Recent Paul Gilbert

Playing Technique
#1

Check out this recent Instagram video of Paul Gilbert rippin it up. Might be the camera angle, but doesnt his right hand look almost perpendicular to the strings? Almost seems like hes string hopping or bouncing a bit doesnt it? His pick grip looks so light too. Go paul!

Paul Gilbert shared a post on Instagram: "I drilled four holes in my pick, and it’s easier to grip it. 11/64” seems like the drill bit that works the best. Makita drill, of course. @officialibanezguitars @jhspedals". Follow their account to see 1311...

[Paul Gilbert on Instagram: "I drilled four holes in my pick, and it’s easier to grip it. 11/64” seems like the drill bit that works the best. Makita drill, of course. @officialibanezguitars @jhspedals"](https://Paul Gilbert IG Video)

#2

Anyone have any thoughts about this? Thought I was gonna spark a whole new PGilbert discussion with this video haha. I know it’s a weird angle but does this look like a clear DSX/USX to anyone? Or more of a crosspicking? It just looks so light and bouncy for Gilbert shredding lol

#3

Everything about Paul’s playing screams DSX to me :grinning:

It looks wrist-y but after @Tom_Gilroy pointed it out in another thread, I can definitely see some forearm rotation in there - although the amount varies depending on what he’s playing. In the clip you posted around 75% of the way through there seems to be a lot of forearm motion but it’s hard to say for certain with his sleeves!

The part I time-stamped below seems like a good example of DSX with an USX helper motion (with a great angle of his escapes). The majority of the time his hand position looks identical to John McLaughlin (DSX) but he seems to supinate more for the odd note a couple of times

1 Like
#4

I haven’t been able to watch the clip you linked yet and I will get to it, but just from looking at the thumbnail of the video, in the video I posted and in another video Paul has posted himself to YouTube, his hand looks more perpendicular to the strings these days.

This one:

Edit: watched your link. Yes I def see some flicking of the wrist going on there. Maybe it just really depends on the lick and if he’s strong skipping or not

#5

Do you mean perpendicular in a way that would suggest USX?

I think his string skipping is also a big tell that his primary motion is DSX, he picks all the notes on the lower string with the last note always ending on a downstroke and always uses pull-offs on the last two notes of the higher string (if he’d picked them instead he would of ended on an upstroke). To me that showcases a clear preference for downstroke escapes :grin:

Below is a recent transcription of his Intense Rock I intro solo done by Levi Clay with the string skipping bit I’m talking about timestamped:

1 Like
#6

I was watching that last night! No I meant perpendicular in relation to strong DSX but possibly even just a solid crosspicking motion that escapes in both directions with some of these licks. It’s hard to explain but it looks like he’s successfully and very efficiently stringhopping lol

#7

Sorry to ask but can someone bring me up to speed here? I binged CtC a couple of months ago, there was the Gilbert vid where it looked like he was a double-escape player but IIRC that idea was revised. The classic “Gilbert Sixes” has string changes after both downstrokes and upstrokes but there’s talk of him being “mostly” a downward escape player, where are the mods on this one? FWIW I find Gilbert much more approachable than Yngwie even though I never learned any of Gilbert’s stuff other than that one lick; my playing is improving but I’m still pretty confused. : )

#8

Oh right! Yeah completely agree!

I’ve tried to analyse the string skipped arpeggio chorus bit to Scarified to see if he is using a DBX motion as well but I really can’t tell, I would guess yes but I’m not sure :grin:

At the time of that video Gilbert was referred to as a “mixed escape” player, using both USX and DSX but I believe now what Troy thinks is more likely, is that players tend to have a primary escape motion and a secondary helper motion for these types of phrases

Yeah I think with Paul it can be really easy to see all the little licks that he has connected together to construct his longer runs!

#9

Seems to be doing some string hopping in this one???

(I’m joking obviously, but this is incredible.)

4 Likes
#10

just turn that on its side and chello you got a bass?!.. wait it already is a cello! :smiley: