Masters in mechanics - Vulcano Issues

Playing Technique
#1

Hello! I’ve tried to play the first exercise in the vulcano lessons, the single string pattern for a few months now, but unless i spend [let’s say 30mins a day for a while] i cannot go past 90 bpm, and even that, after a while if i dont keep the same practice, i go back to around 70-80 bpm where it’s sometimes clean enough.

In my opinion the biggest problem is my left hand, which cannot keep up with the right one. I’ve tried playing with the little finger, playing without it, but i get stuck in the same bpm zone in the end.

What can I do? Am I trying too much? Which should be the first thing that a beginner in pick slating learns here? I’ve tried going straight to that one but it seems that it’s an overkill. Should I just try a different exercise? Which?

For those who’ve learned it. How long did it take? How did your practice routine look like?

Really sorry for the long post, but it started feeling like I am going nowhere with it.

#2

(Considering your motion is right) I don’t think it should take you so long.
If you think that your left hand is the problem maybe it’s about chunking?
I think that Troy dicusses it in Volcano seminar somewhere
Here is a video that I found in hurry about it:

It basically means that you only focus on one note and the others “fall in” automatically.

#3

Two things to focus on: first, what is your tremolo speed, picking naturally. What I mean is, don’t try to force the angle of the pick, upwards or downwards, just what is most comfortable to you. Set a metronome and see if you can 16th notes at 180, 190, 200, etc…

Second, work on legato. Yngwie rarely uses his pinky, if it’s any comfort. Start with ‘easy’ legato patterns. Anywhere on the neck, play, 1 2 4(or 3) 2, 1 2 4 2, rolling the left hand fingers. Play this as 16th notes with the metronome, work on consistent rhythms. Some people rush the hammer ons, others the pull offs.

Next, play 1 3 4 3, 1 3 4 3.

Last, play as triplets. 1 2 4 1 2 4, then try 1 3 4 1 3 4, then try crossing strings, 1 2 4 next string up 1 2 4. Then the reverse, 4 2 1 4 2 1, etc…

It’s boring, even ten minutes of doing these things will make the muscle memory in your left hand that much better. Lastly, you will marry the two together, right hand picks the left hand does the patterns.

My personal journey was the middle section of Evil Eye, right before the solo. I played it like the tab book, (b string) 10 13 12 10, 9 12 10 9, 12 15 13 12, 10 13 12 10. I learned it like the book, legato, but watching him live, realized he picked it. It wasn’t hard to pick after having played it legato for so long. The down is perfectly aligned with the left hand index finger.

2 Likes
#4

Thanks for signing up!

One important thing to know about the Volcano seminar, is that it is really a second-level course. Meaning, we don’t really teach the motions there, we assume you already have a picking motion that will work for Yngwie-style lines. Volcano requires USX picking motion. Before starting the seminar, you need to be able to play a single note on a single string fast with a motion where the upstrokes escape. If you can’t do this test, then you won’t be able to play any of the multi-string lines in the seminar smoothly or quickly.

The best place to start is the Primer. Have you watched any of that yet?

The first thing to do is test your motions on the table tapping tests, and write down the results, so you know what your core speed potential is:

The next thing is to identify which motion you are using. This means, which joint motion is it, and which type of escape is it, USX, DSX, etc. Here are the two sections where we cover that:


Once you have that, you’ll know where to go next. Have you taken any of the table tapping tests yet? What metronome numbers did you get? Did you identify the joint motion and type of escape yet? If so, which joint is it and which escape is it?

That’s best way to start!

2 Likes
#5

Hello! Sorry for the late answer, a lot of issues have appeared in the meanwhile.

These are the test results: First Test- 230 to sloppy 240 BPM

Eddie Test - around 200

Dimiola - around 190-195, its a bit harder to hear

Elbow - 220 to sloppy 230

Forearm Motion - 210

Can i perhaps post a video with me playing the vulcano lick? I’m not sure about the joint.