Need Advice —Separate Ways solo

Playing Technique
#1

So I wanted to get some opinions because I have been struggling with just this one small part of the Journey-Separate ways solo. The way I am playing the solo creates and inside picking problem that causes me to get stuck in the strings. At this point I have been practicing this lick for months and still cant get it right. I will post the tab for it below. And will hopefully be able to post a video.

E—19–17–15–17–15—15–15———————-
B—————————19———19-17-15—-15
G—————————————————-17B

I am starting the lick with an upstroke on the 19 and thus getting into an inside picking situation between the two 15’s on the high e and the 19 on the b. If you start the lick with a downstroke you will eventually have to inside pick.

Please give me some advice…its driving me bonkers bc no amount of practice seems to help. I have watched all of troys videos and just cant get it right. Would that one part require upward pick-slanting and then go back to dwps?At this point i just want to get it close. Thanks!!!

1 Like
#2

I’ve had a go and see what you mean. What is your hand position?

I find doing pull off from 17 to 15 easiest.

#3

This made me look up a video of him playing it and noticed he does upward pick slant! Not saying you have to as well, but it could be interesting to experiment.

#4

Ya hes one of my favorite players and unfortunately i have tried his technique and it just doesn’t work. He comes from below the strings and also floats his hand when playing fast runs. I am resting my palm on the bridge and utilizing dwps. I recently just changed my technique and it seems to be working better. But still cant get this down.

:tired_face:

#5

The part that is tripping me up is after you hit the two 15’s on the e, you need to hit the 15 on the b.

#6

Why not re-engineer the fingering? Shift down on the e-string to replace the 19 on the B? You might need to change the rest, but you might be able to capitalise on your preferred pickslant etc.

1 Like
#7

I’ve recorded my attempts at it, idk the song so be out of time.
Though I find a pull off best, an upward pick slant is uncomfortable if you’re a downward pick slanter.

#8

Thanks dude i haven’t had time to play today but will take your advice…much appreciated.
When i get some times i will post a video

#9

Are you doing the pulloff from 17 to 15 on the b string?

#10

Yeah, 17 to 15 B string :slight_smile:

#11

I would take the two G’s (the two 15 frets on the “high e string”) and play them as two 20th fret notes on the B string. That way the entire lick can be outside picked if started on an upstroke. I’d suggest sliding to the first 20th fret note (or stretch with the ring finger for the first 19th fret on B string, then use pinky to hit it, the 20th fret, if comfortable). Either way play 20th on B string with pinky, 19th with ring finger, 17th with index, then slide (pick) the index to the 15th fret. If alternate picked with an upstroke at beginning of lick you can outside pick the whole timee if that’s most comfortable…