappa Nov 9 2016, 06:15 PM
Thanks Sarge..
I've given the classical position a go and it does allow me to angle my forearm more across the strings so hopefully I can dampen things down a little.
On the practice front I tried some of the exercises into a totally dry valve amp and I have to say the results were a bit dispiriting. I think I need to do this as part of the practice regime as the this is totally revealing (in a bad way at the moment!). What sounds pretty sweet through a VST amp sim just falls apart when I play it through the 'real thing' - still, at least this allows me to hear/feel what I need to do to improve.
There's definately a big difference between a model and the real thing for sure..
Regards,
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson Nov 10 2016, 12:58 PM
The change in angle created by classical position is why I suggest it so often It just works. You may eventually, switch between right and left leg/sitting/standing/low strap/high strap/etc But for now, I'd say try classical as often as you can to gain the benefits it gives to the hand/wrist angle which really help in these Missions
Real tube amps are living creatures Stuff can certainly sound different. You can of course, try to get a similar vibe out of your vst. Just turn down/off the gain and use a dry tone. Much more similar to a dry valve amp. If by dry you mean no dist/gain/fx. Always a good idea to play entirely dry and record it to see what's happening with your fingers without benefit of gain/dist/fx etc. Can be very helpful.
Sarge
I've given the classical position a go and it does allow me to angle my forearm more across the strings so hopefully I can dampen things down a little.
On the practice front I tried some of the exercises into a totally dry valve amp and I have to say the results were a bit dispiriting. I think I need to do this as part of the practice regime as the this is totally revealing (in a bad way at the moment!). What sounds pretty sweet through a VST amp sim just falls apart when I play it through the 'real thing' - still, at least this allows me to hear/feel what I need to do to improve.
There's definately a big difference between a model and the real thing for sure..
Regards,
Si
Posted by: Grappa Nov 11 2016, 11:58 AM
Thanks Sarge..
I'm going to record a couple of takes going forward - one with distortion and one clean so that I can focus on understanding the imperfections and getting it perfect (or as near to perfect as I can!)
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson Nov 11 2016, 07:45 PM
That's a great idea 
Both for me and for you. Keep them all in a playlist on youtube. You can keep them all "unlisted" if you like, if you don't want them searchable on google/yotube. Or make them public, whatever works for you
Sarge
I'm going to record a couple of takes going forward - one with distortion and one clean so that I can focus on understanding the imperfections and getting it perfect (or as near to perfect as I can!)
Si
Posted by: Grappa Nov 13 2016, 10:48 PM
Sarge,
And here you go with number 5. One clean and one dirty with dirty one up to a more reasonable speed!
Clean
Dirty
Still a bit noisy on the dirty one but much better than it was..
Regards,
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson Nov 14 2016, 07:02 AM
Now you are really killing it Soldier!!! I think the clean recording addition was a killer idea and it's going to help on both ends of things. On to the debrief!!
There are a very specific set of skills that each Mission is meant to focus on and I gotta say Soldier, you zeroed in on them and TOOK EM OUT!!!!!
MEDALS OF HONOR
1.)Precise picking control: Nice tight pattern, not letting the pick get to far out on each strike
2.)Tight palm mute: Crucial for licks involving string traverse.
3.)Spiff right/left hand synch: Any deviation in synch would stick out like a sore thumb, especially on the clean version!
You are more than ready to move on to more DANGEROUS MISSIONS Soldier!!!
Congrats Soldier, you just ...
LEVELED UP!!
And here you go with number 5. One clean and one dirty with dirty one up to a more reasonable speed!
Clean
Dirty
Still a bit noisy on the dirty one but much better than it was..
Regards,
Si
Posted by: Grappa Nov 27 2016, 03:39 PM
Sorry for the delay Sarge - came under some suppressing fire from work over the last week!
See next mission. No time to record clean on this one but hopefully these will suffice.
Double picked;
Single picked;
Let me know.
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson Nov 27 2016, 08:26 PM
I appreciate your aggressive style Soldier!! It was a bold attempt on the double picking, especially given that this is not an easy lick as it requires you to stick the landing with the pinky and there are no gaps for recovery. Your Double Pick version didn't get you any medals other than Valor in the face of Daunting Opposition, but I think you can add it to your routine and nail it. The single pick version was pretty much flawless and on the strength of that I think you are ready to move on. Let's debrief!!
CONGRATS SOLDIER!!!! Your hard work is continuing to pay off!!!!!
MEDALS OF HONOR
1.)Tight hand synch (the key to this entire mission, and on the single strike version it's killer!)
2.)Smooth looping (There is zero gap in this mission which throws off some soldiers, not you!)
3.)Precise pick control (Zero extra pick wag! Nice and tight control. All boxes ticked!)
Now this is what I'm talking about!! You are ready for MISSION 7!!!!
Congrats Soldier, you just ...
LEVELED UP!!
See next mission. No time to record clean on this one but hopefully these will suffice.
Double picked;
Single picked;
Let me know.
Si
Posted by: Grappa Dec 7 2016, 06:26 PM
Todd,
Wanted to throw the thing away this week.... ever have those weeks when it seems that all of the hard work seems to be going nowhere?
Got my v-picks this week and had a go with these.. strange using a pick this thick and pointy... after picking it up, putting it down etc. etc, I'm sticking with it for a while to see how things go.
Seem's like this whole process is one of trial and error in cycles.. I've decided that I've got too much pick sticking out and have moved my grip so that I've only got the very tip poking out. With the v-pick and this grip it I certainly feel a lot more connected to the string/pick and although it feels strange I'm hopeful some investment in time will pay dividends (or at least I can eliminate this from the variables!). Has slowed me down a bit but unless I try it I'll never know I suppose..
I'm putting in on average 2.5 - 3 hours of picking practise in a night at the mo.. some nights it feels magic, others... I have great respect for those who have managed to work through this!
Will post the latest stuff tonight/tomorrow.
Regards,
Si
Oh and I'm also working in keeping my pick movement to an absolute minimum..
Watched a couple of Yngwie vids for inspiration (depression) yesterday and you can barely see his pick moving..amazing stuff.
Si
Posted by: Grappa Dec 7 2016, 10:14 PM
Sarge,
See vids for this mission;
Inside picking
Outside picking
Double Pick
I stuck the outside picking one there as to be honest this is killing me.. I kid you not but the outside one is about 3 times harder to play than the inside one and I just never seem to be able to speed it up.. arghh...
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson Dec 8 2016, 12:37 AM
I really dig the Vpicks Thick, stiff and pointy!! Those qualities in a pick are key for getting through these MISSIONS imho. The lack of bend/flex, increases precision as does the fine point/tip.
It is important to try to "choke up" on the pick and let just the tip stick out if possible. It will feel odd at first, but like everything, it's a give and take, and takes some time
I have had the "throw it away" moments on guitar to be sure When I first got a stylus pick trainer and just couldn't make it work, I almost quit guitar. After a week, it made sense, then I applied it to regular picks that I would sharpen with a pocket knife. Now, they build em sharp
Don't be afraid to take a break now and then as stepping away for a day or so and coming back can allow your brain to chew on stuff and sort it a bit. Some folks swear by it, some folks say, it just makes them slip. Again, trial and error Keep fighting Soldier!
Sarge
Wanted to throw the thing away this week.... ever have those weeks when it seems that all of the hard work seems to be going nowhere?
Got my v-picks this week and had a go with these.. strange using a pick this thick and pointy... after picking it up, putting it down etc. etc, I'm sticking with it for a while to see how things go.
Seem's like this whole process is one of trial and error in cycles.. I've decided that I've got too much pick sticking out and have moved my grip so that I've only got the very tip poking out. With the v-pick and this grip it I certainly feel a lot more connected to the string/pick and although it feels strange I'm hopeful some investment in time will pay dividends (or at least I can eliminate this from the variables!). Has slowed me down a bit but unless I try it I'll never know I suppose..
I'm putting in on average 2.5 - 3 hours of picking practise in a night at the mo.. some nights it feels magic, others... I have great respect for those who have managed to work through this!
Will post the latest stuff tonight/tomorrow.
Regards,
Si
Oh and I'm also working in keeping my pick movement to an absolute minimum..
Watched a couple of Yngwie vids for inspiration (depression) yesterday and you can barely see his pick moving..amazing stuff.
Si
MEDALS OF HONOR
1.)Tight Picking! Very little hand wag, and very little travel beyond the strike point. Nice and precise!!
2.)Right and left hand TALKING in SYNCH. These licks are designed to show you any gaps in your synch. If you rush or lag on either hand, it shows up. You nailed it
3.)Articulating the pick with the fingers then wrist, very little from the arm/elbow. This is exactly what I like to see!
You are really getting a good handle on picking soldier!!! This is a BIG hump that some players just never make it past. You are going to make it past it just fine.
Congrats Soldier, you just ...
LEVELED UP!!
See vids for this mission;
Inside picking
Outside picking
Double Pick
I stuck the outside picking one there as to be honest this is killing me.. I kid you not but the outside one is about 3 times harder to play than the inside one and I just never seem to be able to speed it up.. arghh...
Si
Posted by: Grappa Dec 8 2016, 12:19 PM
Sarge,
Thanks for this.
Can I ask how much of the pick you have protruding from your finger/thumb?
Regards,
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson Dec 9 2016, 08:03 PM
Sure The easy answer is "As little as possible". E.g. I choke up on the pick, like a batter might choke up on the Baseball Bat, and for many of the same reasons. Simple physics really. I want the fulcrum point between thumb and pick to be as close as possible. That way, when I go for a pinch harmonic, I don't have to adjust the pick at all, the thumb is right there so the technique is always "to hand" so to speak.
Also, the further I choke up, the more control I get over the contact point of the pick. E.G. Where the pick contacts that string. I want this contact point kept small for the purpose of precision which is why I suggest pointy/sharp picks. Un sharp picks reduce precision IMHO. They create a larger surface area. Thus, there is simply more pick that can hit the string. This reduces control/precision IMHO.
Further, pick "flex" or pick bend, reduces precision IMHO. When playing at speed, you are dealing in milliseconds. The time it takes for a thin pick to recover to straight after striking a string, can get in your way. You may be trying to strike while the pick is still recovering. However, if your pick has zero flex, like the VonHotch (which are made of metal) you have zero wait time. The pick is always ready. The pick he designed for me is 4mm thick which is huge. However, the pick is shaped to a point and beveled along a curve. This makes it slide across strings very easily. It almost plays itself.
Vpicks are a good place to start, as they are stiff and pointy, if you pick the right ones I have my own Vpick design as we talked about and It makes a great "gateway" pick. Jumping directly to a vonhotch is sometimes a bit much for folks. Sometimes not though.
The Jazz picks are also a good "gateway" pick. They are pointy, but they are also prone to a pinch more flex than is ideal imho. Any plastic pick under 1.0mm is prone to some degree of flex imho. The vpicks are made from a very stiff plastic and run about 1.0mm or bigger for most of the product line. So they make fine picks.
Thanks for this.
Can I ask how much of the pick you have protruding from your finger/thumb?
Regards,
Si
Posted by: Grappa Dec 12 2016, 10:59 AM
Todd,
You are a legend..
You made a throw away comment in a recent post that piqued my interest... Stylus Pick! Now I remember a friend of mine had one of these years ago and I had a play with it but never took it any further..
I thought it might be good to have another go with one of these and ordered some. The outcome has been somewhat of a revelation.
I've mentioned this in the past but I've long suffered with two issues when I am outside picking;
1. The fact that this motion feels physically very demanding - inside picking is light and somewhat effortless but outside has always felt very difficult physically
2. The fact that despite lots of effort I've never really managed to increase my speed when doing this. My inside picking has always been probably 50 - 100% faster than outside.
The Stylus Pick has finally enlightened me as to the root cause of both of these issues.
Quite simply when outside picking and traversing the strings I have been digging the pick in way to far. Furthermore when I try and speed up it seems I dig further and further into the string. This explains both why it 'feels' more difficult physically and why I have simply been unable to get any faster!
I've been working the pick for a couple of days and hey presto things are already improving! It's torture but in a good way..
Eureka!
Thanks,
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson Dec 13 2016, 03:41 AM
Happy to help! I have been a big fan of the stylus ever since I borrowed one from a friend many years ago and it taught me the same lessons it's teaching you Not to dig in to deep past the strike point, not to wag to far in or out side of the strike point, to keep a consistent angle, etc. These things are very physical and imho best learned in a physical manner which sharp/stiff picks head you toward, but which the stylus literally forces you toward.
It's impossible to pick using the stylus and not figure out a few things about your technique. Very handy tool I've been mentioning it in the forums now for more than half a decade, believe it or not Folks usually try one and then transition to a very sharp very stiff pick, since the lessons are transferable to actualy picking, the stylus makes a great tool of learning.
I still think a stylus should come with every guitar As well as one of my vpick signature picks and von hotch signature pick. At that point folks could make the same journey I did essentially, and end up in hopefully the same spot, where picking gets to be easy and instinctual.
Keep using it, especially during warm up. Don't worry about using it for chords/rythm. It's not really for that. It's just to train your hand to prep it for real world picking Don't dig too deep, don't wang to far, articulate with your thumb/finger then your wrist, never with the elbow, and bam. Picking Nirvana Folks will be shocked at the improvement in your picking when you show them
Congrats!
Todd
You are a legend..
You made a throw away comment in a recent post that piqued my interest... Stylus Pick! Now I remember a friend of mine had one of these years ago and I had a play with it but never took it any further..
I thought it might be good to have another go with one of these and ordered some. The outcome has been somewhat of a revelation.
I've mentioned this in the past but I've long suffered with two issues when I am outside picking;
1. The fact that this motion feels physically very demanding - inside picking is light and somewhat effortless but outside has always felt very difficult physically
2. The fact that despite lots of effort I've never really managed to increase my speed when doing this. My inside picking has always been probably 50 - 100% faster than outside.
The Stylus Pick has finally enlightened me as to the root cause of both of these issues.
Quite simply when outside picking and traversing the strings I have been digging the pick in way to far. Furthermore when I try and speed up it seems I dig further and further into the string. This explains both why it 'feels' more difficult physically and why I have simply been unable to get any faster!
I've been working the pick for a couple of days and hey presto things are already improving! It's torture but in a good way..
Eureka!
Thanks,
Si
Posted by: Grappa Dec 22 2016, 03:16 PM
Todd,
Just to say I'm still on the case with this but have had to make a few adjustments to my technique based on experiments over the last week and the following issue;
I've started to develop quite a bit of pain in the knuckle joint of my index finger on my picking hand. I seem to have been holding the pick between my thumb and finger whilst angling my thumb which has lead to lateral pressure on my index finger and the pain I have been experiencing. I've now changed this so that my thumb is a little straighter and my grip more like I am holding a pencil which means the pressure is more forward/backwards than sideways. This seems to help but feels pretty strange at the mo..
Happy days.
Simon
Posted by: Todd Simpson Dec 22 2016, 10:28 PM
PAIN is just never a good thing for the hands where guitar players are concerned IMHO. I fear you may be "squeezing the bird" to hard, as it were. It's a natural reflex to "Tense Up" at speed, and something that you have to train yourself out of before you end up playing stiff armed tremelo and picking from the elbow.
Try to use as little tension as possible where the picking hand/fingers are concerned. Just enough to grip the pick. The ideal pick will glide across the strings and require minimal effort. Also, don't dig to deep past the strike point, this requires the fingers to make up the difference and pull the pick back out before it can make another strike.
Also, any pick flex can play a factor. So a very sharp, very point, very beveled, pick is ideal for the bootcamp and for effortless picking at speed in general imho. If you are having to tense your hand, it's possible one of the issues could be with the pick. Either way, relax your hand. Practice playing at a speed that allows you to play with as little force as humanly possible to try to train your hand not to "muscle it".
Adjusting the thumb is a good idea At speed, my thumb barely moves at all and is mostly straight. I'm mostly tilting part of the hand for pick motion as I have the back half of my hand planted on the bridge for a mute. Being able to pick with precision, at speed, while muting, is really 3 separate skills that come together to result in a very specific Gilbert/Nuno sort of tone.
Try to see if you can take a similar approach and play slowly and with as little pressure as possible.
Here is a good example. Once he stops talking and starts playing, notice how he never lets go of his palm mute despite playing at speed. As if the hand is cut in the center and only half is picking, the other half is muting. His fingers are pretty straight most of the time as he's playing briskly. It's a good example
Just to say I'm still on the case with this but have had to make a few adjustments to my technique based on experiments over the last week and the following issue;
I've started to develop quite a bit of pain in the knuckle joint of my index finger on my picking hand. I seem to have been holding the pick between my thumb and finger whilst angling my thumb which has lead to lateral pressure on my index finger and the pain I have been experiencing. I've now changed this so that my thumb is a little straighter and my grip more like I am holding a pencil which means the pressure is more forward/backwards than sideways. This seems to help but feels pretty strange at the mo..
Happy days.
Simon
Posted by: Grappa Dec 23 2016, 11:07 AM
Thanks for this Todd.
I am defo tensing up as I try and increase the speed but as you quickly identified this is largely in my grip of the pick. I don't tend to tense up my wrist or arm but can feel my thumb/finger tighten up considerably which is leading to the pain.
Hopefully the thumb/grip change will help and I will defo be focusing on slowing it all down again to try and eliminate the issues. I'm also going to round of my V Pick a little as whilst it is nice and pointy it's quite thick all the way to the edge. I'm going to roughen up the pick surface as well as I think part of the problem is it feels a little slippery leading me to tighten up to retain control.
Thanks as always.
Simon
Posted by: Todd Simpson Dec 23 2016, 06:58 PM
Happy to help Notice in the vid how Nuno never "tenses"? He plays quite briskly while maintaining a very relaxed grip on the guitar and pick. He can keep this up for hours without pain. This is the goal I want you to work toward. To find that spot of minimal effort that allows you to keep your tone and play for hours without pain.
Did you get the V PICK SWITCHBLADE BUFFED? If so, the sides should already be buffed/beveled and reduce string drag. Can you shoot me a picture of which vpicks you have? Also, running a sharp knife in a hash pattern over the part where you fingers touch the pick will create better grip. I got around this issue with VOnHotch by using a large hole in the center of the pick which prevents slippage even when very lightly gripping the pick. Also the edges are rounded which makes traverse very easy.
Todd
I am defo tensing up as I try and increase the speed but as you quickly identified this is largely in my grip of the pick. I don't tend to tense up my wrist or arm but can feel my thumb/finger tighten up considerably which is leading to the pain.
Hopefully the thumb/grip change will help and I will defo be focusing on slowing it all down again to try and eliminate the issues. I'm also going to round of my V Pick a little as whilst it is nice and pointy it's quite thick all the way to the edge. I'm going to roughen up the pick surface as well as I think part of the problem is it feels a little slippery leading me to tighten up to retain control.
Thanks as always.
Simon
Posted by: Grappa Dec 27 2016, 02:21 PM
Sarge,
Number 9 for your perusal.
Two takes as I did finger combo 1,2,4 and 1,3,4.
Worked on my hand position, thumb control and relaxation...
No 1
And No 2
Let me know.
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson Jan 2 2017, 02:02 AM
Soldier!!! This is great!!! I gotta say though I wanna see you earn it!!!!! This just looks far, far, far, to easy Soldier!!
I am hereby putting you on BLACK OPS DUTY
i want you to do these same two videos one more time. This time do each pass as QUAD PICKING!!! That's right. QUAD PICKING. E.G PIck each and every note FOUR TIMES. This will seem odd at first, but you will get the hang of it VERY quickly.
So TWO MORE VIDS!! QUAD PICKING!!!!!
SARGE
Number 9 for your perusal.
Two takes as I did finger combo 1,2,4 and 1,3,4.
Worked on my hand position, thumb control and relaxation...
No 1
And No 2
Let me know.
Si
Posted by: Grappa Jan 2 2017, 09:53 PM
Sarge,
As per your updated mission orders please find the quad picked versions;
1,2, 4
1,3, 4
I've run these about as fast as I currently can and the real challenge at the mo (other than getting them faster) is to keep the noise to a minimum and stop tension creeping in over time..
Let me know your thoughts,
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson Jan 2 2017, 10:27 PM
CONGRATS SOLDIER!!!! Now your talking!!! I can see that you are walking the fine line between keeping it under control and having it explode in a fire breathing dash of fury and carnage. Just what I like to see
On to the debrief!!!
You are making good use of the minimalist picking approach which is great news. At speed, the pick doesn't need to wag very far from the strike point. That way, t's all prepped for the position coming up. Also, you are making good use of articulating the pick with finger and hand/wrist and no picking from the elbow. This is something that takes a bit of doing a first. As picking from the elbow, using the entire forearm as a fulcrum, can feel very natural, despite it's many drawbacks.
Well then!!!!!
MEDALS OF HONOR
1.)MULTI PICKING FROM HELL while maintaining all the bits that make your missions stand out to begin with!!
2.)E.G. Solid Right / Left Hand Synch
3.)E.G. Solid Palm Mute / Lack off String noise.
In short, exactly what I like to see and a little blood on the fretboard doesn't hurt either!!! I'd encourage you to try to add multi picking in to your missions from here on out as it's a way to further challenge your hand and your synch/recision/timing as you continue to walk the PATH OF BLOOD!!!
Congrats Soldier, you just ...
LEVELED UP!!
As per your updated mission orders please find the quad picked versions;
1,2, 4
1,3, 4
I've run these about as fast as I currently can and the real challenge at the mo (other than getting them faster) is to keep the noise to a minimum and stop tension creeping in over time..
Let me know your thoughts,
Si
Posted by: Grappa Jan 8 2017, 07:24 PM
Sarge,
Please find AP 10 - I'm trying to push myself so some (most!) of these are on the ragged edge!
SP
DP
TP
QP
Let me know your thoughts!
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson Jan 9 2017, 06:01 AM
NICE!!! Soldier, this is what I want to see!! You took a tough Mission and then did it at speed while attacking from every type of picking approach, singles, doubles, triples, quads!!! Let's debrief...
Before we get to far in to the debrief, I want to ask you to consider how this Mission was, in terms of work required and lessons learned/skills gained, compared to previous Missions. I"m willing to bet that you got quite a bit more out of it simply from having to adjust your picking a bit due to each type of "Multi Picking". This is the reason I wanted you to give this approach a whirl!!
I can tell that you are playing near the ragged edge of your ability on these and yet holding it together which is always great to see Earning it!!!!!!
MEDALS OF HONOR
1.)Tight Precision on a very tough pattern and really well done on the Multi Picking, despite it being a very tough Mission.
2.)Very tight right/left synch, again on a difficult lick, not to mention keeping synch on all the Multi Picking!!!
3.)No extra string noise at all! Despite the mult picking, you keep tight control of your palm mute. Nice.
In short, you tick every box that I want to see on this mission and then some!! It's not every player that can pull this mission off with every form of multi picking that we typically cover, much less pull it off with grace and naked aggression!!! Score!!!
P.S. You are only a couple of Missions away from your first Rank upgrade to a DualChevron Badge.
Congrats Soldier, you just ...
LEVELED UP!!!!
Posted by: Grappa Jan 9 2017, 10:54 AM
Thanks for the feedback Sarge.
I have to say that the multi-picking challenge certainly upped the anti in terms of difficulty. This mission was the toughest so far by some margin.
My challenge here is maintaining relaxation.. everything starts off all relaxed but the longer I pick for, the more my picking stiffens up. I start to feel this and the more I notice the feeling of stiffness, the more I stiffen; seems like I have a psychological challenge on my hands..
It also doesn't help that once the red button comes on everything seems to stiffen up anyway!!
Onwards and upwards..
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson Jan 10 2017, 06:41 AM
BINGO!!!! That is a key point indeed. Trainingi your arm/hand to stay relaxed, even at speed, just takes practice, like the other bits. Since it's something your doing while playing and not playing itself, it's almost like working on breathing excersizes or something. It's peripheral in a way, but it's crucial overall. Training yourself to stay relaxed is worth taking time for. Even if you have to focus on just that part of things, it's ok. Take something you know really well, like the last mission, and focus entirely on staying loose and not tensing, then keep bumping the metronome. The more you are familiar with what's being played, the better, as you just completed several versions of that last lick, I'm guessing you know it pretty well!!
Learning to play in a relaxed manner will keep you from burning out to quickly during a given solo and during a given practice session. Also, it will increase your overall playing stamina and reduce the likelihood of repetitive stress injury to your wrists/arms.
Also, it will keep you from "Picking from the Elbow", which is something that, though natural, is best avoided imho as it reduces endurance, increases fatigue, promotes carpal tunnel syndrome, and reduces dynamics in your picking.
The red button is also something that requires practice. The more time you spend in front of a camera, recording, the better, imho. It makes you numb to it after a while and you won't really care if your being recorded or not. Same thing for playing live. The more you do it, the less nerve wracking it gets
Keep it up Soldier! That was your best Mission to date!
Sarge
I have to say that the multi-picking challenge certainly upped the anti in terms of difficulty. This mission was the toughest so far by some margin.
My challenge here is maintaining relaxation.. everything starts off all relaxed but the longer I pick for, the more my picking stiffens up. I start to feel this and the more I notice the feeling of stiffness, the more I stiffen; seems like I have a psychological challenge on my hands..
It also doesn't help that once the red button comes on everything seems to stiffen up anyway!!
Onwards and upwards..
Si
Posted by: Grappa Jan 12 2017, 09:10 AM
Sarge,
In my usual analytical way I've done some more work to try and understand the root cause of this tension build up with some interesting findings.
It seems that there are two cases where I am generating tension that is not released;
1. Where I am moving my picking mechanism in a descending direction i.e. from top E string to B string etc.
2. Where a play a pattern where the rhythmic accent falls on an up stroke i.e. I start a pattern picking on an up stroke
With number 1 it seems that when a play an ascending pattern (anything) every time I move to the next string any (very minor) tension that has built up picking is released as I move to play the pattern on the higher string. Repeating this from bottom E to top E by the time I have moved to the top E my picking mechanism is just as relaxed as it was when I started. When I do this descending however its very different; every time I descend to the lower string some minor tension remains and then this is aggregated at each string. By the time I get to the bottom E my mechanism feels tight. Seems like gravity helps the ascending movement but obviously not the descending as it's all muscle controlled. I think that this also relates to the fact that when I descend I am rotating the wrist (plus articulating my thumb/index finger on the pick) to initially hit the lower string first note but not resetting the position of my forearm properly to realign; this leads to a tightness in my forearm muscles over time as I move to the lower strings.
With number 2 I played some repeated single string patterns with the metronome starting on down strokes first and then repeated using upstrokes. Again the down stroke version feels effortless but not the up stroke. What is quite interesting is that although the mechanism is the same (alternate up/down) the exercise starting on the up stroke actually feels different! This must be psychological as I'm doing nothing physically different!
With this on mind I'm going to spend some time working on both of the above before moving on to the next mission to see if I can iron out the issues so that this feels the same irrespective of the direction and accent.
Onwards and upwards.. (or downwards in this case!)
Thanks,
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson Jan 14 2017, 05:13 AM
Good instincts! As you encounter problems, it's a good idea to isolate them as much as possible and work only on the specific issue until you make some progress. You can then move back to play the full bit in question without the wonky bit getting in the way. Focusing on staying loose is a skill in and of itself and requires it's own practice, separate from your other drills. Sounds like you are heading the right direction Which pick are you currently using?
Sarge
In my usual analytical way I've done some more work to try and understand the root cause of this tension build up with some interesting findings.
It seems that there are two cases where I am generating tension that is not released;
1. Where I am moving my picking mechanism in a descending direction i.e. from top E string to B string etc.
2. Where a play a pattern where the rhythmic accent falls on an up stroke i.e. I start a pattern picking on an up stroke
With number 1 it seems that when a play an ascending pattern (anything) every time I move to the next string any (very minor) tension that has built up picking is released as I move to play the pattern on the higher string. Repeating this from bottom E to top E by the time I have moved to the top E my picking mechanism is just as relaxed as it was when I started. When I do this descending however its very different; every time I descend to the lower string some minor tension remains and then this is aggregated at each string. By the time I get to the bottom E my mechanism feels tight. Seems like gravity helps the ascending movement but obviously not the descending as it's all muscle controlled. I think that this also relates to the fact that when I descend I am rotating the wrist (plus articulating my thumb/index finger on the pick) to initially hit the lower string first note but not resetting the position of my forearm properly to realign; this leads to a tightness in my forearm muscles over time as I move to the lower strings.
With number 2 I played some repeated single string patterns with the metronome starting on down strokes first and then repeated using upstrokes. Again the down stroke version feels effortless but not the up stroke. What is quite interesting is that although the mechanism is the same (alternate up/down) the exercise starting on the up stroke actually feels different! This must be psychological as I'm doing nothing physically different!
With this on mind I'm going to spend some time working on both of the above before moving on to the next mission to see if I can iron out the issues so that this feels the same irrespective of the direction and accent.
Onwards and upwards.. (or downwards in this case!)
Thanks,
Si
Posted by: Grappa Jan 14 2017, 01:25 PM
Thanks Sarge.
I'm running the VPick at the mo..
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson Jan 14 2017, 05:10 PM
Which Vpick model? Or more than one model?
Sarge
I'm running the VPick at the mo..
Si
Posted by: Grappa Jan 15 2017, 09:43 PM
I'm running a Stilleto at the mo.. These are difficult to get in the UK.. Very limited range and this was the only pointy one available.
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson Jan 17 2017, 05:59 AM
The stilleto is a fine choice Stiff and pointy.
Todd
Si
Posted by: Grappa Feb 1 2017, 12:25 AM
Hi Sarge,
AP 11 for inspection.. pushing the ragged edge on this one again..
SP
DP
TP
QP
The fact that I tense up when the red light is on is driving me up the wall!!
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson Feb 1 2017, 04:05 AM
CONGRATS SOLDIER!!!! Your MULTIPICKING has come a LONG way in a SHORT time!!! Love seeing that kind of progress I see some very good thing happening here. Let's debrief!
MEDALS OF HONOR
1.)NOT TENSING!!!: This is one of the toughest bits. It's natural to "Tense" up, especially at speed. But I can see you taking control of your pick hand and trying to force it to relax and keep a nice mute and or potential mute above the bridge.
2.)MULTI PICKING FROM HELL! Some very Spiff Multi Picking Indeed! Doubles, Quads, you are just killing it Soldier!!! The best part is that you keep it tight and on the beat. It doesn't drift when you have to traverse strings which is where it gets trick for most folks.
3.)TIGHT HAND SYNCH!! Your right and left hands, half to "talk" to each other, or the entire thing falls apart. When you hear folks doing "Tremelo" or (TREMEL NO as I call it) they are mostly picking at speed and hoping for the best in terms of the fretting. This is the exact reverse of what this lesson is trying to teach. In this Mission, Each pick Strike is tight to a fretted note. Being able to keep that synch happening, even at speed, is quite an achievement.
Congrats Soldier, you just ...
LEVELED UP!!
You are ready for what lies ahead Soldier. You have a strong grasp of some very tough bits that are required to play the even tougher bits that are coming up. Onward Soldier!!!
Sarge
AP 11 for inspection.. pushing the ragged edge on this one again..
SP
DP
TP
QP
The fact that I tense up when the red light is on is driving me up the wall!!
Si
Posted by: Grappa Feb 4 2017, 01:07 PM
Sarge,
Mission 12 attempted for your review;
SP
DP
TP
QP
Regards,
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson Feb 5 2017, 08:56 PM
WELL FOUGHT SOLDIER!! You really crushed it. Single all the way through quad picking. An impressive performance all the way through. Very clean on technique and timing. Let's debrief!
MEDALS OF HONOR
1.)Very even and steady timing
2.)Great palm mute ( never lifted once)
3.)Smooth precision/speed.
In short you just killed it. Made it look easy! Not something I see often in this lesson or the ones that follow is folks making it look like they didn't break a sweat all the way through quads. You have developed very good endurance and technique. Nice Also, this is your last single chevron badge. Your next mission will take you in to the double chevron class.
For now, you just ...
LEVELED UP!!!
Mission 12 attempted for your review;
SP
DP
TP
QP
Regards,
Si
Posted by: Grappa Feb 19 2017, 12:25 AM
Sarge,
My go at number 13 - the toughest one by some margin so far;
SP
DP
TP
QP
Regards,
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson Feb 19 2017, 03:36 AM
IMPRESSIVE!! Soldier, this is what I call a "Scale Inversion" and this is a "Full Scale Inversion" where we both ascend and descend the entire scale. The goal of this is to teach you a new way to run a given scale. This same method can be used on ANY scale. Major, Minor, even Blues. I challenge you to take this and apply it to any other scale you like just to see if you can fight your way through it. if you have the general idea of this pattern down, you can sort of "ear ball" your way through other scales using the same approach. In subsequent lessons we will do just that
For now, let's debrief!!!....
MEDALS OF HONOR
*KILLER RIGHT HAND CENTER/MUTE TECHNIQUE: You are keeping your right hand nice and centered which can take a lifetime to get right. You already have a very good handle on it. It's not right for every situation but it's ideal for these missions and many other things and you are really killing it!
*KILLER PICKING TECHNIQUE: You are using very tight pick strikes which work perfect for this Mission and are almost required to make it play smoothly. If you overcommit to any one pick strike, it ruins the flow of this lick. It sounds like a glitch. The lick is very long and has a lot of notes, so it's hard to play it start to finish without any hiccups which is the lesson to be learned from this mission. E.G. being able to play complex bits in a sustained fashion. Again you killed it.
*KILLER LEFT HAND TECHNIQUE: There is a good size stretch in this in addition to very awkward finger placement. This is a "Finger Twister". Again, part of the "Playing long complex bits in a sustained fashion" and you killed it on the left hand as well as the right. Congrats!!
In other words, you just..
LEVELED UP!!!!
*Also you got your first DOUBLE CHEVRON BADGE
My go at number 13 - the toughest one by some margin so far;
SP
DP
TP
QP
Regards,
Si
Posted by: Grappa Feb 20 2017, 11:34 AM
Thanks Sarge.
Using the inversion on pentatonic shapes has tuned me into Eric Johnson! Well not quite sadly...Never realised he was doing this!
Regard,
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson Feb 20 2017, 09:54 PM
Eric Johnson uses this technique on pentatonic/blues scales a LOT It's one of the things that makes him sound like "him". He is one of the few folks I've heard do it really well on blues scales, as it's a bit awkward to play on blues scales. Then again, it's a bit awkward to play on any scale Once you have a handle on it, I say try it on every scale you know It can help you sound like "you" and begin to develop your own signature style
I LOVE the way it works on blues scales. Also on Harmonic minor. Not easy but cool sounding
Sarge
Using the inversion on pentatonic shapes has tuned me into Eric Johnson! Well not quite sadly...Never realised he was doing this!
Regard,
Si
Posted by: Grappa Mar 5 2017, 04:41 PM
Sarge,
AP 14 up for your review.
SP
DP
TP
Ran out of time for QP version but will post at some point soon.
Regards,
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson Mar 6 2017, 12:22 AM
WOW!! I gotta say this is impressive Soldier!!! Such control! Let's debrief.
MEDALS OF HONOR
*PICK CONTROL/SYNCH: You have great alternate picking technique going on here. Also, the right left hand synch is spot on as well. This is not an easy lick to get the hang of for many folks. You make it look easy. Nice!
*TEMPO/PRECISION: Each string lines up with the metronome which gets tougher as you start multi picking with this type of lick. You killed it!! Nice and tight.
*PALM MUTE: One of the hardest things to teach and learn, you maintain a very solid palm mute without shifting your hand which allows you to keep the mute solid on all strings no matter which one you are playing. This is the entire point of this Mission. To almost force your hand to mute all the strings. That's why the pattern is played on each string while leaving the other open. If there is a gap in your mute, you will hearing. Not for you, zero gap.
In short this is one of the best I've ever seen on this Mission and I'll be pointing other students to it as an example of how it's done. Well fought soldier!
In other words you just....
LEVELED UP!!!
AP 14 up for your review.
SP
DP
TP
Ran out of time for QP version but will post at some point soon.
Regards,
Si
Posted by: Grappa May 8 2017, 08:22 PM
Sarge,
Hope all is well and apologies I've been MIA for a while...
Please find my go at AP15. Tough this as I've never tried economy picking before and trying to get the timing of this right with both alternate, economy and legato (to make the lick work for crossing strings with economy) is a pig!
Low
High
Let me know.
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson May 8 2017, 09:47 PM
Very well Fought Soldier!! Good to see you back in the game! This lick combines a LOT of things together at once and you nailed it I can tell you put the work in. I would like to see you do this also as a DOUBLE PICKING lick where you don' use legato on the first Triad bit, instead, pick every single note twice. You may have to slow it down a pinch, but it will feel very different doing it this way.
Sarge
Posted by: Grappa May 9 2017, 08:37 PM
Sarge,
See my go at DP with economy string crossing.
Let me know.
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson May 9 2017, 09:39 PM
BINGO!!!!! Well fought Soldier!! Just to make it tough the lick is "Assymetrical" and not quite evenly balanced which makes it feel like you almost have to fight the timing to get it to line up. You did a great job on it!!! Let's debrief.
MEDALS OF HONOR
*Legato and Pizzicato: You did a great job of the "Tripeggio"technique using legato and you did a great job picking every note. Doing it both ways forces your hand to adapt in ways that it might not otherwise have had to. Also it allows you to find your path for traversing strings. Well done!
*Synch O Patience: Your right/left hand synch is very tight and this type of lick will really not work unless it's really tight. If your synch drifts, this lick will make it stick out like a sore thumb! Your synch is spot on and smooth as glass!
*Traversely Traversing: The string traverse in this lick is tough, especially once you start multi picking!! you found a great balance of AP and EP and the result is a well played lick that rings with precision.
In short you just, LEVELED UP!!!!!
Sarge,
See my go at DP with economy string crossing.
Let me know.
Si
Posted by: Grappa May 14 2017, 12:16 PM
Sarge,
Hope all is well.
Please find my go at AP16.. Starting to feel a little more fluid now.
Let me know.
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson May 15 2017, 02:48 AM
NICE!!! This Mission is all about maintaining your balance, as it were, while dancing across 3 strings. There is ample chance to choke at any point along the way. The picking, the hand synch, the traverse, the mute, any slip up on any of these and it sticks out like the proverbial sore thumb. In other words, any mistakes are glaring. You may have noticed this as you worked on the mission. You just can't hide any faulty bits. That said, there was no need for you to hide any faulty bits as you were SPOT ON in your playing!!! You have a very good command of string traverse, hand synch and picking.
I want to push you a bit farther again. Give me this same thing, but do it DOUBLE PICKED!!! This may force you to slow down a pinch but that is OK. It will feel a bit different doing two strikes instead of one per note. But it's worth doing. Double picking over a 3 string traverse is a great way to work your picking!!!
Sarge
Hope all is well.
Please find my go at AP16.. Starting to feel a little more fluid now.
Let me know.
Si
Posted by: Grappa May 18 2017, 08:52 PM
Sarge,
Here's my go at double and quad picking the above.
DP
QP
Let me know what you think..
Regards,
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson May 20 2017, 04:44 AM
This is what I like to see Soldier!!!! Precision and steady, solid, playing. This is a tough bit to play, not to mention trying to play them using Multi Picking! Never the less, you dug in deep and really showed what you are made of!! Let's debrief!...
MEDALS OF HONOR
*MULTI PICKING FROM HELL: You were spot on in your double and your quads. This lick requires you to traverse 3 strings!! This is hard enough, but then to add doubles and quads on top! It's a monster. You slayed the beast Soldier!
*SYNCH FROM HELL: Not once did I hear you slip synch. Despite the traversing, despite the crazy picking, your synch was dead on!
*MUTING FROM HELL: You didn;'t live your mute once!!! Every note is separate and distinct. Sometimes folk let's then blend together to try to hide bits that are needing work. NOT YOU! Every note properly muted and distinct.
In short Soldier, you just....
LEVELED UP!!!!
Here's my go at double and quad picking the above.
DP
QP
Let me know what you think..
Regards,
Si
Posted by: Grappa Aug 19 2018, 10:21 PM
Hi Sarge,
Back in the game again at last after a long layoff.
Here's my go at AP17 - I'm a little on the rusty side
Let me know what you think.
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson Aug 20 2018, 03:23 AM
Welcome Back!!!!!!
NICE!!!! This is exactly what I want you to get out of this one. Controlled Alternate Picking with a good palm mute that keeps each note separate and distinct. It's easy to want to push this one too hard and end up in sloppsville, which is a band thing. The good news is that you keep it under control and play with precision!! Let's Debrief!
MEDALS OF HONOR
*PALM DANDY: Nice palm muting!! This is critical on a lick like this as it's non stop string traverse. If one fails to mute properly, you get just wads of string noise and it heads again towards slop. Not so here. You keep a good mute the entire time and each note is distinct.
*SYNCH LIKE A CLOCK: You have very good hand synch on this one which is great because this is NOT an easy one to keep synch on. It's got a lot of notes in it so it's very easy to lose ones place and pick a note that you are not fretting. The right and left hands can get separated and the results sound bad. Not so again! Here you show a great example of one hand talking to the other.
*PACE NOT RACE: Poor pacing can wreck this lick as well. It's easy to rush the bits that seem easier and then lag the bits that feel more complex. You did a great job of keeping it nice and even. Smooth as glass.
In short you KRUSHED it!!!! You are more than ready for what lay ahead! Onward!!!
Back in the game again at last after a long layoff.
Here's my go at AP17 - I'm a little on the rusty side
Let me know what you think.
Si
Posted by: Grappa Oct 11 2019, 10:20 PM
I feel the need - the need for speed!
Time to get back on the horse again..
I'll have a go again over the next week and away we go again.
Si
Posted by: Todd Simpson Oct 12 2019, 04:37 AM
Go for it Soldier!!!!
Sarge
Time to get back on the horse again..
I'll have a go again over the next week and away we go again.
Si
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