I see what you mean, I think in the systems Troy has outlined, usually that little ‘break’ we get is not followed by a pick stroke in the same direction, but continues in alternate picking. Easy example is a USX player that’s doing some descending scales
8 7 5------
------8 7 5-8 7 5
D U p D U D U D D
That pulloff is preceded by an UP and followed by a DOWN, so it allows us to continue the alternate picking motion, just with the little break. The pattern you’re using for the Paisley tune uses this concept a little differently because there is a down stroke both before and after the pulloff. I think that has tripped others up (and myself) because…
While on the surface that might appear as not being maximally efficient…I think it actually still can be maximally efficient. It all depends on the technique used really. I think you’re doing specific things in your version, conscious or not, that make this maximally efficient at high speeds. I’ve got a theory!!!
I think this might be pretty important. I’ve been messing with this in a couple different setups and picking combos. If I do DSX and keep an alternate picking motion happening, even during the pulloffs and hybrid picked notes, this follows all the rules of single escape playing. At least I think!!!
Sorry in advance for all this as it’s super pedantic, but consider the first fives notes
E|-3--p0----*0------|
B|--------6-------3-|...etc
--------------------|
D (u) D (u) D (pattern has started over at this point)
key:
* = hybrid picked note
(u) = an upstroke that does not play a string - a "mimed" pick stroke
Imagine, during the first pulloff (our pick should be up in the air at this point as we’re DSX) we sort of ‘mime’ an upstroke that skips over the B string and comes to rest on the G string (or almost comes to rest, as per preference). There’s no inefficiency there at all. This is single escape playing. To our hand it feels like we’ve done 2 quick alternate pick strokes.
After we play the 6th fret on the B string with a down stroke, again our pick is up in the air. As we hybrid pick the open E string we can simultaneously do another one of these ‘mimed’ upstrokes. We again skip the B string come to rest (or almost come to rest, as per preference). At this point we can do the whole thing again. The pattern will repeat.
To me this is no different than a DSX picking pattern like this, where we play straight 16ths and always change strings after the first picked note of each beat
E|x-------------------------|
B|--x-x-x-x-----------------|
G|----------x-x-x-x---------|
D|------------------x-x-x-x-|
D U D U D U D U D U D U D
Now I think if someone tried all this in a USX setup, OR they sort of hesitated between the down-stroked-picked notes (during pulloffs or hybrid)…it could turn into a hot mess.