This might seem like a dumb question since the entire site is dedicated to this subject. My problem is, I can intellectually understand what Troy is saying. It all makes sense. How do I do it though? I don’t understand how to build speed. Do I just keep trying to play faster using the picking techniques shown? That doesn’t seem to be getting me anywhere. I can’t find anything on this site that say “Ok, start by doing this and when you finish with that, move to this”. Like some way of progressing. Some way of setting a goal. It’s all just seems to me to be “Here is what fast picking should look like”. I don’t feel like I’m getting anything from this.
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Step 1 is to find a tremolo motion that allows you to play fast (sixteenth notes at above 160bpm) on a single note for several measures. The motion should feel relatively smooth and effortless even if awkward and inconsistent. Work on getting this motion more consistent and smooth and push it to higher speeds.
You shouldn’t be worrying about what kind of motion you’re making or any of the other details discussed in CtC course material until you can get a fast smooth tremolo going sustainably.
The video “don’t work up to speed. start with speed” explains this process in greater detail
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The Reverse Dart Wrist Motion tutorial in the primer very much does this, taking you from table tapping to putting the motion on the string. If your wrist motion tap tests are decent, I would watch all of that. If you have already watched that, where are you getting stuck?
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Sorry for the confusion! The instructional sequence for core motion is located in the Pickslantingt Primer. This is where you should start, and where you can find the steps the other posters are referencing:
The Primer is linear and you can watch in order. After you take the motion tests, you can attempt the motion tutorials that resemble your best test result. If the results are close to the tests, you’re on the right track. If they’re far apart, make a TC in your account – from your dashboard – and we’ll take a look at where you’re at and make recommendations.
Let us know if you run into any trouble!
Thanks Troy. I did all the tests. I’ve been trying to do the various pick motions while doing a Pentatonic Scale. I’m very slow and I was getting frustrated. I will try the different pick motions while tremolo picking and get them up to speed as a first step. I’m still not sure how I’m going to get my left hand to be able to fret as fast I pick, or how I’m going to transfer the skill of tremolo picking to moving across the strings, but I’m going to trust in the process. I really appreciate your response. I’m determined to get better. Al Di Meola is my guitar hero. If I can just learn to do one arpeggio as fast as he does, I will be over the moon. I know, lofty goal.
Apologies for the confusion! Your frustration makes sense. You can’t test motions with the pentatonic scale – that type of phrase has strict requirements regarding which motions will work and which won’t, and it changes depending on which pickstroke combination you use on each string. On top of this, it places low limitations on fretting speed since you only have two notes on each string.
Instead, motions should be tested with a single note on a single string first. Then we can move to repeating single-string phrases if that checks out. Please make a TC in your account on the platform and we’ll get you sorted out!
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Can you play fast legato? You need to have your left hand together first. My advice is to play short bursts of fast notes: 16th-notes in groups of 5, 9, 13 and 17 notes (starting and ending on a beat). Take a one bar break between them, your brain needs to evaluate the result. Start with easy patterns on one string before moving on to two strings or more. 1-3-4-3-1, 4-3-1-3-4, 1-2-4-2-1, 4-2-1-2-4, 1-2-3-4-1, 4-3-2-1-4. 1-4-3-2-1. 4-1-2-3-4. Triplets (or sextuplets) could be patterns like 1-3-4-1-3-4-1, 4-3-1-4-3-1-4, 1-2-4-1-2-4-1, 4-2-1-4-2-1-4 etc.
It’s very much about a light touch in your fretting hand. Think of the fretboard as molten lava, try just touching the strings and the frets (playing close to the fret is a good idea).
Thanks Staffan. I’ve heard of using this approach. I think they call it “chunking”.