speed excercises

yurich · #1 05-20-2002, 01:34 AM

I've recently got into heavily excercising my speed (mostly alternate picking)..my picking hand could use some chops, it's slow and often can't keep up with my left hand. Can you guys suggest me riffs to practice?

currently, I'm trying (hard) to master these three riffs:

Master Of Puppets (the really fast part played on frets 1-4 on the two low strings)
Through the Never (pretty easy, I almost do it at normal speed)
Survivor (yes, the Destiny's Child song...go ahead and laugh, but that is pretty freakin hard)

now, I also wouldn't mind being able to play fast downpicking, and if you guys know other techniques to improve speed, please share!

Thanks a lot

BrianH · #2 05-20-2002, 01:45 AM

Hey dude, well I can pick about anything... however I use a picking technique similar to Frank Gambales speed picking method, but slightly different and better IMHO.

if you want to hear about it and some excercises, let me know. I'll throw some stuff your way.

yurich · #3 05-20-2002, 11:23 AM

yes, I'm definately interested. I'm thinking the way I hold the pick may also have to do with it

BrianH · #4 05-22-2002, 04:49 AM

Hey dude, I'm going to post something for you tomorrow(well today actually its so late). I've been so busy with work the last two days(odd for me) I'm just now getting to the forum tonight.

As a teaser though.. with my technique, you can sweep, speed pick, finger pick and tap without ever having to change the way you hold the pick, once you learn the way I hold mine. I'll explain everything.. and give you a practice routine to use, that will work no matter what technique you choose, though I suggest you either use mine(or similar) or strict alternate picking.

disassociative1 · #5 05-22-2002, 09:48 AM

i had a few probs like that the way i got everything to speed up was by simply doing loads of liks and alternate picking all the time

i find if u angle the pick to the side it helps

but what do i know

kingpheeel · #6 05-22-2002, 11:42 AM

That particular riff in Master of Puppets is strictly downpicked ONLY. Thats right - no alternate picking!!

BrianH · #7 05-22-2002, 11:56 AM

If he is talking about the part I think he is, I alternate pick(my style) that part. I don't think he is talking about the very beginning part, but a little ways into the intro.

**jemsite** · #8 05-22-2002, 12:03 PM

most of puppets is downstrokes, including the intro at position-I

...glen

BrianH · #9 05-22-2002, 12:37 PM

I suppose alot of riffs can be picked different ways. I say use whatever gives you the tone or ease that works. For me, I alternate pick parts of puppets... everyone has their own style. I have no problems alternate picking puppets because my up strokes are just as prominent as my down strokes. Some can't alternate pick puppets cause it doesn't 'sound right' because their up strokes are 'weaker' than the down ones.

I'll post the info on my picking technique and excercises after work today. laterz....

**jemsite** · #10 05-22-2002, 12:42 PM

i'm not saying what is the better way to pick or whatever

It's just that those riffs must be downpicked only to nail the puppets tone. See crazy train position-II main riff as well. There is no way around it

Kev Brigden · #11 05-22-2002, 02:17 PM

I actually find it easier to play fast and improve my speed by trying the odd bit of legato now and again...

ya gotta love Legato in Lydian!!!

BrianH · #12 05-23-2002, 01:48 AM

Pictures of how I hold my pick are here. This is important if you use my exact technique.

http://www.angelfire.com/blues/brian_h/pick.html

The pick is a Jim Dunlop Jazz3, its very small and very stiff. The pick is held over the thumb joint. This is important as this allows you to finger pick with your thumb and last two or three fingers by only changing the angle of your wrist. Holding the pick like this also lets you do reverse pinch harmonics, which are an important part of my style. Doing reverse pinch harmonics lends itself when doing fast runs and adding them in the midst of the run. When tapping use your middle finger. Now you don't have to move the pick at all to bring your fingers into the action. Also I've found this technique very stable, I can easily keep the trem arm in my pinky finger and play whole runs without altering the pitch of the notes until needed ala Micheal Lee Firkins without his inconvienent method of slipping the pick inside ur hand.

As far as how I pick, I use alternate picking, but when changing strings I always use either a down stroke, when going from low to high, or up stroke, when going from high to low. I DO NOT have special fingerings as suggested by Frank Gambale, I've found they are not needed and you can master this technique to the point that it feels so natural, fast and you don't have to have special fingerings and turn arounds to make it work.

Ok, I'm way tired and will leave actual excercise(which they are probably on the site here somewhere, I'll look and see so I don't repeat anything) for tomorrow. I'm off to bed.

raijin · #13 05-31-2002, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianH

As far as how I pick, I use alternate picking, but when changing strings I always use either a down stroke, when going from low to high, or up stroke, when going from high to low.

Here in Japan, this technique is referred to as "economy picking." Anyone know if this is the same term used in English? I ask because many of the terms used over here in English (yes, we use a lot of English words here) are simply not used anywhere else...

- raijin

ps I absolutely agree with Glen on the MOP riff. You just can't nail that particular tone using alternate picking.

BrianH · #14 05-31-2002, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raijin

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianH

As far as how I pick, I use alternate picking, but when changing strings I always use either a down stroke, when going from low to high, or up stroke, when going from high to low.

Here in Japan, this technique is referred to as "economy picking." Anyone know if this is the same term used in English? I ask because many of the terms used over here in English (yes, we use a lot of English words here) are simply not used anywhere else...

- raijin

ps I absolutely agree with Glen on the MOP riff. You just can't nail that particular tone using alternate picking.

Well when I came up with this technique I thought it was original, then I found out Frank Gambale had a book about it called Speed Picking. I don't know what would be a good proper name for it.

I still disagree on the MOP thing, I can pull it off, but then thats the great thing about the forum, I'm allowed to disagree, but I don't think its a big enough deal to worry about it. As Bruce Lee taught, absorb what is useful, discard whats useless and add whats specifically your own.

raijin · #15 05-31-2002, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianH

Well when I came up with this technique I thought it was original, then I found out Frank Gambale had a book about it called Speed Picking. I don't know what would be a good proper name for it.

I was using the same picking style myself until I discovered that for me, I can get much more stability in my sound with alternate picking. As for the name, it's commonly referred to as economy picking here in Japan but like I said, this could be something used only here. This particular picking style has been adopted by many guitarists. If you look in some issues of the Japanese magazine Young Guitar, you'll sometimes find lessons using this technique (not that you need any!!!).

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianH

As Bruce Lee taught, absorb what is useful, discard whats useless and add whats specifically your own.

I like that.

- raijin