After reflection in the shower, I believe that this summary is correct:
Everything complex and irregular comes from one note per string, including double-escape, sweeps, etc. Perhaps I was slow to realize how ugly the 1nps case is, but it really is a handful.
It depends.
For me uneven number of notes was always easier to play. Still trying to get used to even numbers -_-ā
Even is arguably easier because it only requires one technique (UX or DX), but odd requires BOTH.
Note that you can turn even > 2 into odd with one HO/PO, somewhat the anti-YJM trick (he turns odd into even).
Once again, it depends. What works for one person, does not nececcerilly work for another. Different people, different problems.
For example, itās hard for me to change strings when pick goes from the string I need to switch to (people call it āinner pickingā I believeā¦). Itās just how I played for years, and I just donāt have that motion in my arsenal. At least itās not very comfortable to me.
If itās āouter pickingā I can do sweeping or alternate picking in both directions - not a problem for me. But in other cases I do swiping or legatoā¦ or miss the note
.
In case of uneven number of strings I need to this untrusty motion only once per 2 string changes. In case of even number of notes I have to do it every string change. Thatās why I can play 3nps scale 180-190bpm, and chromatic 4nps ~140bpm. Though for other people itās opposite.
āupdateā
Obviously, it also depends on a direction (ascending/descending). So, the same 4nps chromatic in descending motion with DWPS is much faster.
Sorry, I am a little confused, if your pick starts escaped and you hit an odd (3, 5, 7, ā¦) number of notes on a single string, does it end up escaped?
I find really fast pentatonic playing with mixes of 1/2/3 strokes per string harder than 1nps stuff. Significantly.
If my pick starts escaped and I donāt change escaping motion (āslantingā) then I end up trapped (trapped-escaped-trapped). If I change escaping motion I end up escaped (looks like trapped-trapped-escaped).
Hmm. If alternate picking, sure, but if weāre allowing slurs, economy/sweep picking, then one note per string can be pretty easy. Just depends a lot on the passage. Having a slur before the direction change (eg 4 notes down, slur, 4 notes up, slur, repeat) I think is more or less everybodyās first sweep lick, and is mostly one note per string
Some people find 1nps, 2nps, 1nps, etc to be more challenging than pure 1nps.
btw, if you wanna be more comprehensive, maybe include skipping.
For me, the hardest thing is outside alternation of strings with a 2 string skip.
ļ½----------------------------
ļ½-x------x------x------xā
ļ½----------------------------
ļ½----------------------------
ļ½----x------x------x------x
ļ½----------------------------
also, this is really tricky:
ļ½x--------x-------x---------
ļ½-----------------------------
ļ½----x--------x--------x----
ļ½-----------------------------
ļ½-------x--------x---------x-
ļ½-----------------------------
Right, all of the things that you mention have been invented to make 1nps āeasy.ā But the downside of them is that they break the symmetry of alternate picking, e.g., there is a very simple and regular way to handle 2nps or more, but all kinds of special-cases to deal with 1nps that are actually very difficult to get right (for example, sweeping at a constant speed).
All of the patterns that you put down look like brutal and are exactly why I think that 1nps is the hardest of all.
Yep, they are. But they are really valuable for sorta āgetting up to speedā. Play those āimpossibleā patterns a bit, then play simpler adjacent string 1nps patterns, and they will feel a bit easier.
1nps picking really brings your weaknesses to the surfaceā¦ things that weāve neglected for years.
When I started double-escaped, 1nps practicing, I couldnt believe how pathetically slow I was at outside transfers, especially ascending. I would slow to a crawl, and it felt so horribly awkward. For others, its inside picking.
yep, very well said.
If anybody cares, a while back I was curious to try to write a quick 1NPS etude thatās basically a pattern thatās as āun-patternedā as possible. the odd groups (not just 3 or 5 but I think 17) means you canāt really get into a groove of a short pattern of movement like with a lot of other things. Also killer for the left hand/coordination too. Can I play it? umā¦
ā1nps: A challenging thing among challenges.ā
Fwiw, master musician Rick Graham has a lot to say about this subject. Iād seek him out.
Wow, that is pretty hairy. Do you have video of you playing this?
One thing I remember about R. Graham on this subject is that he talks about the importance of focusing on 2 string alteration, specifically focusing on your weakness (inside or outside). Thatās really good advice.
I found the activation and relaxation that is part of his āplantingā method, compelling.
haha hell no, I definitely canāt play it at any sort of impressive tempo, and I hope my post didnāt imply that I could. But itās certainly a workout. I āhearā it at about 110 BPM, but again, canāt play it there, at least not with alternate picking. 1nps crosspicking-ish stuff is definitely my weakness in terms of picking
Yes, I know about his planting, and how that helps improve control/reliability. But I am not sure how well that works with 1nps string stuff.
Well, not sure how to answer that. It was the focus of a lesson on 1nps playing that I took with him. Control and reliability are a part of 1nps playing, are they not?
