Hi everyone. I recorded my attempt at the famous Paul Gilbert lick. It sounds clean to my ears. I´d like to hear your feedback.
I deliberately chose the 12th fret so one can cleary hear the swiping with the UWPS.
Have a great sunday,
Tobi
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I just listened casually but I think it sounds awesome!
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Sounds great to me, nice work!
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Very nice, sounds clean and looks effortless!
The USX version looks particularly smooth! And your doing that at what, 128-130bpm 16th note triplets? Wish I could do it that fast, that is proper Gilbert speed territory, well done!
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This is kind of off topic, but I often wondered how some people can pick that close to the neck pickup like that, and not catch and drag the strings with every stroke. Anyway, sounds good and you have some good sync.
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Thanks for the feedback guys, I can really need it right now.
Hm, I don´t know how that problem with the strings would happen. You mean because the strings have less tension in that area as opposed to a spot closer to the bridge?
I just happen to have relatively big hands and if I move the hand more to the right I end up with the palm behind the bridge. I wouldn´t be able to mute anymore.
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I think this sounds great. Listening casually, it really nails the Gilbert vibe and the gets the “snarling” effect.
You’re swiping in both versions, though the swiping is more consistent and pronounced in the first form. Interestingly, the swipe on the second form is in the same place as in the first, meaning that your DWPS form is often a supinated downstroke escape form.
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Thanks for the feedback.
Uuuh, you mean in the DWPS version I still swipe when transitioning from the high e string to the b string again? I thought I was able to do it cleanly.
I do have a problem with playing strings openly with DWPS (as opposed to playing with a palm mute) though.
If you slow the video down to 25%, the swipe when transitioning from the high E string to the B string in the second form (DWPS) is audible. It’s not present in every repetition, and it’s not as obvious as the swiping in the first form (UWPS), but it’s there.
I don’t think you should be worried about trying to eliminate the swipe, my comment wasn’t intended as criticism. I think it sounds great. When I was a teenager I was upset that I couldn’t get the lick to “snarl” the way it does when Paul plays it. I realise now that I wasn’t getting the effect I wanted because I was not swiping.
Yes, that’s what I was getting at, and I have seen others do that as well with zero issues. When you do it, it sounds pretty smooth and you can hear the notes. If I tried to do it closer to the neck pick up like that, it would sound like a clanky mess - all pick attack and harmonic junk, and no note.
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I don´t see this as criticism, I see it as valuable feedback. The whole point for me in using DWPS is that the upstrokes are free, so if they aren´t I want to work on that.
I think it has to do with the fact that I am playing the lick on the highest two strings and that the “onset” is a little more ulnarized as opposed to playing on the lower strings with palm muting. The higher strings with DWPS are a weakness of mine.
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Nice! I’ve been practicing the lick aswell recently and I was wondering what you do with your pinky when you go 15 on the 5th, 12 on the 6th and then back to 15 on the 5th. Do you lift it at all or not? Every time I get anywhere near those speeds, my pinky stops moving off the fretboard (which is fine), I was just wondering if its the same for others.
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I just played it to check - I definetely move my pinky away from the fretboard (lifting it up without bending). I think that´s necessary, otherwise you´ll “block” the high e string/ the e note on the 12th fret. You could try to keep the pinky on the fretboard and kind of “curve” it so that the high e string is free, but I don´t think that´s a natural way of playing it.
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So guys, I actually have a little update.
I submitted my video of “The picking lick” to Paul Gilbert´s School of rock where he will give you a feedback on your playing. He liked my attempt and encouraged me to learn a longer phrase that incorporates the lick. So I made that video todday. Adding the harmonized version was my idea. I had much fun with that lick.
Paul said it´s originally from the Racer X song “Blowing up the radio”, which is a banger, even though I couldn´t spot the lick in it…
Anyway, here goes my attempt at that lick (I also submitted to Paul´s site and am waiting for his response)
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Sounds excellent! Keep us posted on Paul’s feedback.
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