Attempting forearm with uwps

Technique Critique
#1

Hello guys,

Hope you are all well.

Just wanted to share this short clip of me attempting forearm picking with uwps and see if I am doing this correctly. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

#2

Hey @Smirodom! Could you also upload the normal speed video? Thanks :slight_smile:

#3

Hi,

Yes, however I didn’t realize it started recording in slow motion as well. So, it may not be as good. This is a brand new motion for me. Thanks for any input.

#4

I know where Tommo is going with this, so I’ll just finish his thoughts for him. :slight_smile:

This is not “UWPS”. What you’re doing here is what we call an “upstroke escape” motion, where upstrokes go up in the air. If that’s what you meant, no problem. I know the terms can be confusing.

Also, this does not look like forearm motion, it looks like wrist motion, where mainly the hand moves, and not the arm. There is nothing wrong with that. Wrist and forearm are popular joints.

Did you take the table tapping tests and write down your metronome values? Then did you try a tremolo? Those are really the first steps. You want to make sure you are using your fastest and smoothest joint motion. Whatever that motion is, that’s the motion you should be using for your first attempts at coordinated picking and fretting.

1 Like
#5

Thank you so much Troy. Yes, I meant USX, and DWPS, sorry.

Yes, i did all the tests and all my numbers are on another post. My highest numbers were, elbow motion 250bpm and wrist flexion/extension 240bpm.

I am trying really hard to find a picking motion that help me overcome the obstacles created by my elbow motion UWPS. I’m honestly not sure how to work this systematically to see some gains. I am trying to learn USX and see what I come with.

Do you have any suggestions on how to work this out? Also, I am watching the Pickslanting Primer and I am on the DWPS section.

Thanks for any help!

#6

Not sure what you mean by problems. Are you saying you can do elbow motion rapidly and smoothly and it works? Because if so, that’s working for you, that’s where you should start. Playing single-string phrases, getting the hands synchronized, etc.

Remember “DWPS” isn’t a motion. “UWPS” isn’t a motion. Elbow is a motion, forearm is a motion, wrist is several different motions (depending on which wrist motion you use). So when you say “learning DWPS” you’re really saying you’re possibly trying to learn a different joint motion than the one that is working. And obviously your fastest route is instead to start with the one that is working best.

#7

Yes, the elbow is the one working best for fast passages. I guess my problem is when working alternate picking with odd number of notes. I can’t switch well enough on certain strings, and from what I’ve learn in the course so far, the problem is when the pick is trapped in between strings. So, I am trying to learn another way of playing, not sure if a motion or just a slant in the pick to try and fix the problem I am having. My playing at the moment is not as smooth as I would like for it to be, so I am trying to learn a way that I can make passages work.

Thank you for all the help so far, and my apologies for mixing up all these terms.

#8

@Smirodom hey just as an FYI to help with the videos, taking slow-mo video on your phone sets the whole video to that speed (at least in my experience with Android devices)

When you export it or upload it to youtube, you’re going to want to make sure the video plays all the way through at whatever speed you want (fully slow or full-speed) and to do that you often need to adjust the playback speed of the video in whatever software you have to export it.

#9

That is the point — elbow does not do odd numbers of notes. Not by itself. There are ways around this and great players like Vinnie Moore and Michael Angelo Batio have small tweaks / tricks they do to enable odd patterns.

But that’s putting the cart before the horse. The goal is to get smooth, fluid, and expressive with the motion that is working before adding other things into the mix. If you have never played fast, synchronized, smooth lines that move across the strings easily with any technique, then you need to get to that place first so you know what it feels like.

This does not have to mean you play boring stuff. Lots and lots of great players, like John Mclaughlin, mostly play even numbers of notes. Tons of great music can be made that way. Let’s see some really good sounding even-numbered patterns and then you can worry about adding to that.

#10

Thank you so much for the input. It was an accident today. I normally record at normal speed and slow them down on iMovies.

Appreciate your help!

1 Like
#11

Okay, so you recommend I learn to play even number passages with fast, smooth motion, before attempting odd numbers? So, scales in sixteenth triplets and the Malmsteen passages should work right?

#13

As long as whatever you pick has string changes after a downstroke, then pretty much yeah.

#14

Thank you! I am going to work with that and scales on even numbers.

1 Like
#15

@Smirodom I can’t agree with this enough. I thought I played fast and smooth before starting the ‘program’ here. I had no clue what that actually meant because I’d never felt it. Troy coached me into adopting an elbow mechanic. At first I felt like I couldn’t play anything either. I stuck with it though and once I got used to that feeling, I could then learn a motion compatible with USX.

Another thing I’d recommend as part of the journey is tremolo melodies that stay on one string. Once I had the main elbow mechanic going at a fast speed, a stealthy issue I ran into when trying to sync the hands is that once I added my fretting hand, the picking hand was actually changing its motion some…that ‘smoothness’ was getting interrupted. You’ve got to make sure the motion stays smooth and just ‘motors along’ no matter what the other hand is doing.

Good luck though, you’re sure to succeed if you follow Troy’s advice, I promise!

1 Like
#16

That’s only going to work if you start all your scales on an upstroke. Not a problem or bad thing, but just keep that in mind.

#17

Hard agreement with this!

#18

That or if you’re doing 3 notes per string, just double up on the following 3 notes following the string switches. :smiley:

1 Like
#19

Thank you so much for this info, I really needed this. I am working really hard and trying to learn from Troy as much as possible. This is why I did the membership here, I am planning to stay until I get a solid and smooth picking motion that works with all possible problems. I know it will be a step by step process and I am willing to go for it. So, thank you so much, I will be working and posting progress vids. Best!

#20

Awesome! Can’t wait to see your progress. One thing I’d stress, once you get the mechanics down, is that it should feel easy. I can’t believe how hard I used to work to play 16ths at even moderate shred tempos (~180bpm). When you’re doing it right, it feels effortless. If it feels difficult, it’s gotta be wrong lol!

1 Like
#21

LOL!

Thanks! I think I have the mechanics of the elbow down pretty descent, but my synchronization is what needs to catch up now. I will be sharing some stuff soon.

Thanks again!

1 Like