My picking technique - good, bad or indifferent?

Technique Critique
#1

Hello,

I’ve been watching CTC for a while now and find it all fascinating. I have no aspirations to be a shredder per se, but I am interested in playing faster licks much cleaner. I have introduced DWPS into my playing and find that I’m able to skip through strings quicker and play cleaner, still very much a work in progress but do feel some benefit.

Anyway, long story short I have recorded a video of me playing an EJ lick and wanted to get some opinions as to my technique and ascertain what kind of picking technique I have. I believe I pick by the wrist rather than fingers or elbow, and I do slant the pick downwards but I’d be interested to hear if it looks good, bad or indifferent!

Videos are short so I’m intending to upload a version of me playing the Pop Tarts lick soon but wanted to get some feedback sooner rather than later.

Many thanks in advance!

2 Likes
#2

I hear some notes that are not clean, which suggest that you are playing it faster than your current technique allows you. What i would do is slow down and iron out these spots that are causing trouble and see what you need to adjust to make them work. It seems like theres some hand synchronisation issues at some piont in the phrase. I would slow down and work from there, then gradually increase speed when its clean.

#3

Echoing the above I would slow down a bit. There is a lack of separation between a few notes which suggests playing above your current threshold, or a lack of proper timing during the learning phase. Still, good job, it sounds like a cool lick.