Please help me figure out what I’m doing wrong with my alternate picking

Technique Critique
#21

You definitely are DSX. For fun, try an ascending two note per string pentatonic pattern starting with an upstroke. I bet it feels smoother and you’ll glide through it

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#22

OK, let’s look at the first four strokes. I think that you are a DSX player, so you needed to start with an upstroke, not a downstroke.

This seems ideal for you, if I understand:

  1. Up (and trapped).
  2. Down (and free).
  3. Up (and trapped).
  4. Down (and free).
  5. Up to hit the next string (and trapped)…

So if you start with an upstroke, I think that the tip of your pick will move in a line, and not really need any arcs or sudden twists.

#23

Thanks for all the advice so far really appreciate it. Gonna give it another go tonight and start with upstrokes and see how I get on.

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#24

The angle of the video is good but you’re playing too slowly to tell anything from that. I agree the setup looks like DSX wrist there but the video you posted earlier is elbow when you’re tremolo picking. You may do something totally different again when playing at speed, so we need to see what happens at speed.

Are you able to post a video of tremolo using your wrist?
Or post a video playing a simple sequence of notes at a much faster tempo

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#25

Yeah I can post another video and try use my wrist, I’ll be honest I didn’t realise I wasn’t using my wrist to tremelo pick until you’ve just pointed it out.

In that video of me tremelo picking my only thought was to just tremelo pick as fast as I can if that makes sense rather than thinking of what technique to use.

#26

There’s nothing wrong with elbow tbh.

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#27

That’s exactly how CTC recommends to start. You are doing nothing wrong and the results will come.

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#28

What happened to that?

#29

You were right I did find it easier when starting with an upstroke. Found myself sometimes changing back to starting on a downstroke but suppose that’s muscle memory and will take time to unlearn.

Didn’t have chance to get a video. But if you think it might be helpful to do so I can record one over the weekend to see the difference.

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#30

I would show everyone here what it looks like starting on an upstroke; your motion will presumably be much simpler vs. starting with a downstroke, but only the camera will confirm that.

#31

Just quickly filmed this take starting on an upstroke to show the difference.

#32

You are starting on an upstroke but executing the same motion. It still is too bouncy imho.

Try again but on every upstroke, make sure that the pick rests hard on the next lower string eg. If you upstroke the A string, the pick should physically touch and rest on the low E string.

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#33

It looks to me that your motion is simplified vs last time, is that true?

#34

Thanks I’ve been giving this a go this morning and can definitely see how it will help, gonna take me some time to get used to the movement of doing a rest stroke especially after a upstroke

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#35

It felt more simplified than before I’d say. And I believe in the last video I had metronome set 20bpm more than the first video

#36

That’s great! You’re on the right track.

The other half of the process is that, in contrast to the rest stroke on the upstroke, all downstrokes may have a natural tendency to end with the pick in the air (above the strings). That is the escape that will eventually allow you to change strings smoothly.

#37

Thanks, I’ll keep drilling it in and come back in a week and post another video but I can already see some improvement In my picking motion