Are DWPS, UWPS, 2WPS truncated Crosspicking?

[kgk]

This question is somewhat abstract, but I’m wondering if this statement is true: “Crosspicking is the most general-purpose [and powerful] picking motion, and it goes full-range. DWPS is really the top half of the crosspicking range, and UWPS is really the bottom half of the crosspicking range.”

In other words, DWPS and UWPS are truncated versions of crosspicking, where the arc of movement is just deeper under the strings.

Thoughts? I’m starting to think that this is likely true, but I’m not sure.

[Brendan]

Sorry for the delayed reply! Just searching for a similar topic and found this. Here’s one thing that may be helpful:

Is cross picking different than TWPS?

I’m getting really confused about all the terms being used and what’s not and what is still being used. So, as per my question, is cross picking different than TWPS?

Short explanation from Troy is basically:

Crosspicking as I use the term is the alternate picking style where you only make fully escaped pickstrokes. Doesn’t matter how many notes per string. However since 1nps lines can only be played with fully escaped strokes, then they must be “crosspicking”.

2wps is the alternate picking style where you mix and match both types of single escape pickstrokes as determined by the string change. You’re not making the fully escaped pickstroke all the time if it’s not necessary.

And lots more detail in these as well:

What is two-way pickslanting, and how does it work?

Why Doesn't 2 Way Pickslanting Make Techniques Specifically Made For Cross Picking Unnecessary?

I’ll take the blame for this confusion! The world is a complicated place, and as @tomatitito correctly points out, we came up with these ideas based on what we saw out there. When I came up with the ‘2wps’ concept, I didn’t even know there were players like Steve Morse and Carl Miner and so on. Anyway they’re not “different techniques”, per se. When you talk about alternate picking technique specifically, it’s a system of layers, each one built on top of the lower one: Physical Movements …

So, lots of nuances and possibly confusing terminology we’ve evolved, but yes I think you’re basically right! Not sure we can say crosspicking is most powerful in the absolute sense, but perhaps fair to say it’s the most versatile, though with possible tradeoffs e.g. it may not get you to quite the max speeds of certain single-escape mechanics like the ‘hyperpicking’ elbow motion we’ve seen.

[kgk]

So, lots of nuances and possibly confusing terminology we’ve evolved, but yes I think you’re basically right! Not sure we can say crosspicking is most powerful in the absolute sense, but perhaps fair to say it’s the most versatile, though with possible tradeoffs e.g. it may not get you to quite the max speeds of certain single-escape mechanics like the ‘hyperpicking’ elbow motion we’ve seen.

You are right, crosspicking is the most versatile, but its delicate alignment requrements (only hit one string and miss the other two) likely make it slower than DWPS or UWPS.

DWPS or UWPS seem to be, “hit the string and feel free to plow into the next one, if you want,” or just “hit the string” (depending on ingress or egress).

I missed that elbow motion, I’ll have to check that out!