After working on a few licks lately, I've decided that I've formed a few bad habits. *When I worked on fixing them, I couldn't believe how much easier they were to play. *So here's a few tips:
* When tapping like Vai does (with the middle finger while the index and thumb hold the pick), make sure you're not resting your tapping finger on the pick or bringing it back close to your pick in between hammer ons. *Make sure your index and thumb do all the picking and your tapping finger can stay out there ready to hit the next note. *This tip made the solo to Juice a bajillion times easier. *
* Develop your pinky. *Everyone from Adrian Campbel to
Van Halen say that a strong pinky can pull your playing out of dull pentatonics. *Develop strong pinky technique by running all your favorite scales and practice routines using only your index finger and pinky. *Try to incorporate your pinky anywhere it's an easier reach. *play a pentatonic scale and fret the upper notes with your pinky. *
* Play it clean. *Practice without distortion with a little bit of echo. *This will force you not to rely on the added sustain that distortion gives you. *This way you'll be more articulate. *The echo will let you hear the clarity of the notes you play.
* Focus on each note. *Pick out a passage that you have trouble with and slow it down. *Really concentrate on getting each note correctly. *Start from the beginning and work it out note by note. *Don't move on to the 3rd note until you play the first two correctly. *This is painstaking, but it pays off.
