Just watched "Testing Your Motions" in the primer

Playing Technique
#1

Hello,

I’ve been playing guitar for over 30 years and I’m not awful. But my picking has always been my downfall.

I think I can sort of do the motions described in the videos. But when I hold a pick and try to do those motions on a guitar I’m completely lost. I can’t recreate them at all (other than the elbow one but I’m not able to change strings with that method on any exercise I’ve tried).

If using those motions to tremolo pick a single note on a single string isn’t working, what’s my next step?

#2

Hi Barn,

My “natural motion” was stringhopping, so I had to develop a new motion to get anywhere. But the motion that I’ve settled on has much in common with my original motion (dart thrower, trigger grip, ring finger anchored below strings). I imagine many others have followed a similar path.

There are only so many ways to pick guitars strings and you’re bound to be closer to some motions than others. When you perform a tremolo without trying to mimic a specific motion, which among the choices from “Testing Your Motions” is the best match? Once you figure that out, the next steps will become more clear.

#3

I’ve spent a day trying the motions. I really don’t think I have a primary motion. I’m so frustrated.

I’ve continued watching the videos in the pick slanting primer but I think I’m wasting my time without figuring out a primary motion. Thoughts? Do I just keep spending frustrating days trying and failing to tremolo pick one note? Will something happen?

#4

I’m not an authority figure here, but if you’re a member you should be able to make a technique critique on the platform. I bet you can get some good feedback there.

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#5

It sounds like you’re attempting to find your “primary motion” by trying out a bunch of unfamiliar motions and seeing which, if any, feel natural.

I wouldn’t expect any unfamiliar motion to feel natural, though.

Try working backwards from what you’ve been doing: play how you normally play, then observe what you’re doing and assess which motion is closest.

Reviewing video of your playing, shot from the front for starters, should help to see which joints are moving, around which axes, and in what posture. And if you upload the video, the community here can help you with analysis.

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#6

Record a video. :slightly_smiling_face:

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#7

I appreciate your help everyone. Recording a video would just tell me what I already know - I’m string hopping. I need to figure out how to break out of it, but none of the correct motions feel possible. I can do the test motions, so my joints work, but when I hold a pick and a guitar, the correct motions don’t happen. It honestly feels like a mental block at this point. Like I’ve convinced myself I can’t do it. Any tips on conquering that?

The site makes it sound like string hoppers come here to fix their technique. That’s why I signed up. What usually happens? They watch the motions video and one of the motions works for them? The video made it seem like I should be able to tremolo pick using one of the methods on day one. That’s not happening at all. Should I practice one of them for a week or so and see if I get results?

#8

Why? What specifically is going wrong?

Typically when someone has a fine motion test but can’t get it happening on an actual guitar, there is some sort of mismatch between the way the motion is going and the way the pick itself is oriented, causing the pick to snag on the string. Is this the case for you, or do you feel there is some other issue?

If you feel this is more a case of previous learning interference, you could try using Troy’s tips for gradually moving the RDT motion test onto the guitar.

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#9

Then record a video of your failing attempts at doing the motions on the guitar. It’s up to you, of course, but that’s what people do over here to obtain real results :sweat_smile: . Diagnosing technique over text alone is virtually impossible.

Also, I can’t speak for everybody but experience showed me it’s better not to assume I already know what my hands are doing. Even professional virtuosos don’t know what they are doing with their hands until Troy describes it to them in person or on video.

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#10

It’s taking me a very long time to watch every video in the pick slanting primer. At what point am I supposed to record a video of myself being unable to do the motions, and what am I supposed to record myself playing? I assume just tremolo picking?

#11

When? Now seems like a perfect time to record yourself (I have that statement written on my wall and it seems to be always true :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:).

What to record? Tremolo picking on a single string (doesn’t matter which one). About the angle, I find two perspectives to be the most beneficial: frontal view and what we call the “magnet” view, which is simply capturing footage from the neck facing the bridge. Something like this:

IMG_0016

If your single string picking is ok but changing strings is giving you hassle, then a repetitive lick that crosses multiple strings should be fine also.

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