Fingering and picking layout for Yngwie - Hot on Your Heels Main Solo 1st Lick?

Technique Critique
#1

Hi, everyone! I’ve decided a few days ago to transcribe and learn some Yngwie licks/solos in order to build some shred chops.
However, I’m undecided on how to learn another player’s licks - should I adapt them to the fingerings and picking motions I’m used to (so far I’ve been a 3nps strict alternate picking guy, except I suck at it), or should I adapt the fingering/picking paterns to the rules laid out in the Inside the Volcano video?
On one hand, I can kind of use USX and DSX motions separately, while my DBX motion is limited to inside picking licks (see video below). Plus, learning the correct notes, but executing them in my own way seems more productive in terms of developing my own unique playing style.
On the other hand, I’ve got this OCD about striving (unsuccessfully) for the perfect transcription of the licks/riffs that I’m trying to transcribe. Plus, I’d like to expand my playing beyond my “strict alternate picking” comfort zone in order to add a new playing approach to my arsenal in order to develop my lead playing by introducing new elements (I’ve grown tired of the “mechanical” sound of pure alternate picking and have planned to remedy that by incorporating legato, slides and economy picking into my playing).

Here’s the transcription of the notes in the lick I’m currently working on (feel free to correct me if I got it wrong) and the way I’m currently playing it. The first half is not something that Yngwie would play, but it’s relatively comfortable to play for me, while I tried to mimic what Yngwie probably does in the the second half of the lick (the descending fours part).
Hot on Your Heels - Solo 1st Lick.pdf (56.8 KB)

Here’s a video of me playing the lick: using the fingering from the tab above (pure alternate picking):

Feel free to share your approaches transcribing Yngwie or any other player’s licks that are counterintuitive to the way you play, present some of the ways in which Yngwie might have mapped out this lick, etc. Of course, any constructive criticism regarding my playing is more than welcome!

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#2

To your point about adapting licks to your strengths vs developing techniques you’re not used to: I guess it comes down to what you really want, how much it takes priority over other technique goals, and the time you have to dedicate to them.

If you’ve grown tired of pure alternate picking, maybe you shouldn’t continue to prioritize the technique, so learn new things in the way the original player executed them, even if it doesn’t play to your strengths? What would personally be more detrimental to your motivation: being uninterested / bored with what you’re playing, or being pushed outside your comfort zone with new techniques?

Depending on the time you have, you could conceivably do both: learn something the way it was intended to be played, then adapt it to your strengths.

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#4

First of all, sorry for the late response!

I haven’t grown tired of pure alternate picking, it’s just that some of the players whose playing I’ve been into recently (Brandon Ellis/Wes Hauch/Yngwie) are economy pickers and use legato and slides in order to avoid strict alternate picking/crosspicking, while also creating interesting licks which are less scalar and “boxed-in” like the Paul Gilbert-type of stuff I’ve been practicing, while also being more “lively” and musical due to the mix of the techniques they employ.

My practice time is currently very limited and dedicated to other things, so this is something I’d work on when picking up guitar to noodle for about 5-10 minutes or whenever I catch a spare moment to do so. The biggest hurdle with this is my lack of experience when it comes to transcribing stuff as accurately as possible, since I can’t really discern whether there’s legato parts and slides in it, especially when I slow it down on Youtube and realise how Yngwie’s timing is fairly irregular for what sounds like a perfectly even and articulate alternate-picked run at full speed. I’ve been thinking of learning some of his other licks where the difference between legato and picking is easier to spot.

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#5

I can´t tell you how you should play that lick but I can tell you that Yngwie doesn´t alternate the descending fours lick in the first 3 bars. He is an UXP player so he will go down-up -pull off, down on B string, down on E string, up, down on B string, pull off, up on E string, down- up- down on B string, sweep to E string and start over.

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