Picking technique, right hand

[NixerX]

So I've kinda hit a wall. The picking technique I've been using isn't really cutting in for higher speeds (16ths @160+). I grip with pointy and thumb and pivot my finger and thumb to pick. Gis was great on smaller guage strings but not so much for thr fatter strings on my 8. I've always been a Legato player, and now newer tunes I've been writing require me to have increased endurance. I've got a routine thats working but I was curious what you speed pickers use for practice routines and if you wouldn't mind sharing.

 

[DaveMindframe]

just practice scale runs at a confortable speed and try to relax your whole body while doing so.. oh and be patient that's all there is to it

 

[MrPepperoniNipples]

I found that some acoustic exercises made my alt picking great, and effortless. Just find the 'right' exercises.
Steel strings and all.

I'm a big legato guy myself, practice the legatoz and the finger tapping and the spock techniques all day long.

My alt picking was non-existant until a few weeks ago and now it's pretty nice if I don't say so myself. I rarely even practice alternate picking on the electric.

 

[Maniacal]

Just do a lot of everything - scale sequences, position shifts, string skipping, riff sequences, down stroked power chords, strumming, burst exercises, endurance exercises, subdivision exercises.

Write a routine and stick to it for a month or so. Then adjust. Repeat.

 

[morrowcosom]

I am on a minimalist kick here.

I just practice alternate picking, gallops, and down picking A LOT on a few notes at the time. I do it to a metronome at a certain speed until all the pick strokes are perfectly even and I am playing extremely tight without a huge amount of effort, then I boost the speed up and repeat.

I am in a speed up the right hand mode myself. I have been listening to too much thrash lately.

 

[x360rampagex]

You could hold the pick between your palm and you finger and still pick fast...it would be slow, but it's all about practice.

 

[Max Dread]

You could hold the pick between your palm and you finger and still pick fast...it would be slow, but it's all about practice.

He's only saying that because we've not got thumbs on account of our webbed hands over here in Norfolk.....

 

[Grimbold]

this is where it pays to watch tv and play
and practice your speed
and practice
and practice
and practic even more!

 

[nkri]

I grip with pointy and thumb and pivot my finger and thumb to pick.

Do you mean you bend your thumb back and forth as your picking motion? If so, try picking from the wrist ONLY, i.e., your thumb and fingers stay completely relaxed and all movement is from the wrist. I used to bend my thumb/finger to pick then realized that was a big part of the reason I couldn't play as fast as I wanted...when I started picking strictly from the wrist, it was a lot easier to go faster.

 

[Bloodbath Salt]

Picks make a huge difference. I've found that I can play faster if I use a 1.35mm Tortex Sharp, compared to any other pick.

 

[NixerX]

just practice scale runs at a confortable speed and try to relax your whole body while doing so.. oh and be patient that's all there is to it

Thanks DaveMindFrame. Ive been focusing on chromatic and 1/2 diminished runs in 16th note patterns but only just started with switching my technique.

I found that some acoustic exercises made my alt picking great, and effortless. Just find the 'right' exercises.
Steel strings and all.
I'm a big legato guy myself, practice the legatoz and the finger tapping and the spock techniques all day long.


My alt picking was non-existant until a few weeks ago and now it's pretty nice if I don't say so myself. I rarely even practice alternate picking on the electric.

I would need an acousitc for this....but yes this is the ticket I think.
Thank you.

Just do a lot of everything - scale sequences, position shifts, string skipping, riff sequences, down stroked power chords, strumming, burst exercises, endurance exercises, subdivision exercises.

Write a routine and stick to it for a month or so. Then adjust. Repeat.

Iam cultivating a routine now.

I am on a minimalist kick here.

I just practice alternate picking, gallops, and down picking A LOT on a few notes at the time. I do it to a metronome at a certain speed until all the pick strokes are perfectly even and I am playing extremely tight without a huge amount of effort, then I boost the speed up and repeat.

I am in a speed up the right hand mode myself. I have been listening to too much thrash lately.

Yea man..im all about minimalist, particularly with alt picking....in that I can only do it at the minimal skill level..lol

I get what you're saying. thank you.

You could hold the pick between your palm and you finger and still pick fast...it would be slow, but it's all about practice.

Hmmm. The neanderthal technique....

He's only saying that because we've not got thumbs on account of our webbed hands over here in Norfolk.....

LOL!

this is where it pays to watch tv and play
and practice your speed
and practice
and practice
and practic even more!

Im not totally fan of this because I cant focus on the places where technique goes wrong...plus im a fan of the metronome. I do know a buncha dudes that have done this and can pick like maniacs...but thats all they do.

Do you mean you bend your thumb back and forth as your picking motion? If so, try picking from the wrist ONLY, i.e., your thumb and fingers stay completely relaxed and all movement is from the wrist. I used to bend my thumb/finger to pick then realized that was a big part of the reason I couldn't play as fast as I wanted...when I started picking strictly from the wrist, it was a lot easier to go faster.

EXACTLY, Its a very strange technique according to all the teachers ive had.
Its fabulous for string skipping and bursts, but it sucks balls for endurance lightspeed picking...or so I would surmise as im not there yet. I dont want to repos my wrist as my PM technique is very useful and expressive but yea I gotta do sumthin!!
Thank you.

Picks make a huge difference. I've found that I can play faster if I use a 1.35mm Tortex Sharp, compared to any other pick.

I agree!! Last year or so, I switched to Jazz III's from regular ol dunlop 1mm's it has helped. but Im not sure I dig what the III"s are made of . I like the Tortex Black Ice picks but they need some thing for traction IMO



Thanks for the replies guys. If any of you have tabs that would be sweet.

 

[Grimbold]

Im not totally fan of this because I cant focus on the places where technique goes wrong...plus im a fan of the metronome. I do know a buncha dudes that have done this and can pick like maniacs...but thats all they do.

i see what you're saying
i used to be that guy (embarassing video evidence)
and i learned my lesson
it should not be ALL that you do, but it should be SOMETHING that you do