Choosing technique

Technique Critique
#1

Hey guys ! I’m new to the site. Your knowledge goes very deep on a subject that is not discussed in depth. I joined 3 days ago and my mind is blown.
Could you guys maybe give me some insight onto what i might be doing wrong?
I’m not sure about what technique i am using for tremolo. It seems to me that im using a bit of an elbow movement with wrist motion. What do you think ? Thank you very much !



Im sorry im not respecting the upload rules but i’m not able at the moment to merge the videos and slow them down…

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#2

Hi! I know others are going to suggest/ask about you taking the motion tests:

Have you done that yet? The reason being is you’ll likely get your best results on the motions that you can do the fastest. This is the motion you’ll want to use when doing a tremolo. Second/related question, is this what you feel is your absolute fastest picking? My gut tells me you have more in the tank than what we’re seeing :slight_smile:

Things that jump out to me about what you posted

  • In the first video the guitar is shaking a lot which could indicate some unwanted tension. That said, I know when first arriving at a new motion it can tend to feel a little erratic and the tension will ease when it gets more comfortable.
    • Along those lines, when I first started playing with an elbow as the motion mechanic, I found it helpful to loosen (slightly) my hold on the pick. Too tight of a grip can lead to tension. It varies from player to player having a little ‘flop’ in the pick is fine.
  • I’m not certain if your elbow is the main mechanic here or not…someone with more skill in these analysis (@tommo or @Johannes et al) can provide clarity. I see it moving some, but that can happen even in wrist players when they go their fastest. I mention this because if you are in fact using your elbow, I think there may be a problem with the path your pick is traveling. It seems to always rest on the string positionally beneath it. This is fine if your are going for an Upwards Escape (USX) where the upstrokes break free of the plane of the strings. An elbow only does the opposite, on its own. In players who use their elbow to drive the motion, we usually see their upstrokes rest on the string positionally above the one they are picking. This strategy allows the downstrokes to escape the plane of the strings. It is termed Downwards Escape (DSX) and it pairs quite naturally with an elbow mechanic. You can do this if you’re a wrist player too, but the wrist is a more complex joint than the elbow and handle either USX or DSX.

Anyway, good luck! You’ve come to the right place if you’re interested in summoning the inner shredder than lives inside us all!

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#3

Wise words from @joebegly :slight_smile:

I will only add that this looks like a pretty good starting point to me! Looks fast enough to rule out a hopping problem.

The obvious problem you have is that the pick is getting caught in the string, so that sometimes it stops altogether. Have you tried adjusting your edge picking angle, looking for that “hot knife through butter” feeling? Let me know if you need more details on that :slight_smile:

Additionally, my first guess is that this is more wristy than elbowy (as I thing Joebegly was suggesting) - but that’s a detail for now!