The Low E string being the thickest of all of them is kinda hard to pass the pick through smoothly. Even if you play with the edge of the pick and do slanting and all that I still find it hard to get through the string smoothly.
What do you guys do to get through it smoothly without getting hung up on it?
As a general rule, if feeling garage spikes, it likely indicates there is something wrong in your technique that we’d need to see before being able to offer any helpful advice.
Without seeing it though, I could only speculate, which won’t be helpful.
In times where I felt I was getting a bit stuck, I’d tweak things by feel, until it’s smooth. That could be a slight grip adjustment, arm position adjustment etc etc.
I think the main factor in terms of pushing a string out of the way is its tension. For a lot of setups the tension (measured in pounds) is roughly the same, so pushing the E2 string isn’t really worse than the others. Here is a string tension calculator, and the E2 string is 19#, the A2 string is 20#, but the E4 string is only 13#.
On the calculator, try 8’s and try tuning flat a semitone. (My old setup had about 13# of tension.)
The reality is that you’re most likely taking too big of a ‘bite’ with the pick. No matter how you angle it. It’s a touch thing and there is no ‘trick’ to changing it.
This assumes you’re starting with good mechanics - soemthing we can’t speak to without seeing you play:
The way I remedied it was something my instructor had me drill for 1 to 2 minutes each day. Play 8th notes on each string as fast as possible and still keep time. Preferably 3 times a day.
D U D U - string change (assuming USX)
You can’t think your way to a lighter touch - you have to teach yourself. Going fast ( while keeping time), it’ll get easier. When it does, speed up until it’s not.
Won’t take long.
I’m using .010 to .046 and I tune a half-step flat. I will keep at it trying a lighter touch.
I thought about what might be going on. The E2 string doesn’t really have more tension than other strings, but there is one difference: On a six-string guitar it doesn’t have a string above it. So, I suspect that the lack of a B1 string lets your pick strike lower than it would on other strings.
So, I think that you might consider posting a video, and some of the eagle-eyed people around here (not me) would likely be able to opine about what might make sense to change, if anything.
The low E being thicker should acually help you pass through it as it will distribute the forces more evenly and smoothly.
Most likely it’s due to hand position. I know that making the pick consistently be 45 degrees or more on the low E is stressful for my finger. But someone like Dave Mustaine has a grip that lets it work easily on the low E
I’ve noticed this a lot in trying to play his riffs with my natural technique vs his, he has the pick in a much better grip to glide over the strings vs mine which is more slaping them. Idk if this is your issue, but it’s definitely one I’ve encountered trying to chugg the low E constantly.
My normal picking that does get caught sometimes.
His picking that glides over the string but is uncomfortable for me atm.
