Downward Pickslanting at 120 BPM - Please Provide Feedback

Technique Critique
#1

Trying this downward pickslanting technique. My goal is to be able to do this at faster rates, e.g. 180 BPM.

Am I on the right track? This was done at 120 BPM playing 16th notes.

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#2

Hi!
This is a textbook routine! But there is always a “but”. Honestly, I think 120 bpm is a horrible tempo to practice when the aim is speeding things up. It’s too slow to predict the success of a motion. And it still can lead you into the temptation to control and “evaluate” every single note. And this is dangerous. First because this won’t work at 150 bpm anymore. And second the good sound of the single notes could cover mechanical problems… like a false proof or something.

I suggest you should turn off the drum computer/metronome and try to use this movement at a much faster speed like 180 bpm immediately. (Or better even faster, around 200) And you do it on a single string… maybe play a blazing tremolo with a cool melody to make actual music like the Eddie Van Halen Tremolo melody in “Eruption”. Something that does not sound like a routine and you can directly use in your next band rehearsal.

The questions are: Does speeding up work? How does it feel? Is it smooth or awkward? Do other motions maybe work better? Do you learn the motion in the video as a new one and do you already have another that could work? I am not so good at decoding picking videos, but I can spot wrist action with a tiny little amount of forearmm rotation here. In addition, I see the string change involves a little bit bigger lifting up to get to the next string. I don’t know if that could cause troubles at faster speeds. You could try it out :slight_smile:

I guess the right track for your goal is to pretend you already have reached your goal, even it is sloppy at first. Cleaning it up at slower speeds is for later.

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#3

Thank you very much for the tips!! Will give wha you’ve said a try!

#4

You’re welcome! :slight_smile:
Ah, maybe check out Jeff Hanneman from Slayer . He was a guitar picking god and he used mostly elbow… not only at 180, 190 or 200 bpm. At 210 and 220! And look how big his movements were! He put in all his power! A whole show! (This week I have rediscovered Slayer and the Beatles :smiley: )