Descending dsx palm/heel

Playing Technique
#1

here’s the problem: when I ascend a minor pent scale with usx, the palm/heel of my hand glides gently across the bridge as I track across the strings - which I think helps as a dynamic kind of anchor, but when I descend using dsx my palm/heel falls off the bridge (around the time I hit the D, A, and low E strings) and my clean, 90 degree pick slant goes to heck. And this is when I’m sitting down. when I stand and play it’s a whole new can of worms! Is it as simple as remembering to lift my hand a little when I get down there or am I doing something wrong?

(TLDR: it looks like I’m string hopping, but only descending the lower 3 strings for some reason)

#2

Why would you invert your picking motion to descend?

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#3

I’d like to keep it strict alternate picking. no legato or adding a 3 note to maintain slant. strict 2 notes per string up and down.

#4

It sounds like a lot of effort for a small gain but I am curious to see how you are approaching that transition. Care to share a video?

#5

I’ll see if I can film a good angle; Genuine question - are there professional players who use strict alternate picking and if so why would you change their technique?

#6

As far as I can tell, the professional players who adhere to single-escape technique easily outnumber the few who alternate pick everything without aids such as legato, swiping, etc. Personally, I think chasing “pure” alternate picking is more likely to hinder one’s progress rather than to boost it.

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#7

I’ve been banging my head against the wall for years trying to nail down strict alternate and i’ve come so far but honestly, i’m inclined to agree with you at this point. I just really like the sound of the pick attack on every stroke. I think eric johnson uses a technique where he hammers on certain notes and it’s almost indistinguishable from strict alternate and I love his playing, as many do. the only hang up i have with legato is when to and when not to hammer on and off. like, how do you choose where to do it within a milisecond?

#8

I see where you’re coming from. The sound of alternate picking every note is satisfying, but it can sound a little robotic if done for a long period. I have come to the conclusion that you may as well make life easier and use legato, tapping, economy or hybrid to aid your playing of you find it easier.

I have been using either a hammer on or a pull off to sound the last note before I change strings. In most cases, I find this easier than strict alternate, plus it sounds more “human” imo.

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#9

I’ve noticed you can practice those transitions specifically until they become second nature and you don’t even think about it. Also, single-escape economy picking may simplify the whole thing because (in a DSX context) you would be able to devote your attention to ascending string changes only because descending ones will always work by either escaping or sweeping.

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#10

To address the original question: Troy for sure demonstrates exactly what you’re talking about… somewhere. lol It might have been in Antigravity, but I don’t recall: a pentatonic scale played 2 notes on Low E A D G B, 3 notes on high E, and then 2 notes going back down, requiring USX to ascend and DSX to descend.

If you can find it, perhaps watching him will yield some fruit, or was the video I’m talking about your inspiration for pursuing this in the first place?

In general, this is somewhat of a rare skill, and you would need to be able to do a USX and DSX tremolo with similar techniques that don’t require vast setup changes (say, wrist).

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#11

I’m trying to upload a video on this thread from my phone but .MOV is not an acceptable format, what do you usually use?

#12

Youtube should work.

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