As @carranoj25 pointed out, there’s some finger / thumb involvement, and I think I do similar. I started this thread a little while ago to try and get some ideas going about it:
https://forum.troygrady.com/t/my-finger-motion-explanation-idea-for-tapping-test/
I saw finger motion in Andy Woods’s crosspicking video on YouTube as well.
When I try it, it feels good and natural. But it’s not something I naturally did or gravitated towards so I cant pinpoint exactly what the motion should be/for which phrases/ notes per string, etc… Cheers to experimenting! One thing I find interesting is crosspicking is technically double escape right? Yngwie is technically single escape player right? I see the finger thumb motions happen for many types of phrases. There are also plenty of solid players who don’t use it as well
I just kind of warm up the motion, then let it do its thing! I find it happens often with string changes like Gilbert 6s.
Yes, I think!
I believe so, mostly all USX?
Yeah I see him doing it too, you can use the finger motion for just USX /DSX, not just double escape.
It’s just another motion like elbow, rotation, etc. so yeah, you don’t need it at all if you’re good with what you have!
But if both camps of players can use it, what do you think the purpose is? Is it just a byproduct of other movements?
I find it useful because it gives me more control over the pick. Small muscles = fine adjustment, large muscles = coarse adjustment.
When I use an immovable trigger grip, all control comes from the wrist, elbow, shoulder, forearm, etc. I find it difficult to achieve precision.
When I use a moveable extended grip, the extra-fine control from the finger muscles makes the whole thing feel more articulate and controllable.
For me, it’s not a byproduct of other movements, it’s conscious and very helpful. I can’t DBX without it, but I use it even for single-escape and strumming. It makes the movements easier (less pick snag) and more accurate.
I don’t know if my experience is widespread or not.
Not a byproduct, I think it’s its own thing! Like @induction mentioned, it feels like the finest possible movement, whereas elbow is the largest. Combining all of them gives you more movement options.
This has been pretty much the same experience I’ve had!
Are you able to explain when exactly you flex or extend the thumb/index joints? I’ve been experimenting but I am curious. Rick graham does it too
I flex on upstrokes and extend on downstrokes. I noticed that Molly Tuttle seems to do it the other way around.
When I flex I create more positive edge angle, and when I extend it flattens. I’m a positive edge picker. Maybe reverse-edge pickers flex the other way? Not sure. Part of the functionality of the finger motion (for me) is to dial in precisely as much edge as I want on a given note.
It feels like it happens exactly in concert with the wrist motion that happens with the down and up stroke. In other words it’s not just the index finger moving on mine I still see wrist deviation and flexion/extension but with the finger motion helping out at the same time