Technique Feedback

Technique Critique
#1

Hi everyone!

Long time lurker on the site and I just recently signed up and I’m loving all the content and advice that’s on the site and in the forums. I’ve been playing for about 15 years and my main musical interest is metal. Most of the bands/songs that I enjoy and want to play have some really serious tremolo picking that is intensely fast (for me at least).

It’s a little embarrassing for me to admit but tremolo on a single string is very difficult for me. I’ve studied the pick slanting primer up and down and while I’ve gained some very valuable information, I’m still struggling with developing my technique.

I’m really trying to pick with my wrist but my whole arm seems to always tense up. I’ve tried the recommendation within the primer to mix up my grip, supination, etc and still feel like I’m not making much progress. No matter how hard I try and stay relaxed my whole motion feels very forced.

I know that progress takes time but I routinely put in 2+ hours of practice at least 5x a week. After an hour or so I can get in the zone sometimes and blaze through some phrases but the next day or later on it feels like I’m starting fresh. (This is what concerns me about my technique is that it literally feels like I’m starting over the next day after really feeling like I got it the day before.)

There’s some insanely good players on this forum so any feedback or recommendation is most welcome!

Full Speed

Slow-mo

I also seem to have a very difficult time on the high E string as seen below:

Thank you!

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#2

Hello and welcome! One thing I’d try is doing rest strokes, or at least wider pickstrokes in general. Then it’s easier to see what the motion is actually like, and if it actually makes escapes. For example, on the G string, I can see your downstrokes aren’t always pushing through to the other side of the string before your upstroke already begins. There’s a good section on rest strokes in this video:

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#3

Thank you - I will definitely give this a try. I guess I’ve always attributed speed to a smaller range of motion and focused more on that than the actual motion itself.

#4

Hey Dustinspr,

Here are a few items that I noticed:

  1. Ultra tensed up hand (like mentioned)
  2. No elbow motion
  3. The pick is nearly completely flat 90%+ of the time (no pick slanting is used)
  4. Also I could be wrong on this one but it appears the guitar pick is being held on/squeezed for dear life

What kind of pic are you using? This might actually be part of the problem…

Try playing the guitar like strumming style but gradually make the motion smaller until it’s like riffing then finally into tremolo (but not tensing up).

Right now it’s like you are attempting to generate power by twitching the muscles/tendons in your forearm instead of using a wrist, forearm, and elbow motion.

Good work posting the videos especially the slow motion, because it would be next to impossible to help otherwise.

#5

Hey brutaldeath,

I really appreciate the feedback and suggestions! I think you’re on point with all the points you make.

I’ve tried various picks recently but still go to the Jazz III tortex 1.35mm (used in all the videos I posted). I’ve also tried out the Dunlop Flow in 1.0mm that I like a lot too but you’re absolutely right about my grip. It’s insanely tight. I have a really bad habit of over thinking/analyzing things and I’ve been worried about excessive finger motion and I think that’s why I’ve got a death grip.

I never really thought about the motion I’m making as sort of a muscle twitch but now that you mention it, It feels like that’s what’s going on.

I recently rewatched the clip regarding rest strokes as shredd advised and I’m going to give it a shot. I like your recommendation for the strumming motion because a lot of the songs that I love and want to play have parts where 16ths notes are being played at 180 bpm + over 2 strings (usually 6 and 5) and there’s no way I can play that with my current motion. When I try, I feel like I’m digging into the strings too much and the motion is very forced and cumbersome. I’ve developed some really bad habits that make it feel very difficult to create wider pick strokes so I’m sure it will take some time but I’m in for the long haul.

Thanks again!

1 Like
#6

Hey Dustinspr,

Cool to hear back from you.

I just watched this video today and I believe that it could help give a visual reference of picking technique in your preferred genre.

Notice how despite both guitar players anchoring by using different wrist positions (one features significant flexion), they are both completely relaxed. In reference to the tremolo picking, at 2:12 of this video there are some sick tremolo lines that show exactly how both guitarists are using wrist deviation while also combining forearm and a bit of elbow motion.

Also it wouldn’t hurt to try using some “Dunlop 471P3C Carbon Fiber Max-Grip Jazz III Guitar Picks”, since these feature a texture that requires less effort to hold onto the pick.

Godspeed my friend.