Help with Two-Way Slanting

[Gazza59]

Hey All - I recently figured out that I’ve been picking DSX style for nearly 25 years. For the past month I’ve been practicing two-way slanting to make gains.

While I understand the concept of USX/DSX relative to slanting, I cannot seem to get my escapes to occur on a straight line. Currently my picking looks exactly like DBX in the below image. Your help on my following questions is appreciated.

1. Any tips on achieving a diagonal picking line as opposed to DBX curved?

2. In the above image, Troy’s pick angle looks tilted about 45 degrees, even though I think he calls this 0 degrees. Some people seem to have a flatter trajectory like the next image. Which is correct? When I try to achieve the flatter angle like below, my pick gets hung up more easily.

[joebegly]

@Gazza59

For the past month I’ve been practicing two-way slanting to make gains.

What gains are you attempting to make? 2 way pickslanting is sort of a deprecated concept. If what you mention here is true:

@Gazza59

Currently my picking looks exactly like DBX in the below image.

Then you’ve got everything you need, because your motion can handle upstroke and downstroke escape. That was the “problem” that 2 way pickslanting was trying to solve. DBX gives you this.

@Gazza59

1. Any tips on achieving a diagonal picking line as opposed to DBX curved?

You mentioned you have been DSX for 25 years. That means you should already have a diagonal.
Easiest way is to confirm is pick some motion where you can clearly see a rest stroke happening in one direction and a clear escape of the string plane in the other direction. So if you try doing a tremolo on the G string, try making all down strokes hit the B strings and all upstrokes escape. Or try making all your upstrokes hit the D string and your downstrokes escape. Though based on your opening statement, I think you can already do this.

@Gazza59

2. Some people seem to have a flatter trajectory like the next image. Which is correct? When I try to achieve the flatter angle like below, my pick gets hung up more easily.

That could happen for a number of reasons. Pick point could be off, causing some garage spikes. The ‘motion’ may not really be USX. Just because you slant the pick down as in this picture, it doesn’t mean that a USX motion will happen. I know this because I tried doing it myself for a bit I had a downward slant but my elbow was driving the motion. That motion was really DSX so the downward slant resulted in some garage spikes and trapped picking. That posture (the one in the image, not the one I was trying with elbow and DWPS) works best on a rotational or wrist/rotational blend like the gypsy players. Then all the upstrokes will escape, down strokes will probably rest on the thinner string beneath the one being picked.

All this is just guessing though What’s always recommended is to film yourself and then we can see what’s going on. It’s not always what we think is going on when talking through it. You’ve got a subscription so I’d highly suggest submitting a technique critique through the platform so Troy or Tommo can take a look and get you some expert advice.

[Gazza59]

Hi Joe, many thanks! Let me post a video or two in the critique area to see if I am on-track with my personal assessment, and to gain feedback.