What Are You Working On Right Now?

Early on, alt picking was my biggest challenge (in some ways it still is when I decide to go for it). So instead of putting in practice time I worked on the things that came easier and more natural. Not necessarily a bad thing, I think I developed some cool techniques along the way, but I wish I'd carved out more time for alt picking.
Anyways, I think working from slow to fast tempo is the best practice. Adjusting pick slant til finding that comfort zone is huge too.
 
FuzzyAce said:
Adjusting pick slant til finding that comfort zone is huge too.
Click to expand...
I have gradually adjusted my grip over the past few years, so the pick is at ~45 angle to the strings, while also being as perpendicular to the strings as comfort will allow, so that slanting either backwards or forward (which I have to do both of, in many licks, sometime one right after another) will involve the least amount of "leaning the pick" as possible.

In going back and analyzing my technique, I have watched several of Bernth's videos, and zeroed in on some of the smallest details involved in this stuff. But it does make a positive difference.
 
TSJMajesty said:
I have gradually adjusted my grip over the past few years, so the pick is at ~45 angle to the strings, while also being as perpendicular to the strings as comfort will allow, so that slanting either backwards or forward (which I have to do both of, in many licks, sometime one right after another) will involve the least amount of "leaning the pick" as possible.

In going back and analyzing my technique, I have watched several of Bernth's videos, and zeroed in on some of the smallest details involved in this stuff. But it does make a positive difference.
Click to expand...
I have a pretty controlled pick hand, almost Yngwie-esque movement lol, so having a stiff pick (2mm), around 45 degrees, with as little wrist movement as possible works best for me. I'm talking more in the context of quick alt solo runs, which I don't normally do haha. Majority of those runs would usually be hybrid, economy, or descending sweeps with hammer-ons and pull-offs, and legato. I don't normally analyze it too much (until now), for better or worse.:LOL:
 
Stone said:
Hell of player !!
Click to expand...
He's the type of instrumentalist my clarinet teacher was, and insisted on in my own studies: Perfection.

It's only rock n roll, and all that jazz, but as I push forward, I still drop back to address these details, same types of things my teacher would insist on- Proper phrasing, EVENNESS OF TIMING was a big one, proper accents, evenness of tone (which we have compressors for, but not so on a wind instrument), intonation, accents, all of it. And a big one on guitar for me, that wasn't an issue on a wind instrument, that I always have to have in mind, and fall back on to correct..., note overlap.
 
FuzzyAce said:
I have a pretty controlled pick hand, almost Yngwie-esque movement lol, so having a stiff pick (2mm), around 45 degrees, with as little wrist movement as possible
Click to expand...
That's one that I still have to consciously focus on, as it starts to get erratic the faster I go.

IOW, it's one I still have to fall back on, to try to get it committed to muscle memory. It's physics, and the reason a short-stroke engine can rev higher. :rollsafe
 
TSJMajesty said:
That's one that I still have to consciously focus on, as it starts to get erratic the faster I go.

IOW, it's one I still have to fall back on, to try to get it committed to muscle memory. It's physics, and the reason a short-stroke engine can rev higher. :rollsafe
Click to expand...
Yep. It should be as fluid as possible movement. Same goes with sports and technique. Brute force can get it done too but it's often messy and unpredictable! (which in music is not always a bad thing? depends on the context)
 
FuzzyAce said:
Early on, alt picking was my biggest challenge (in some ways it still is when I decide to go for it). So instead of putting in practice time I worked on the things that came easier and more natural. Not necessarily a bad thing, I think I developed some cool techniques along the way, but I wish I'd carved out more time for alt picking.
Anyways, I think working from slow to fast tempo is the best practice. Adjusting pick slant til finding that comfort zone is huge too.
Click to expand...

Very similar story here. I am so glad I dove deep into Al Di Meola this year and have
begun addressing it. I was getting way too comfortable rinsing and repeating my
worn out cliches. :facepalm
 
Great practice sesh tonight! Worked in this blazing freaking heat/humidity, and still had the energy to play for about 3 hours. :rawk

Rolling the tempo way back this past weekend really made a difference in my alt picking control. I def pushed my boundaries tonight.

Lovin' this!
 
la szum said:
I believe it was a term coined by Potsmokers. :idk
Click to expand...
giphy.gif
 
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