How fast can you palm mute?

403 · #1 03-10-2003, 03:53 PM

I can go as far as 4 16th notes per beat on cca. 100 beats per minute (or 2 8th notes per beat on cca 200). I presume this is somewhere in the middle, not that fast but not slow either.

What about you?

edit: only downpicking, no alternate

Joel Lyndgohrd · #2 03-11-2003, 04:02 AM

I have no idea...

403 · #3 03-11-2003, 10:12 AM

heh 50 or so views and one "no idea" reply

no one practices rhythm by playing along a steady beat on a metronome?

you should

vaijem777 · #4 03-11-2003, 10:14 AM

Please refrain from advising people as to what they "should" be doing. It's obvious by the lack of replies that not everybody sees the importance in how fast one can palm mute. Opinions are great, but please keep try to avoid "preaching".

caprile · #5 03-11-2003, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 403

heh 50 or so views and one "no idea" reply

no one practices rhythm by playing along a steady beat on a metronome?

you should

personally, when I play, I worry about having fun instead of pacing myself to a machine.

Have fun!.......you should

Drew · #6 03-11-2003, 11:15 AM

Are you sure you're counting beats correctly? 16th note downstrokes at 100 bpm is the equivalent of 16th note alternate picking at 200 bpm, and that's bloody fast.

Lately i've been practicing chromatic drills where i'll do one string all upstrokes, the next all downstrokes, and so on, to give new life to the picking drills i already know. It's done wonders to even out my picking attack... I don't remember what sort of speeds i was doing this at, and i'm too lazy to pull out my metronome, but i think maybe somewhere around 8th notes at 160 was about where i maxed out... I was using my drum synth program to do a simple beat with an 8th notehigh hat fill and a kick on the one and snare on the 3 to make it a little more interesting and to really give me a means to make sure i was perfectly locked into the beat, if you're wondering why i was doing 8ths and not 16ths... anyway, that's both a useful drill suggestion for your alternate picking chops, and a serious question- are you sure you weren't talking 8th notes? that's still fairly brisk...

Then again, i guess all you metallica fans (and you're probably one, if you worry about the speed you can palm-mute using only downstrokes- wasn't it hetfield who was big on that?) might practice that sort of thing more than the rest of us would...

-Drew

Two hands31 · #7 03-11-2003, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drew

wasn't it hetfield who was big on that?

Yep. Master of Puppets is all down-stroked, and it's way too bleedin' fast for me. And they can apparently go faster.

Reaper · #8 03-11-2003, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drew

Are you sure you're counting beats correctly? 16th note downstrokes at 100 bpm is the equivalent of 16th note alternate picking at 200 bpm, and that's bloody fast.

I can't simply convert to alt picking. Believe me, if I could, I'd be able to alt pick a lot faster.

BTW, I don't know the metronome speed but I can play "Disposable Heroes" along with the album...

Drew · #9 03-11-2003, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reaper

I can't simply convert to alt picking. Believe me, if I could, I'd be able to alt pick a lot faster.

Reaper- try practicing chromatics with just upstrokes against a metronome for a while, then. If you can't convert directly from downstrokes at half time to alternate picking at regular time, then it must mean your upstroke is weaker than your downstroke. Tighten up that weakest link and you oughta see marked improvements in your alternate picking. Stands to reason, right?

-Drew

403 · #10 03-11-2003, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vaijem777

Please refrain from advising people as to what they "should" be doing. It's obvious by the lack of replies that not everybody sees the importance in how fast one can palm mute. Opinions are great, but please keep try to avoid "preaching".

I wouldn't want to be picking fights with the mods hehe but the thing is you should was meant as in "you should it did wonders for me"

I did direct this towards the metal heads, since palm muting is such a big part of metal rhythm playing (you mentioned metallica - look what only downstrokes did to their sound)

caprile - don't tell me you never practice? - for me doing this IS rather boring but I know that if I do put some effort in it right now, sometime in the future I'll be able to express myself better and more clearly - to each his own eh?

drew - well if I am right I put the metronome to cca. 100 quarter notes per minute and then palm mute 4 notes per beat - those are 16s right? btw. that's a neat exercise you mentioned - I'll try it

Silent_planet · #11 03-11-2003, 04:43 PM

I used to do all that palm muted downstrokes stuff when I first started playing guitar (following Metallica), but then as I started alternate picking, I've found that I just can't do that all downstrokes rhythm, it just feels too un-natural.

403 · #12 03-11-2003, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silent_planet

I used to do all that palm muted downstrokes stuff when I first started playing guitar (following Metallica), but then as I started alternate picking, I've found that I just can't do that all downstrokes rhythm, it just feels too un-natural.

it is much easier to alternate pick the rhythm but it weakens your sound - you can test it if you want, play a riff using downstrokes and then the same with alternate picking - the difference is quite audible

I find it easy to switch from one picking to the other, dunno maybe this is due to me being a rhythm oriented guitarist for a long time

vaijem777 · #13 03-11-2003, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 403

I wouldn't want to be picking fights with the mods hehe but the thing is you should was meant as in "you should it did wonders for me"

"But the thing is you should was meant as in"? I'm sorry...but those 10 words, put together in that order make my head hurt so much that I can barely put it in to words. Please...though we do encourage and invite members from all over the world, it does make it easier for all involved if you actually respond in English, or at least something vaguely resembling it.

If you would like to offer technique advice, please do so under the "Guitar Lessons & Music Theory" topic, since it really doesn't have anything to do with "Players, Bands, People, Music & Tours". (music being recorded music-not music in general)

This thread has been moved to it's proper resting place.

Cheers!

Silent_planet · #14 03-11-2003, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 403

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silent_planet

I used to do all that palm muted downstrokes stuff when I first started playing guitar (following Metallica), but then as I started alternate picking, I've found that I just can't do that all downstrokes rhythm, it just feels too un-natural.

it is much easier to alternate pick the rhythm but it weakens your sound - you can test it if you want, play a riff using downstrokes and then the same with alternate picking - the difference is quite audible

I find it easy to switch from one picking to the other, dunno maybe this is due to me being a rhythm oriented guitarist for a long time

Well, I still do downpick sometimes depending on what I'm playing, I agree that there's certainly a more forced accented feel to downpicking which is great for thrash metal rhythm, but alternate picked rhythm has its times too me thinks.

Drew · #15 03-11-2003, 09:07 PM

Depends on how you define "beat." If you're talking four notes per quarter note, with a quarter note as one beat, then yes. if not, then no.

And upstrokes only sound weaker if they are- if your pickstrokes are perfectly even and perfectly on time, then they should sound virtually indistinguishable.

Vaijem- if you add some punctuation, it works: But, the thing is... "you should" was meant as in, ""you should, it did wonders for me." Clearer?

-Drew