I think i got the motion going on one string, but the most trouble i have is with string tracking.
It messes up the consistency of motion for me and i sometime miss the target (target being the new string) when switching strings.
I wish i could train string tracking so it could go in steps (one step = one string shift) rather than moving my arm by random amount and hoping for the best.
What is the best way to do string tracking when crosspicking? Elbow extention or wrist deviation?
Some of the guys who have been more successful with crosspicking have mentioned that they use wrist/forearm strictly to strike the strings and they use elbow motion for string tracking. I’m an awful cross picker but I’ve experimented with this and if you can get into the groove of accurately moving your elbow to match the strings it’s actually quite a relaxed, comfortable and smooth motion to use. On the rare occassions where I stumble into “The Zone” it feels like my wrist barely moves at all while still managing to clear the strings
Hi!
Although I never worked on cosspicking, at least not consciously, I am a big friend of separating the picking mechanic from the string tracking mechanic.
Simple example:
Picking by wrist deviation and tracking also meabs, that your picking has to work around every wrist angle because your center of the picking movement shifts from string to string.
Also pick angle changes, leading/trailing edge as long as you don’t compensate for that.
Exception might be picking/tracking from purely elbow, but I think then it’s not crosspicking.
My recommendation:
Keep the conditions for crosspicking movement constant by tracking from your elbow or shoulder. By shoulder I mean “pushing” forearm forward (neck) or back (bridge). As it is angled, this can be used for tracking.
Tom
I’m in the middle of working this out, but I think up to a certain speed you can get away with using wrist movement to track (I think of it as the pickstroke itself being the string changing movement as well, when it needsto be), and then up to the “next” speed you can use a bit of both, but it’s seeming to me like for the absolute top speeds it needs to be arm only.
I set up a rule for my playing to cover 3 strings without having to “track”, so I can use my main picking movement to also change strings and try to slowly make up for the altered angle by tracking with shoulder/forearm movement.
For me that seems like the logic way to go, but whatever works is fine.