Is this string hopping?

Technique Critique
#1

I pretty sure this is string hopping, but what can I do to help remove the hoppiness? I particuarly find the inside string changes difficult/they feel hoppy:

This is a small part of the main riff from Paul Gilbert’s Fuzz Universe. My playing isn’t much slower than what is on the original recording, but I don’t feel like I can speed it up much more without it becoming really bouncy.

Would you suggest trying to play it faster than the original track in order to iron out the hopping?

Thank you :slight_smile:

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#2

Okay I took a look at the video, and I don’t think it looks like string hopping, but I’m not an expert on that. Sounds good - tight rhythm, punchy tone - you just need it a bit quicker, right? If that were me playing that and had run into that issue knowing what I know now about my playing proclivities I might start bay taking a good long hard look at stuff kind of in this order;

  1. What is my typical escape? USX, DSX or DBX?

  2. Am I entrapping what would normally be an escaped stroke? I recently discovered that as I go faster I had a tendency to dive down and put my pick under the string on my escaped stroke. I had no idea, but becoming aware of that really made it possible to move forward.

  3. Are there things that I can do to minimize the string changes? Can the notes be rearranged to suit my playing proclivities? Can I employ a strategy of hybrid, hammer-ons or pull-offs with a mute to still sound like it’s picked? Paul does this - especially now. I spent a few years going over stuff with Paul on his Artistworks lessons page, and he simply doesn’t have time or interest in having to slave to pick every note. It just has to sound good…

I hope that helps somewhat, or maybe gives you some ideas. One of the “dudes” who know this stuff inside and out could give you a better diagnosis - All I can say from past experience with struggling with music stuff is that if it seems you’ve hit an impasse, then it’s time to re-evaluate! :grinning:

Good luck!

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#3

Thanks @Scottulus, thats really useful!

I think I should definitley experimemt with this more - historically, I have been guilty of being in the “Must alternate pick everything” mindset, although I have started to come out of that since I descovered CtC :slight_smile:

On a side note - how were Paul’s artistworks lessons? I’ve seen him advertising them enthusiasticly as ever on Youtube but never looked into it much

Thanks for the help :slight_smile:

#4

I listened to the original, and those last few notes there is pull off during that phrase. well only the first time he plays it.

maybe you could take a page from the double down club or cheat and swipe if its some kind of 1 note per string occurance. instead of trying to switch between one way escapes to just double down the point that you feel is causing this anomaly that is hitching up your picking.

he appears to be rocking back and forth between two areas on those 2 string pairs.

i would say first though to absolutely prevent string hopping is you gotta get one of those guitars, that is the key. LOL if i was to play electric again that is one guitar that is very high on my list, that guitar body is sick!

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