Does slow picking differ from fast picking?

Playing Technique
#1

Tried to make a catchy title

So I know Troy has shown repeatedly from things like the old Star Licks videos that guys are definitely doing something different when they kick things in to high gear versus what the SAY they are doing at a slow tempo

So my question for Troy et al, is do the greats keep their same core picking technique/escape motions when playing SLOW(ER) licks?

I consider myself a very competent improvisor. But my slower, “feel” licks have a drastically different picking tecnnique than my speedy stuff. My slow stuff is more string hopping and hybrid picking mixed with legato. I like to fight the guitar a little so I don’t necessarily mind that my slow stuff is a little mechanically awkward.

This has caused me to have a bag of tricks for slower, pocket kind of licks that feel and sound great but are harder to execute at a fast tempo, whereas my shreddy licks are easy to play and impressive sometimes but not as musically interesting to me.

Is this good, bad or indifferent? Anyone else have a similar thing going on??

#2

I’d argue that most players do that. I see it as walking and running.

Some of them even switch motions halfway through a lick, like Steve Morse who is the wrist motion god but goes full elbow whenever there is a more “horizontal” line (e.g. the fast part of the Highway Star solo).

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#3

For each speed you’ll have a bunch of techniques that work. At low speeds, nearly anything is possible—only the highest speeds are very restricted. So, if you’re playing complex music at low speeds, why not leverage your flexibility to do nearly whatever you want, particularly if it’s impossible to play it quickly?

However, the most interesting question (to me) is that if one plays high-speed music slowly, should the technique change? I would argue, ABSOLUTELY NOT. Now, do the old masters violate my rule? Yes, I believe so! Why? Well, they’re pre-CtC, and they didn’t have Troy to lay these techniques out on a silver platter—they discovered them via evolution. What’s the benefit of uniformity? Slow practice, just like the classical people, and they’re the best instrumentalists, by a huge margin (nobody compares, IMHO).

But the ultimate answer is that in the guitar world, there is no correct answer, so do whatever you like! :grinning:

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#4

Yea that all makes sense. I’ve been trying to bridge the gap between my easy to play shreddy stuff that doesn’t always hit the mark with soloing and my more pocket stuff that fits better in a band situation, but is much more difficult technically because of the less than optimal picking

#5

Yea I would think in a post CtC world, that shreddable licks will be played the same slow or fast. I look at instagram bedroom guitarists with perfect technique who outshred everyone and wonder if they play the same way to do some boomer Clapton licks too!

#6

Ask some and kindly post the results!