Help! Am I doing it right?

Technique Critique
#1

Hello there! Spanish guy here. For the last three days I’ve been giving the “CTC experience” a shot and started experimenting with my wrist motion; particularly, the reverse dart throwing motion.

For some context, my main speed technique has always been some kind of wrist-forearm in a catastrophic attempt to achieve DBX.

While trying a more of a sped up wrist motion, I realized two things:

  1. Since I was trying to move my hand more side-to-side (deviation), it naturally turned into a wrist-forearm motion, which I wanted to avoid for learning purposes.
  2. DSX comes much more naturally to me.

Therefore, I focused on building up my wrist motion step-by-step, which is the main reason I’m here, so anybody could “sanity-check” if I’m doing this correctly.

The steps I follow for this particular example, as shown in the video, are:

  1. Trying the reverse dart throwing motion by tapping.
  2. Speeding up step 1 as much as I can (my elbow starts to tense up).
  3. Same attempt, but using the “minimal pick grip” approach and then rotating the pick almost vertical, similar to an OK sign.
  4. Speeding up step 3. Notice I initially run into a “garage-spikes” problem and try to adjust so the pick attack becomes smoother.
  5. Attempting an Ardeshir Hemmati lick.

Apologies in advanced for my VERY sloppy playing in both hands :sweat_smile:

Does this look correct? If not, is there anything I should change? If so, do I only need to keep practicing? Since my elbow tenses up at very high speeds, does it look more like a wrist-elbow (and should I embrace it instead of avoiding it)?

Additionally, I find REALLY hard to replicate the same results for USX motion; maybe I should’ve recorded it.

Any tips are welcome!! I also apologize for any grammar mistakes I may have missed :sweat_smile:

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#2

Your trailing edge two-finger grip (#2) seems pretty fierce to me. I’d try to use that one. The leading edge (to my eyes and ears, which are inexpert) seems way less fluid, and it’s not worth forcing something (ask me how I know).

That is to say, don’t bother with USX, you have what looks to me like a really solid DSX already!

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#3

Thank you so much! Recording was also uncomfortable since I get very nervous.

That being said, it doesn’t feel quite good when I alternate pick with a trailing edge; it sounds fierce because I’m hitting the low E string and don’t think I can achieve the same results playing the other strings.

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#4

IMO that just takes some trial and error. Focus on it feeling good on the other strings for a bit and see what happens (and if Troy or Tommo or Joao tells you differently, ignore me)!

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