My Sharona string change - how to?

Playing Technique
#1

I’m trying to find a picking technique that will work for this, besides sheer force and “going for it”.

On the extended solo for The Knack’s “My Sharona” (which I love) there are a couple sections where you have to pick one note on one string, then two notes on a string, and repeat many times. To make it even more difficult, the first note has a bend. And then there’s string skipping too.

I don’t know how to practice this! I don’t think this is compatible with any single escape motion.

The first section begins at 0:24 here:

#2

The trick here is that first note (bend) is actually an eigth, not sixteenth, that gives you a time to move your hand to the next string even with ‘bouncy’ technique. Best way to practice it is to use shifted chunks without bend, like:
-----------7-7-------------------------7-7----
-7-7--------------------7-7--------------------
-----6-----------6------------6--------------6
keeping in mind that the note on the third string is eight (ti-ti-tuu–ti-ti-tuu–…)

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#3

Thank you! That’s an interesting observation. The 8th note buys me time for the low to high string change only, so I could try to set up the two 16th notes in a way that allows me to clear the string for the high to low switch.

Edit: GOT IT! I am so absorbed with pure alternate picking these days that I forgot some of the basics.

This lick stems from the Chuck Berry 3rd string bend-2nd-1st classic lick. And that lick sound and plays great when you pick it down-down-up. That’s the key!

Thank you again!

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#4

A little update. If I pick a single escape motion the trapping of the pick becomes an obstacle. I think it needs to be played DBX. Which suits me fine! As long as I pick it down-down-up (8th note bend down, 16th notes down-up), all is fine.

I know this is a simple example, but had I not known about Cracking The Code, I would be hammering away over and over again using a motion that would prevent me to play the phrase. All the while I’d be thinking I need to “practice more” or “start slowly”. :slight_smile:

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