Giving my alternate picking an overhaul. :)
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I-love-my-ibanez.
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So after a week of almost completely screwing up my right elbow, I’ve decided to give my picking a complete overhaul. So as with when I first started, I am starting everything off very slowly and going back to the basics.
This all really comes out of a need for me to pick in a more natural fashion. To where my picking hand is always relaxed and am not putting and tension on my forearm.
It seems for years I had always been somewhat forcing my picking hand to play in a way that was not smooth and natural and always seemed to cause some stress.
So now comes the long journey onto speed picking. It should be quite interesting to track my progress and see how everything develops. Seriously, this is like the 3rd time I’ve had to change my picking style. :p
Anyways, wish me luck! š
Also, if any of you have any special patterns that might help me along, feel free to post them. I just started jazz guitar lessons at the Conservatory downtown and want to incorporate more things into my practice regime. I think also I’m going to ask my teacher if he can give me more things to work on.
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Hey Robert!
Join the club! I actually thought you were a fine picker when I checked out some of your lesson stuff here on IG, but from the way you explained things, you’re DEFINITELY doing this for all the right reasons and (I’m sure) with the patience, concentration, work-ethic, and visualization necessary to reach your goals! I too am in the middle of just such an undertaking, and I must admit, it’s frustrating at times (I literally got WORSE before I just recently got better than where I was at before I started the overhaul.) I’ve spoken to many fine expert pickers/instructors about my changes – which start with pick-grip, right-hand anchor-point/postion, pick-guaging, and range-of-motion/mechanics. In short, EVERYTHING!!! I used to hold the pick between my thumb and the FRONT of my index finger – picture where you would leave a fingerprint. This pick-grip put my pick-motion on two different axis’ – as Steve Morse put it, who holds the pick a bit like I used to. However, Steve, being the obsessive practicer that he was/is, was able to minimize any extraneous thumb and index-finger joint movement. I I had WAY too many moving parts! Also, my pick-guaging (the amount of pick digging into the string) caused WAY too much resistance. I also had a “back-angle” to my pick’s striking point, which in and of itself wasn’t such a bad thing (think Neal Schon, Vernon Reid, George Benson) so that’s how I kept my pick-resistance within reason, but I “dug-in” too much anyways. Other than those 4 or 5 MAJOR ISSUES, I was fine! (LOL!) Now, in an effort to pick MORE-RELAXED, MORE EFFICIENTLY, with LESS-RESISTANCE (very tipof-pick only!), displacing LESS PICK MOTION (from one side of each string, to the other side of each string only!) I’ve concluded (with the help of a lot of experts’ advice and my private instructor’s (Ethan Brosh guidance) that if I do ALL OF THESE THINGS, then without moving the pick any quicker, I will be MUCH FASTER and MORE ACCURATE through the simple physics of velocity:
Velocity = Change-in-Distance/Change-in-time
THEREFORE:
Change-in-Time = Change-in-Distance/Velocity
THERFORE, with a fixed pick-speed (Velocity), my elapsed-time between picked notes will become will decrease (thus FASTER TEMPOS POSSIBLE) as my pick’s overall displaced distance DECREASES! Sorry for the GEEK SCIENCE-MATH!!!
It all makes sense when I watch guys like Guthrie Govan, Theodore Ziras, Tiago Della Vega, and even IG’s Rick Graham, Richard Lundmark, etc!
Best of luck Robert. I’ll be busting-ass while you do!
~Bill Meehan
I think I lost you at “Hey Robert” hahahaha
But I totally get what your saying Bill. It’s good that you’re in the same position I am in when changing your picking style. It sucked for me because I ALWAYS had tried to pick like John Petrucci because he has such a fluid style when I would watch his picking hand. But every time I would try, my hand would move in a different direction. So when it would do that, I would almost force my hand to where the pick was parallel with the string in order to get that sharp attack I was looking for. But in doing that I was sacrificing comfort for tone.
So now I looked at my hand again and decided to pick in the way that my hand naturally falls to, which is with the pick at an angle. Almost like how Paul Gilbert has his. And even after only 2 days I can really feel a difference in my picking hand, both in terms of accuracy and range of motion. Everything feels alot smoother. But I think it has to do with me really focusing on doing things in a nice relaxed manner, not pushing anything, and taking baby steps along the way. (well…now that I look at it, I MIGHT be rushing things a little bit)
And I implore you to bust my ass every step of the way. That’s the only way I’ll get anything done! :p
Hey Robert “The Fingers,”
Great job on “Erotomania” BTW! Again best-of-luck with your picking too. Paul Gilbert is an excellent “alternate-picking” model! I’ll be glad to check-in on your progress, if you do the same for me! Realize that we’re at two different levels of proficiency (even though I’ve been playing for longer than you’ve been alive!) I SUCK! There’s no “Erotomanias” in MY reportoire! To give you an idea, I can do the 4-notes-per-string chromatics drill at sixteenths= (approx.)144BPM and 3-NPS Diatonic Sixteenths=(approx.)125BPM. (These metronome settings pale-by-comparison to what I expect YOURS to be – like sixteenths @ 200-plus!, right?!?) I certainly expect these numbers to go up, because I never used to be as serious as I currently am (which would explain why I SUCK after 27-plus years of playing!) Anyways, I’m gonna try to put a simple video-rig together soon to start uploading some stuff to YouYube. I’ll keep you posted if you want. Thanks for replying “Fingers!”
~Bill Meehan
RobertM20 AKA “Fingers”
KILLING job in “Erotomania,” specifically from (5:10 – 5:24). Now there’s some ALTERNATE PICKING!!!
~Bill Meehan~
@RobertM20 4777 wrote:
I think I lost you at “Hey Robert” hahahaha
But I totally get what your saying Bill. It’s good that you’re in the same position I am in when changing your picking style. It sucked for me because I ALWAYS had tried to pick like John Petrucci because he has such a fluid style when I would watch his picking hand. But every time I would try, my hand would move in a different direction. So when it would do that, I would almost force my hand to where the pick was parallel with the string in order to get that sharp attack I was looking for. But in doing that I was sacrificing comfort for tone.
So now I looked at my hand again and decided to pick in the way that my hand naturally falls to, which is with the pick at an angle. Almost like how Paul Gilbert has his. And even after only 2 days I can really feel a difference in my picking hand, both in terms of accuracy and range of motion. Everything feels alot smoother. But I think it has to do with me really focusing on doing things in a nice relaxed manner, not pushing anything, and taking baby steps along the way. (well…now that I look at it, I MIGHT be rushing things a little bit)
And I implore you to bust my ass every step of the way. That’s the only way I’ll get anything done! :p
RobertM20,
One more quick note then I’ll shut-up! We were alluding to the impoirtance of relaxation specifically when picking fast or difficult passages, correct? Well, I forgot to mention (besides Yngwie, who’s very relaxed in his picking hand when shredding!) that there are a few players/instructors RIGHT HERE at Infinite Guitar that I think are VERY relaxed:
– Rick Graham
– Tom QuayleEven though it’s totally different, watch Rick play nylon-classical. It’s RIDICULOUS how relaxed he remains!!!
That’s it chief.
Over-and-out!
Pickin’ & Grinnin’
~Bill Meehan
Ok, first real update on my situation. I’m sure this is more for my sake than anything, but if you seem to care, more power to ya. š
After a few weeks of really getting used to using a new pick (I have now stopped using jazz III’s They’re just too small now. hahaha) and really trying to get the new handle and way of picking down, I seem to be having a smooth time. One major thing I stopped doing, which REALLY helped, was anchoring my right hand pinky. Once I stopped that, it was like “Wow!”:D
Along with that I have a wider range of motion so to speak, and also things seem to feel alot smoother when i am picking. Coupled with those changes in the way I pick, I also am now taking Jazz guitar lessons at the Music Conservatory in downtown Milwaukee (to kinda get some training in for when I go for my Bachelors Degree next year), and from all the Bebop tunes I have been learning, my picking technique has become alot more fluid and also it is getting to be more precise.
There are still alot of hurdles that need to be jumped over, but overall things seem to be going at a pace that seems very adequate to me. It still feels odd playing anything standing up with my new found picking, but I’m sure it will smooth out over time as long as I keep at it. And on an unrelated note, seeing as how I mentioned my Jazz guitar lessons, I am finding that my rhythm coping is getting better. It’s not great, but it is better than when I first walked in with my first lesson with Paul.
Now to balance out all that good news, I am out of a job for now. Why? ECONOMY IS #@&$. I am trying to get back into one through the temp service that I am “working” for. I really hope that this band with my sax player gets up and running very soon. We might have FINALLY found a bass player that is willing to work with us (if only temporarily)
Okely dokely, that is all for now. But stay tuned!
*We now return to ‘Judge Judy‘ already in progress*
Hey Robert!
Of course I wanna know! We promised to stay on each other’s case about our progress! :p
I’m glad to hear that you’re still at it and taking lessons. That’s good. I’m still taking lessons too (I’m studying with a “shred-specialist” guy from the Boston-Area – where I’m from BTW, whose name is Ethan Brosh. Below is a link of him from NAMM 2008 – { It has poor sound quality, but he’s ripping-it-up pretty good! } in case you’re interested. Even though I started playing guitar in the 80’s, I was never really into this style until recently believe-it-or-not! I mean I like some of the guitarists from the 80’s, but I thought the songs in general were pretty stupid! I liked late 60’s – late 70’s bands & songs better in general (Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Aerosmith, Rush, Boston, Van Halen, UFO, etc.) When the 80’s came around with MTV and the androgenous guys w/makeup & hairspray and boring quantized rhythm-sections and sampled snare-drums, etc. etc.!!! I had to draw the line!!! I’ve been teaching professionally in the Boston-Area since 1988 (twenty-years…DAMN I’m OLD!) so I guess when bands STOPPED soloing in the mid-90’s (Thanks a lot Green Day, Blink 182, Limp Bizkit, ….aw man, I’m gonna barf!!!)I think I started yearning for the days of hairspray and eyeliner again!!! (Atleast those guys could PLAY! Anyways, I digress.. Here’s my teacher at NAMM 2008 – Nashville, TN I think he was endorsing ISP Technologies Decimator Noise Reduction (which I’ve tried and it’s really nice!):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRH7DiwdkbM
So I think your move to “float” your pick-hand and NOT anchor will help you relax. Sure, there are some KILLERS who anchor their pinkies (like: Guthrie Govan, John Petrucci, Tommy Emmanuel, Steve Morse, and Michel Angelo Batio, to name just a few!) However, there are plenty of guys who pick really well who don’t ANCHOR their pinkies (like: Paul Gilbert!)
One think that’s helping (a LOT!) is keeping most of my drills, exercises, motifs, REALLY SHORT! (My teacher is constantly reminding me about this! I guess I’m a slow learner, huh?!?) – lol! It helps though!
I’ll start uploading “yours truly’s” progress, once I get “a bit more impressive!” lol! :rolleyes:
TTYL! š
~Bill Meehan~
Hey RobertM20,
How are you?!? I just wanted to let you know that I’m planning on (finally!) posting some clips of me playing, and the first couple of things I’d like to post are simple picking tutorial exercises that I got from Infinite Guitar Lessons! (I think I’m going to do “Pavel’s Pinky Training,” and Sean’s “Building Speed & Stamina” exercises, because I figure they’re fun, musical, and NOT too difficult! – lol!)
Anyways, I posted a question to Sean re: how to use the backing tracks? Once he “schools-me” on that, then I have to figure out the vid-camera that I’m borrowing, then it’s onto the “Red-light-fever!”
Wish me luck bro!
~Bill Meehan~
@billmeedog 5413 wrote:
Hey RobertM20,
How are you?!? I just wanted to let you know that I’m planning on (finally!) posting some clips of me playing, and the first couple of things I’d like to post are simple picking tutorial exercises that I got from Infinite Guitar Lessons! (I think I’m going to do “Pavel’s Pinky Training,” and Sean’s “Building Speed & Stamina” exercises, because I figure they’re fun, musical, and NOT too difficult! – lol!)
Anyways, I posted a question to Sean re: how to use the backing tracks? Once he “schools-me” on that, then I have to figure out the vid-camera that I’m borrowing, then it’s onto the “Red-light-fever!”
Wish me luck bro!
~Bill Meehan~
Awesome! I can’t wait to hear you play finally. Hopefully you don’t get too nervous when recording like I do. hahahaah. Makes screw-ups alot more plentiful.
I shall probably be putting up another cover or two on youtube. When? I do not know. But when i do it shall be grand and good times will be had by all. lol
Catch ya later.
-Rob.
Hey Rob, (RobertM20)
Thanks for the encouragement! š
I’m looking forward to hearing/seeing your new clips (whenever they may happen!) as I think you’re a “helluva” player! š
I’ll tell ya this much. It’ll be a long, long time before I’m in your league of busting-out any Petrucci solos!!! (LOL!) š®
As far as the “nervousness” goes, (or as I call it: “red-light fever!”) that’s the one good thing about being “as-old-as-dirt” like I am, the sum of your experiences helps to ease the anxiety (either that or a particular beverage of choice! š (Just kidding!)
TTYS! š
~Bill
(Another “update”)
So after some fairly good progress, I seem to have hit a wall/plateau in my picking. I knew that this would happen and said to myself that this is just all part of the learning process, but jesum crow… how I HATE HITTING WALLS! :p
For the last 2-3 weeks, I have been trying to break through it, but I seem to be stuck within the same rut. I am trying to vary the types of things I practice to see if that might help (seeking out new exercises, learning some solos with certain aspects in mind, etc.), but at some points I seem to continue to be stuck.
Oh well, I’ll just keep playing and see if I can get my “Second Wind” so to speak.:D
While I do enjoy practicing 6-8 hours a day, (with breaks in between techniques because as jazz virtuoso Jack grassel says, practicing for extended periods of time can make you dull and unproductive after a while), I have taken the time to revert to something else I love to do besides play… read!
I have taken quite an interest in books by Richard Dawkins, whom is a superb biologist/zoologist and writer to boot. I have gone through his first book “The Selfish Gene” as well as his latest book “The God Delusion” and am now on his ’86 book “The Blind Watchmaker” In that time I have also read Lewis Blacks newest book as well as the latest book by David Baldacci and am also reading a book by Victor Sternger “God: The Failed Hypothesis” I might also go and pick up some book by Stephen King because, oddly enough, I have never read one of his books and it has been a thing LONG overdue in my eyes. š®
Although I do not practice every single day, (which I really should be doing because I have such a neurotic thing about that, being that if I don’t practice for even a DAY, I think that my playing will automatically turn to crap), I try to make up for it by reading, but even so… it still gets me depressed a bit. š
Time for bed!
Hey Robert, š
I’m NOT at all surprised that you are a voracious reader! You are intelligent, and most (NOT all) intelligent people I know love to read! š
Anyways, it sounds like you’ve run into a “typical” progress-rut. I know the feeling, but unfortunately, I don’t know the automatic solution (because I don’t think there is a single universal “magic” solution!) Everyone’s different, and therefore, everyone responds to different stimuli. Do you agree? Anyways, I think that NOT dwelling on your progress and taking an occasional day-off is fine. Although I do probably peak-out at 4-5 hours/day, I know that typically, I don’t average anywhere near that much! (Maybe I should! – LOL!) I also DO NOT count the 4 hours-per-day that I teach (well, realistically, with all the demonstrating and interactive playing I do during lessons, I could maybe count that for about 30 -60 mins-per-day, right?) But even still, teaching others versus solitary “focused-practice” are two different things! :rolleyes:
The only advice I might share with you is to maybe try seeking inspiration from non-musical (or at least NON-GUITAR) influences! Now I KNOW that you despise sports, and that’s OK, I respect that. As much as I LOVE certain sports, (as spectator and participant)I also acknowledge that they (sports) can be a collossal waste of my precious practice time! Hey maybe that’s why you get in 6-8 hrs-per-day, and I average only 2-3 hours-per-day! (LOL!) Seriously though, I have drawn great inspiration from the likes of Tiger Woods,(Best golfer ever!) Bruce Lee,(or any martial artists) and others. Obviously the influence/inspiration comes in much more indirect ways than say, watching an Eric Johnson or John Petrucci instructional video (which I also love to do – that is watch some of my fave’s instructional videos for direct influence. – My latest conquet is the Paul Gilbert DVD called “Get Out Of My Yard.” – It’s cool and excellent for my picking technique!) But I’ve drawn ideas about focus, balance, economy-of-motion, “effortless-power” versus “powerless-effort” (the latter of which I’ve spent many years mastering unfortunately!) from the likes of golfers & martial-artists. So you can see how sometimes, the non-musician influence can yield wonderful “general-conceptual” ideas. See what I mean? Since you hate the sports so much, maybe you could give the “martial-arts/Bruce Lee” thing a try! (LOL!) š
Let me know if you think any of this stuff might or does work for you, and best-of-luck with your progress. š
“Pickin’ & Grinnin’! š
~Bill Meehan~
@billmeedog 6147 wrote:
Hey Robert, š
I’m NOT at all surprised that you are a voracious reader! You are intelligent, and most (NOT all) intelligent people I know love to read! š
Anyways, it sounds like you’ve run into a “typical” progress-rut. I know the feeling, but unfortunately, I don’t know the automatic solution (because I don’t think there is a single universal “magic” solution!) Everyone’s different, and therefore, everyone responds to different stimuli. Do you agree? Anyways, I think that NOT dwelling on your progress and taking an occasional day-off is fine. Although I do probably peak-out at 4-5 hours/day, I know that typically, I don’t average anywhere near that much! (Maybe I should! – LOL!) I also DO NOT count the 4 hours-per-day that I teach (well, realistically, with all the demonstrating and interactive playing I do during lessons, I could maybe count that for about 30 -60 mins-per-day, right?) But even still, teaching others versus solitary “focused-practice” are two different things! :rolleyes:
The only advice I might share with you is to maybe try seeking inspiration from non-musical (or at least NON-GUITAR) influences! Now I KNOW that you despise sports, and that’s OK, I respect that. As much as I LOVE certain sports, (as spectator and participant)I also acknowledge that they (sports) can be a collossal waste of my precious practice time! Hey maybe that’s why you get in 6-8 hrs-per-day, and I average only 2-3 hours-per-day! (LOL!) Seriously though, I have drawn great inspiration from the likes of Tiger Woods,(Best golfer ever!) Bruce Lee,(or any martial artists) and others. Obviously the influence/inspiration comes in much more indirect ways than say, watching an Eric Johnson or John Petrucci instructional video (which I also love to do – that is watch some of my fave’s instructional videos for direct influence. – My latest conquet is the Paul Gilbert DVD called “Get Out Of My Yard.” – It’s cool and excellent for my picking technique!) But I’ve drawn ideas about focus, balance, economy-of-motion, “effortless-power” versus “powerless-effort” (the latter of which I’ve spent many years mastering unfortunately!) from the likes of golfers & martial-artists. So you can see how sometimes, the non-musician influence can yield wonderful “general-conceptual” ideas. See what I mean? Since you hate the sports so much, maybe you could give the “martial-arts/Bruce Lee” thing a try! (LOL!) š
Let me know if you think any of this stuff might or does work for you, and best-of-luck with your progress. š
“Pickin’ & Grinnin’! š
~Bill Meehan~
That was quite an interesting and informative read Bill.
I thank you for understanding where I am coming from. I have added on sweep picking on my list of thing to practice an that part seems to be coming along fine, as far as “fine” goes by my doctrine. :p
The suggestion you made about studying martial arts is very intriguing and I really have given it alot of thought over the years. Perhaps it’s time that I pursue it. But the problem now is finding a dojo that has reasonable rates being that I am poor mofo. hahaha I have decided that if I am going to study a martial art, I might go after either Jujitsu or Taekwondo. It might help me get into shape for one in my life. š
I have also have been putting around the thought that if this band with my friend does not get up and going soon, I might just end up going back to school and gt my Bachelors Degree in music. I am just tired of sitting on my arse all day and have to get up and do something! š All I have to do is land a job where I can afford it mostly on my own, without resorting to a loan which I would hate to pay-off.
But thanks for all the info you gave me. I suppose I should get back to practicing!:cool:
-Rob.
Wow Robert, your reading list is a lot like mine. I found God: THe Failed Hypothesis to be a great book to dip into at random points. eminently readable and it forces you to use your brain just to understand the concepts raised.
@Mandz 6300 wrote:
Wow Robert, your reading list is a lot like mine. I found God: THe Failed Hypothesis to be a great book to dip into at random points. eminently readable and it forces you to use your brain just to understand the concepts raised.
Oh awesome dude! Glad you enjoyed it. I really had my doubts when I started reading it, saying to myself “Boy, this guy is SO sure of the fact that there is no God and he aims to prove it.” But as the book went along, alot of what he said made sense and as the book drew to a close I said the same thing I said when I got done reading “The God Delusion” which was wow. š
ANYWAYS… Update!
So I FINALLY BROKE THROUGH THE WALL THAT WAS HOLDING ME BACK!:D
It was the damndest thing too! I ended up jamming with my guitar instructor and his friend and The Jazz Estate on Friday and although I did kinda crappy playing-wise (despite the fact that everyone thought I sounded great. Really, Jazz is NOT something that I can do justice in any way shape or form at this moment but hey… I tried!) I went home feeling pretty depressed. Then the next day as I was jamming for a minute, something seemed a little different in my playing. It kinda showed when I was at Music Go Round jamming on some of the guitars they had.
So a little while ago I figure I might as well get in at least some practicing in before I go to sleep. I plug in my Guitar Port, I hook up my guitar and start the metronome and all of a sudden… everything that I found difficult to play was no longer a burden on my picking anymore; š® It really felt alot smoother and more precise so I up’d the metronome a bit and thought “Damn, it’s about time!”
3-4 weeks of utter torture and hair-pulling and in just 2 days I cross the boundary. Some things just can’t be explained. Must have been all the In Flames I had been listening to. :p
Ok, bed time.
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