I just wanted to share something funny.
Years ago when I was learning and trying to shred like my heroes I developed (or stumbled across) “slanting” or more accurately “escaping” motions to be able to play the fastest licks. I have a vivid memory of this because it was a trial and error thing that I went through when trying to learn particular licks (like Mr Crowley or For The Love Of God solos).
However I can remember at the time thinking that, although I was getting close to playing the licks well, I was cheating by doing these escape motions !
I didn’t think I was doing it right so I didn’t pursue those techniques.
There was nothing ever written in any magazine about our heroes doing these escape motions and i couldnt slow videos down in my VHS cassette player to see what their technique was.
Even edge picking seemed like cheating.
I just assumed that I wasn’t good enough to play as fast as them. Plus I heard Steve Vai say you need to practice for 10,000 hours to be as good as him (or that’s what I took from that soundbite anyway).
Thank god that now we know that everyone is human after all ! Our heroes developed their own escape and picking techniques to negotiate the laws of physics and it’s not all brute force and godlike ability. It all makes sense after all.
Back then it really did seem like these guys were gods or something !
Anyway as time went on I guess I developed my own escape motions out of necessity and now I understand them and know they’re perfectly ok.
I don’t have to feel guilty or like a sub par guitarist anymore. 
