Reviving the chat on Trailing edge picking

Playing Technique
#1

I’ve been a trailing edge player for around 23 years. The main issues I encounter are

  1. With the B and high E strings. I feel like the pick is fighting against the 2 highest strings due to the angle of the movement combined with the edge angle. Its slightly smoother if I’m using DSX motions. I recently started bevelling my picks to see if it smoothens the attack out a little. Tbh its hard to say if its helped any. I’m new to bevelling picks so maybe a different angle will have a more apparent affect.

  2. I also noticed that my escape motion is mostly USX due to my thumb touching the strings if I attempt DSX motions. I think subconsciously I had been avoiding that movement path while still trying to play those paul Gilbert style DSX string crosses. I always found those “outside” string changes challenging so I ended up hybrid picking those.

In regards to Inside and outside string changes…for some reason I can almost always nail the Inside string switches regardless if it’s a DSX or USX. For example ascending 6’ s would start on an up stroke resulting in an inside cross and USX motion…no problem. Descending would start on down stroke resulting in an Inside cross and DSX motion? I find this a bit curious.
I feel like there needs to be a bit more discussion on trailing edge picking since it’s clearly being used but it’s pretty hard to find people outside of the Jazz n bebop scene. There are some funk players and a lot of metal rhythm players using it. Not an awfull lot of shredders other than Shawn Lane and Roy Marchbank. Also 2 of the fastest I’ve ever seen. Any thoughts from my fellow trailing edge picker or former trailing pickers would be appreciated.

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#2

There’s actually quite a lot! Troy has several videos about “tall mouse” RDT which (the way he does it) is pure trailing edge. He also mentions Schuldiner and Lamb in one of them.

Edit: Also paging @steve506

#3

Oh this is my time to nerd out! Trailing edge picker here.

I’m not the fastest gun in the west, but this technique has helped le gain lots of confidence and I am able to play the music I like, which tends to be fast although not to hyper-picking levels.

About the inside/outside changes, I think that’s just a secondary outcome of the line you are trying to play. I find more value in analyzing the notes per string to adjust my technique accordingly. For instance, as a DSX player, I’ve got used to an even number of notes per string to require starting with an upstroke (like the Yngwie sixes you mention), whereas a line that starts with with an odd number of notes on the initial string calls for a downstroke for the lick to flow smoothly (like basically all of @tommo 's licks from the Metronomic Rock seminar). Once I got that under your fingers, I completely forgot about the inside/outside thing.

On another note, one thing that has helped me achieve more consistency across different sets of strings is playing with the pick angle but not in the traditional “edge picking” sense, rather than playing with where the tip of the pick is pointing to. For instance, the pick pointing directly to the body gives me immediate garage spikes problems that go away by pointing the tip of the pick slightly towards the neck, and for fast rhythm, I keep the grip but angle my hand differently (tending to gypsy style) with the pick pointing directly towards the bridge. My approach might be too extreme for some but I’m happy with the results and I’d suggest trying small modifications just to see what happens.

Here’s my video playing chord tremolo with my trailing edge + angled pick style:

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#4

i have dabbled with trailing edge in the past and I found the exact same problem - it feels like the pick snags on those strings really bad. Have you tried using lighter picks, like .50mm or something like that? That is, assuming you’re not using light picks already!

#5

I actually made a video about this for someone on the forum (catching higher strings):

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#6

Thanks man! That was the problem right there. I wasn’t tracking enough for the B and E string. Now it’s just a case of figuring out how to mute the low E when I track away from it. I’ll make a short when I’m free to demonstrate where on at with all this. I definitely feel like I’ve made a bit of progress over the last week or so.

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#7

I haven’t tried any thin pick in a while. I’ve been using jazz 3’s for the best part of 15 years until recently when I decided to try full size picks again. I’ve got a good variety of picks to try put over the next few days so I will definitely give some thinner pick a go and report back.

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#8

Great stuff man thanks! The notes per string thing has definitely been an eye opener for me. That paired with having an awareness of the appropriate escape motions has made it all seem possible. I pretty much gave up on alternative picking at speed for years. Ended up hybrid picking most DSX changes instead. How do you get on with 1nps stuff like the intro riff to Glasgow Kiss?

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