3NPS Descending Escape Techniques

Playing Technique
#1

I seem to of naturally adopted USX in my playing since I picked up the guitar again.
The deviation is that I use sweeping if I am ascending a 3NPS scale, for example, to sweep from a downstroke to a downstroke just like MAB does and it’s very effective once you’ve got it.

I also use two way escaping (two way pick slanting) on other licks like the Randy Rhoads Mr Crowley 6 note pentatonic or the Vinnie Moore 3NPS e and B string lick.

I originally used 2WX on everything including 3NPS ascending and descending runs but I realised it’s harder to do than sweeping on ascending so I switched to sweeping on downstrokes for those runs.

However descending 3NPS scales have me beat, because you have to adjust to slant the pick UP, like youre doing DSX but you’re going down the strings not up. Starting the run on an upstroke and sweeping on the upstrokes as a USX player is very uncomfortable to do for me.

Does anyone have any advice on how to do 3NPS descending runs as a USX player that sometimes does 2WX ?

I’ve actually given up on sweeping the upstrokes now and gone back to using 2WX.

Does anyone else have experience of this ?

#2

Hey, I suppose it depends on how you pick. Wrist only? Forearm and wrist blend? Depending on what joints you use to pick, requires different motions to navigate odd number of notes per string licks.
Probably best to post a video for feedback on this.
In general, two way pickslanting isn’t really used as a term here anymore as it was sort of confusing and also, it’s recommended to not try micromanage arm position on string changes. Trying to go fast, around 150bpm 16’s, and see what happens. You could end up using a secondary motion, like Vinnie Moore just for that one string change where it’s needed, or mixed escapes, like Paul Gilbert.

I don’t want to create confusion with words here, so I would recommend posting a video for feedback in the technique critique section. I will say that doing this, REALLY helped me solve problems I’ve had for years.

#3

Correct me if I’m wrong but MAB is doing strictly alternate picking for 3nps runs.

#4

@jptk ok cool thanks I will try to capture a video and post. I was messing around earlier and I seemed to be sweeping on descending 3NPS without even trying which is sometimes what happens if I try and just completely ignore my technique it’s weird.

1 Like
#5

@gabrielthorn I think you’re right actually sorry so who am I thinking of that does the sweep ? I’m sure it was one of Troy’s videos where I saw it.

#6

Malmsteen sweeps the downstroke changes on ascending 3nps lines for sure.

Maybe you mean swiping, not sweeping, and that’s a completely different story.

#7

@gabrielthorn
Swiping is more like it that’s what I was going for with a thumb movement. Sorry I’ve watched all the CTC videos in the space of 3 months and I get confused with where I saw these things.

#8

I think thumb movement is rather used for sweeping.

Sweeping is for economy picking for exampla you play two consecutive downstrokes in a row instead of changing strings with alternate picking.

Swiping is when you do alternate picking but not doing an escape motion and you swipe through the string and mute it in some way.

#9

@gabrielthorn then it’s Sweeping for sure.

3NPS ascending, start on a down stroke, middle note is an upstroke, 3rd note is a downstroke then sweep to the next string up starting the next downstroke and so on.

#10

So you should check out the Malmsteen stuff, he’s approaching the ascending 3nps lines this way. His descending technique is a mixture of legato and alternative picking however, always picking an even number of notes and pulling off the rest.

I’m a DSX player, so my approach for descending lines is a mixture of my caveman technique (elbow motion) with forearm rotation.

This was a thread where I recorded my 3nps scale playing.

#11

Sounds good man. A video could clear up a lot of confusion!