Picking inconsistencies...

[nvn]

..or what to call it. I noticed a very disturbing thing recently. I don't even know what's most disturbing, the thing in itself or me noticing it so late (must depend on what I've been playing).

Anyway, here goes...I was playing a long sequence (which spans across all the neck, all strings) in even 16th's at 120 bpm. Normally I blend alternate picking with hammer-ons/pull-offs when playing passages like this but for some reason I decided to play it using strictly alternate picking, all the way. I found this ridiculously hard at that speed.

Now, the reason I mention this is that I can play it quite easily with alternate picking at a higher tempo (and lower too, of course) - 160 bpm wasn't a problem at all. But somewhere around 112-126 bpm seems to be some sort of "grey zone", where my picking hand for some reason is a lot more tense than it should be (and is, at lower/higher tempi). Picking feels quite awkward to say the least.

I refuse to believe that I'm the only one in the universe to have come across this phenomenon. Have any of you guys noticed the same thing? In that case, which approach did you use to get rid of the problem?

I just find it very strange.


cheers

[shawn]

i know exactly what youre talking about.

for me, there are two zones of picking:
the slower, where im syncing every stroke to every note; then the faster, where the right hand is basically the feel of a controlled tremolo picking technique where im thinking more in a "pulse" of 4 or 8 notes to a sync point instead of every note.

what i did was find the crossover point, that small bpm area that was the grey area, and learn to consciously play each style of picking (single note sync and pulse sync) over the grey area -- effectively melding the two styles such that i could control and use each where appropriate and not let them just pop out as they see fit.

and for those that dont quite understand what we're talking about: its the difference between your regular controlled picking style and your "burst of speed" picking style that is a little less controlled but still accurate.

hope this helps.
--shawn

[Mr Orange]

I took a lazier path: I still practice picking, but don't sweat about it anymore. When I play I mix economy, sweep & alt picking with legato playing very randomly, so why should I bore myself to the extremes practicing alt picking fanatically?

I really dig Dave Fiuczynski's advice: "Find the easiest technique to play the line and move on." The line matters, not the execution method.
If you really think about it, every other instrumentalists play legato if they only can (tricky on piano). Imagine Coltrane & Parker tonguing all the notes... would sound like ****! Only guitarists are obsessed with that tick-tack sound.

Bottom line, try to prioritize music, technical development will follow.

[nvn]

Shawn, thank you very much for the answer, seems like an excellent approach. It's (most likely) a mental thing all together, I believe large part of being a musician lies in unity between mental and physical ability...which brings us to my next comment.

Mr Orange, I get your point, but as I said; to me it's about getting rid of limitations between mind and body. Even if I typically don't play endless alternate picking sequences, I certainly want to have the option to do so. To me, growing as a musician (and a composer, and a human being etc) means constant development; understanding my weak points, and getting rid of them. I believe things are related to each other, and often so in a way not apparent from the very beginning - which in this case could mean that if I neglect the identified problem, it might have negative effects on later development in areas far from this one.

Concerning that "tick-tack sound", it's exactly that; a sound. It sounds different than legato, just as it does on for example the violin if you bow every note or play them legato. Different occasions might call for different sound. So, as I said, it's about having the option.

Your bottom line, "try to prioritize music, technical development will follow", is of course the right approach. My problem is that the "artistic part" so to speak has never been a problem, or a limitation, for me - I've written music since I was 6 years old, and I've studied composition/theory/various instruments ever since. I've got perfect pitch so I picked up stuff really fast...except for pure technical ability. Most of my life I've felt inhibited by not being technically (in the mechanical aspect) able to express my ideas, so what I'm trying to do now is to get my body to catch up with my mind. That's probably gonna take some woodshedding but hey, a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.

Heh, seems like I drifted a bit of subject here. But MY bottom line would be something like "try to prioritize music, technical development will follow - but keep an eye on both". Anyway, thanks for the comments (which in a nice Yin&Yang-fashion delt with both technique and emotion). Hope I didn't sound like an [fill in the blank right here]...if I did I apologize and blame it on coffee deficiency (or the boogie, for that sake). :P


kind regards

[OME]

Break out the metronome...start at 100bpm......and go thru......200bpm.
Try double time beats to.....skip from 60bpm direct to 120bpm etc....
Don't forget to start with 8th's and go to 32nd's and 64th's and up with all the excersies.....this should wipe out that grey zone.

[BrianH]

Whats happening is you have speed without control. I don't know a guitarist yet you hasn't experienced this. You can do it at much faster tempos but at some slower ones you can't hang. I think someone above said it, just start the metronome slow and work up to that speed until you can control it.

[nvn]

Ah, metronome usage is another interesting subject. I believe some part of the explanation to this picking problem of mine might be that I didn't use the metronome correctly in my earlier days...I used to find a tempo in which I could play every single one of the exercises I did (no matter difficulty) and stick to that tempo rigidly for a week or two, then move it up one notch. Insanity. No wonder my technique seemed to progress slowly. Oh well. Thanks for the advice fellas, appreciate it.