Need help for alternate picking

Technique Critique
#1

Hey guys,
my name is Raffael I’m from Germany and very glad have this forum to maybe get some feedback from you on my playing and technique :slight_smile:
I watched the whole pickslanting primer and tried to apply what I learned. Still I could not figure out what I’m missing or if I’m „string hopping“. I have issues with tention in my arm and elbow and I’m limited in speed. I’ve been working on alternate picking in particular for 2 years now so I guess pure repetition of the motion is not the main problem, rather a technical aspect.

I think I play mostly with DBX motion (like Martin Miller). When I play 3-note-per-string I sometimes play with DSX motion, the same with 2-note-per-string playing.

Since play more in the Jazz/Fusion direction, I don’t think I need that pickslanting double 3-Note-per-string material that much… I think my limitation is before all that fast playing material.

The following video material is mostly my fastest possible without tensing up right away. Even at that speed I cannot play much longer than the sequences in the videos without tensing up.
Thanks so much for some feedback and your help :slight_smile:

The following links are playlists, so it’s not just these two videos you see as a thumbnail!!!

3 note per string videos (playlist):

2 note per string (playlist):

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#2

Hi Raffael and welcome to the forum. I think the speeds you are playing at are not fast enough to see if your picking technique is efficient or not. I’d assume not, as you already have tension and you feel it’s not comfortable.

Can you post a video of your fastest tremolo motion( one note, one string)?

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#3

Hey @Raffael, Guten Tag. I’m still a student myself.

The one thing I notice right away is that your index finger and thumb are moving, which I don’t see other players doing. Can you try keeping your whole picking hand as a single unit? There will be less overall motion within your hand, and I think that will help stabilize.

Your picking is not fast, but I actually think you’re in a good place. Your motion is smooth and you’re aware of tension, which is great. Cheers und Viel Erfolg! z

#4

Looks like some sort of MP Joint usage. I’d look at the Martin Miller episode.

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#5

Thanks for your answer. Here are some tromolo single string videos :slight_smile:

Single string – side view

Slow

Fast

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#6

Yeah, I kind of noticed that, too when I watched the slow motion footage. But I feel like my hand gets stiff and tense when I put together thumb/index finger while moving. It also restricts my freedom of movment…

#7

No problem, find what works for you. Best of luck!

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#8

Well, I don’t have solution yet unfortunately, but I try to keep index finger and thumb together and not tense up.

#9

Looks like you have an elbow motion, which has a downstroke escape by default. I’d try applying this same exact motion to simple single string patterns and simple multi string ones, where you only change strings after downstrokes (cascading 6s for example). Playing 3nps scales should be something you try after you are comfortable with your fast motion.

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#10

Agree with @gabrielthorn! When you speed up, it looks like a wrist-elbow blend with downstroke escape motion.

It looks and sounds good, so you’ll just need to feed the correct types of licks to this motion:

#11

Thanks! I need to check again the tabs from this page for some 3nps patterns. Is there any book you could recommend?
After working with the different techniques I figured out to play better the double escape motion, too. I think I now use wrist-motion instead of using my fingers.

I need the double escape motion for jazz stuff or exercises like this: