My thoughts about the Pickslanting Primer

[wl17]

Hi,
I bought the pickslanting primer. There is an enormous amount of information. But I have my doubts that it will get me anywhere. If you look at the information, you get the impression that almost every technique works. I’d be happy if I found one that worked! Another point of criticism is that it doesn’t explain how to prevent things that should be avoided. For example with string hopping. It is said to be mostly wrong and shown how it should look but not how to do it.

I also believe that one cannot derive the movement from observing the right hand of models. It just looks different than it feels. For example, when I try to make the movement come from the elbow, it looks like it’s coming purely from the wrist.

I’ve been playing guitar for quite a long time and always had the problem that I kept missing the strings probably because I experimented too much. It has always surprised me that most guitar teachers say that the movement comes purely from the wrist. I knew that the right hand is much more complex and that’s why I was happy to find this primer with this huge amount of information. But now I’m wondering what this amount of information will ultimately gets me anywhere…

It would be good if this forum existed in other languages ​​as well. I translated this text with google translate

[Troy]

Thanks for the feedback! And thanks for buying a copy of the Primer. We are always trying to streamline the lessons, and the process. We have many changes to make over the current year which will make the path simpler and less confusing to follow.

The sequence we want everyone to follow right now is this: Start with the table tap tests, and record the numerical values. This establishes a baseline of joint function. Then attempt tremolo with any motion that feels easiest. This is not specific to any particular type of joint motion — it’s just another test. From that point, if the motion works and feels smooth, you can continue to develop that.

If the tremolo motion doesn’t produce smooth or fast results, that’s where we recommend trying a specific technique, and following our specific instructions for doing it. We have a few of these so far, including forearm motion and wrist motion. Our latest update is to the wrist motion section, which has pretty simple basic instructions for establishing efficient motion:

Wrist Motion

To be clear, we don’t expect anyone to copy the form of a famous player without instruction. That’s a big challenge. Instead, we provide specific tips and tricks for achieving that form. The forearm section and the wrist section are the most complete in this respect, but we will add others over time as we develop more of these tips.

Another big part of our instruction is personalized feedback from us through Technique Critique, just to make sure you are on the right path. Currently, this is only available as part of the subscription. But if you consider it like a guitar lesson, it’s pretty cheap. Most online lessons cost much more than this. So if you reach a point where you would like us to take a look at your motion, you can do so by signing up for a month and canceling if you like.

As far as the Primer itself, I would also point out that you will get free updates for life every time we add or update our teaching material. We have players who bought this product 8 years ago who got the latest update for free. I am not aware of any other instructional course that works this way.

[Scottulus]

I just finished watching it. I’ve actually spent quite a bit of time watching it while I play guitar this week. I thought I’d share a perspective, hopefully it’s welcome…

It’s been a while since I’ve been over the stuff, but the newest changes to it are absolutely stellar. In addition to the usual stellar production values and extra effort given to explaining this stuff to even the dimmest of us (That would be me! ) it sounds like some of the newest additions to this had Troy doing his damndest to stave off a pretty brutal cold.

The focus is on the picking hand, and there is a lot of different ways that we, the player can position and utilize it to completely circumvent our objective, but Troy you have done a really great job of evolving this to a point where despite my best efforts - I don’t think I can screw this up. I mean, I am a bit shaky on 100% diagnosis on exactly what kind of creature I am, but I am getting closer and the information is a lot more accessible.

This picking technique thing is different from most types of study where more reps = more learning, I know that now and the primer provides an excellent framework I think of the 3 types of escapes we deal with in regards to plectrum playing. Actually I think you pretty much nailed it, the primer steps are pretty orderly and make a lot of sense. The newer content kind of explains the older info and puts it in context I think.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but the methodology here is 1) Get a motion that works 2) Determine your escape 3) Build a vocabulary around that.

The choices amount to downstroke escape, upstroke escape and double escape while the different grip and motion choices will yield different advantages and limitations within and around those choices. ie different combinations have somewhat different proclivities. None of them are “bad” , it’s just that certain combinations will have certain things that will need to be done in order to leverage the advantageous nature of said combination.

Anyway, the primer is really quite well done and making a lot more sense. Ahhh if only I knew then what I know now.
Possible opportunities for discussion?
I would say though that if speed is the test to determine if an escape “works” I’d maybe like to see more insight into how double escape “speed” is attained. I watched the pronated video, and here is detailed info on the picking strokes - 1 straight and 1 diagonal up/downstroke but how the hell do you make it go fast without it feeling like a newly born deer with fresh legs on wet ice (wipeout). I am not entirely convinced that I know how to start that particular motion 'fast" as I most likely will turn it into a stringhoporama ( I am probably the best at stringhopping in the world) and not get fast enough, or go really fast and have it be a slopfest that sounds like utter dogshit for 6 months at a time while I practice to try and get it to “clean up”. It’s tough for me because there are some things i am very successful at picking-wise, and some that I am not and it’s reeeeeally frustrating tht I am unable to figure it out. lol I am thinking that it’s a lot of factors actually, not just a “magic button press” and it’s solved.

But maybe it could be that my setup and motion combination are just not conducive to double escape. Like, ever. I think that THAT is information that we need to be able to know also because I am a worker, man. I will practice myself to death if there is even the slightest glimmer of a hope that something is possible. So yeah, if we are really only going to ever be able to do a single escape type of playing (That’s fine - lotsa folks do it, and there’s lots of truly great players who are single escape, right? … Right? lol

One area I personally would like to see developed a bit is the subject of tracking?

Anyways, great job on the content, massive improvement via updates - big apologies if this comes across negatively, as it’s not intended that way at all. Just the ramblings of an old guitarist wracked with self doubt… lol