Picking technique/critique

Technique Critique
#1

I’ve been hesitant to post this, but after years of experimenting with different approaches, this seems to work best for me. Not as clean or as fast as I’d like and maybe I’m limiting myself so figured I’d put this out there for critique.

When trying to play a tremelo mechanic I find that the most comfortable way to play that is to rest the back end of my palm (just above the wrist) flat on the bridge and pick over or around the bridge pickup. I’ve seen most other players pick somewhere between pickups or close to the neck. I have very limited control if I try to do that. Also you can see I don’t have much angle in my wrist. So far this is the only way I can seem to be able to reliably play some sort of tremelo with any speed.

Am I doing myself a disservice with the approach I’m using here? You can see I’m using a lot of forearm when I go to a tremelo picking mechanic. I’ve worked on this for a couple years now and I keep going back to this approach because I’m confident I can at least play a clean-ish run.

Thanks for taking the time to check this out and for any advice you can offer. I’m about to sign up for a year membership, but wanted to ask for some feedback on this first. Looking forward to improving my technique so thanks.

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#2

Thank for posting @timmcg1011!

I’m about 99.9% sure that your tremolo picking in this video is generated by the elbow joint, not forearm rotaion.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, and the movement looks nice and consistent, the lack of control you are reporting does not show on camera! Just be aware that the elbow joint can only generate a downstroke escape picking motion (DSX), so for best results you want to pair it with licks that only change strings after downstrokes - at least initially.

Note that this is exactly what you are doing in that descending lick at around 0:16. Could it be that, when you perceive lack of control, it’s because you are playing licks that have string changes that are not compatible with your DSX motion?

I think this is a great starting point, and as a next step I’d recommend that you give a read to the following (free!) webpages on picking motion, mostly to understand better what you are already doing and what else you can do with it:

PS: I also note that you have an interesting economy picking technique that instead looks like wrist motion (for the most part).

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#3

That’s smooth as hell man, nice work. Also yeah, what @tommo said :smiley:

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#4

THANKS tommo!! I’ve always felt that I’m missing something or doing something “wrong”. Always wondered if I took a different approach that things would come together more smoothly. For years it took me a relatively long time to warm up and be able to play at the level I’m at. Now I can get there more quickly, but some days are better than others and I’ve always wondered what’s different day to day.

Thanks for the link! Started reading it this morning and it’s clear I need to sign up so I can dig deeper.

Appreciate your feedback!

Tim

#5

Thanks very much!!! Appreciate that.

#6

Meant to answer you and say that I perceive lack of control because it’s not consistently clean. Not sure if it’s at all related, but I’m an economy picker. Been working on pure alternate picking more recently and find it really challenging to get up to any BPM over 120. Could this be due to my approach (DSX)? I’m familiar with downward pick angle vs. upward pick angle, but need to learn more to see how I can leverage better technique experimenting with both I guess.

Thanks again.

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#7

Just to be provocative: you are not an economy picker all the time :slight_smile:

In the video you shared you have moments of more wristy economy playing and moments of more elbowy pure alternate. No need to identify yourself with one or the other, Even though I know we have been told to think this way as guitarists for many years.

These are two different things you can do, which hopefully can be useful to you in differerent situations. No need to choose… use everything :slight_smile:

Have a read at the pages and I think this will all make more sense! If not we’re here to help!

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