Question about not using double escapes

Playing Technique
#1

Hey Guys,

I’m a USX player and I’ve been working on incorporating sweeping/economy/directional (whatever the proper term is) for licks that go down and trying to change my pickslant so that I can escape on the downstroke when changing strings in the upward direction. I feel like I’m making decent progress on the sweeps but am still struggling a lot with the DSX. So I keep thinking, maybe this isn’t the way for me and maybe I should incorporate pull-offs for these scenarios instead. Even though I won’t be picking every single note like I’d like, it would still be a big improvement. But then I realize, that doesn’t work for everything.

In the example below, how can I pick the second D# on the G string without changing my pickslant and without getting trapped? Is the only option here for me to swipe it immediately after hitting it or is there something that I’m missing?

image

#2

Hello!

I think another option would be to swipe before hitting the single note on the higher string.

So you would swipe through the higher string and then hit the upstroke there then go to the lower string again.

I personally think that would be the better choice since (I’m guessing as an USX player you have a downward pickslant) that your pickslant should make the ascending swipe smoother due to the reduced angle of attack.

#3

That makes sense, if I do have to resort to swiping, that would be a much easier swipe.

2 Likes
#4

Seems like a perfect case for using the middle finger to play the D#. You would get a smoother, less challenging movement. This is central to the Swybryd approach.

Alternatively, you could use legato on the D-string, and an upstroke sweep to catch the 8-12 move.

2 Likes
#5

I don’t think that’s a style I would be able to manage lol.

I was originally thinking “string hopping, shouldn’t do that” but I guess if I’m not picking the note before it, I should have plenty of time to get there with hopping.

1 Like