I’m getting really confused about all the terms being used and what’s not and what is still being used. So, as per my question, is cross picking different than TWPS?
Thanks for the info. I read that thread but didn’t want to derail it too much.
So crosspicking is really only referring to play one note per string licks? 2WPS would be if you were playing scalar licks?
Crosspicking as I use the term is the alternate picking style where you only make fully escaped pickstrokes. Doesn’t matter how many notes per string. However since 1nps lines can only be played with fully escaped strokes, then they must be “crosspicking”.
2wps is the alternate picking style where you mix and match both types of single escape pickstrokes as determined by the string change. You’re not making the fully escaped pickstroke all the time if it’s not necessary.
These terms really haven’t changed. Crosspicking is a term we started using to describe players like Steve Morse who appear to make the curved motion all or much of the time. The “two way” in two way pickslanting was always there to explain a player who does not do this, but instead flips between the two linear types of picking motion.
However what we have done is become more specific in understanding how the motions work. Here’s a blog post which explains how our understanding of two-way pickslanting has grown clearer over time:
https://troygrady.com/2018/07/16/what-is-two-way-pickslanting-and-how-does-it-work/
Whether we keep using these terms who knows. If they help people then we will, and if they don’t help people then we’ll probably stop. For now though I do think we need a term to describe the “two picking motions” kind of player. The word “pickslanting” might be confusing so maybe we’ll choose another. But the concept definitely exists and needs explaining.
1 Like
I don’t know if this has already been suggested, but what about for the purposes of talking about sets of motions, referring to different “families of systems?” The “902 family,” for example, or the “Gypsy/Yngwie/EJ family,” or the “MAB/Vinnie Moore family.” You already occasionally refer to “Andy Wood’s system,” for example, and this gets rid of “crosspicking versus pickslanting” once and for all.
Alternately (pun intended), the “primary-down system” could be used as a catch-all and the “902 family” be the “two picking motions” players. But there’s something “systematic” about an organizing of picking motions into “this is how you make this kind of string change.”
(Addendum: I won’t pretend I didn’t make this post at least partially for the satisfaction of making an “alternately” pun.)
1 Like
I don’t know if you picked that up from one of my other posts, but I have definitely said “902 family” on here. However it implies that the player is equally capable of what we’d call “2wps” and also “crosspicking”. If the player can’t do or hasn’t figured out continuous 1nps playing, then I’d argue they aren’t really exploiting the entire “family”, since the “902” motion itself missing. (Edit: Or not being fully exploited.) In which case one of the other two terms is more more descriptive of the player’s actual style.
Also, 902 is super specific and refers to a particular arm position and picking motion. Steve Morse wouldn’t be 902, but he might by 7012, for example.
So it’s both super specific and also not specific enough! How about that.
I think I did pick it up from one of your other posts. But I have cousins that look nothing like me but are still family members. 
I do realize this is devolving into semantics, but on the other hand the topic at hand really is semantics.
Yes it’s terminology. Where it gets practical is when the term helps switch on a lightbulb that actually changes someone’s playing. “Pickslanting” was that for a lot of people, especially those who were already doing it and didn’t know it. I’m sure we can find that practical/helpful balance moving forward.
Well yes. I didn’t mean to sound dismissive: as my advisor likes to say, “words matter.” 
1 Like