Like am I just super shallow that I worry about how aesthetically pleasing my technique looks visually?
This is why I avoid elbow picking - just because I don’t like the way it looks aesthetically lol.
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It’s not shallow, but it is self limiting.
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It’s definitely self limiting, I know in reality I should be following function over form which makes me think I’m just being shallow about it.
I would like to use my elbow more but I literally get self-conscious on the way it looks lmao, I’m so fucking lame.
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Nobody will care less about your elbow, but they will care a lot about your hair, tattoos, clothes, boots, and so forth.
Oh, strap length is critical, the lower the guitar, the better.
You’re right, but…
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I’ve the sort of judgemental wanker to judge other players on the how good their technique LOOKS lol.
Like when I see Zakk Wylde pick with his ridiculous over the top sloppy elbow picking I feel smug and superior lmao.
You feel superior to Zakk? Interesting.
I like how you made it like I feel generally superior and omitting my specific reference to his elbow picking - also you not getting that I was largely joking. Lol pfft.
Zakk Wyld’s technique has objectively deteriorated from his earlier days with Ozzy Osbourne when he was more of a wrist/forearm rotation picker. I think he plays like shit now and I attribute this to his now sloppy elbow technique.
I think Zakk’s shoulder technique looks super cool just for how unique looking it is, I’m always fascinated by motions I can’t do yet and the rotator cuff motion seems to be one of the rarer motions among players 
It makes me wonder why there was a shift in his technique over time, is it just the raw speed available with shoulder technique? And I wonder how much he still uses his forearm motion these days?
There is still a real mix in this clip and a great shot of his forearm motion but this is from 15 years ago now:
And yeah I definitely am self conscious about how my technique looks, I think my forearm motion has a cool look to it but I never practice it anymore because I have been trying to get together my DT wrist motion for the past couple of years, which I don’t think looks as good but DT seems to have a natural inclination to DBX and be naturally more perpendicular to the strings which is great for attack (especially on acoustic), two things which I value more over aesthetics.
I also think finger motion looks really stylish and effortless 
In that video you posted he actually looks and sounds better than I typically hear from him lately - he looks a bit younger in that video. The video that stands out as particular garbage is this one:
Imo he was much better when he was younger:
Yeah I’m not a particular fan of his playing in that video, would be great in the context of a song’s solo section but overstays it’s welcome for a 4 minute jam track. It doesn’t really build it just starts at 10 and maybe goes down to an 8 here and there 
Tbf to him, making an interesting solo over just low note chug riffs can be really challenging, I’d be interested to see how it sounds with a slightly less extreme tone as I think that is the main thing letting him down and maybe not his actual technique? It honestly doesn’t sound sloppy to me!
I do, but I’m sure that’s because I’m nuts 
In all seriousness through, I think it’s just another learning resource (I use a mirror on a regular basis)
Imagine going to the gym, and only focussing on your numbers rather than form, programming, and injury prevention. You might get solid results (using Zakk as a reference) but that does not mean it’s optimal.
Tension is generally pretty easy to spot which is why I find the mirror/videos useful.
I always got a kick out George Lynch’s fanned picking hand and the way that Petrucci’s middle finger would kind of fold over his ring finger when he’d play the fastest stuff back in their earlier days. And Marty’s picking motion to me has always looked pretty wicked. Learning why he does it made it brilliant. Those have always stuck out to me.
But what I enjoy seeing the most are the fret hands of certain players. Like Vai’s circular vibrato and EJ’s quick chord grabbing. Also, wild legato fingers are fun to see as well, though perhaps not exactly the safest way to play lol
We live in a world where Marty Friedman exists. I don’t think any of us need to worry about how our technique looks until we’re at LEAST that good.
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True it would be interesting to hear that with a clean tone to see just what exactly is going on without the fucking avalanche of distortion and effects he’s buried his playing under.
Maybe my ears are confused by just how sloppy he LOOKS when he’s playing - it’d be actually impressive if he moves like that with like perfect accuracy lol.
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Yeah I like to have my pc camera on often when I’m playing for feedback both technical and aesthetic lol.
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I remember reading a Marty Friedman interview years back where he was talking about how he got carpal tunnel syndrome in his right hand and my immediate reaction to that was “Oh you don’t say! Shocking that keeping your wrist bent at a literal 90 degree angle to the arm for four decades straight could possible lead to issues later on!”.
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You just described my first 20 years of guitar playing.
Interestingly enough, my skills received a boost after I decided IDGAF about how I look.
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