Techniques vs Motion Tests vs Escape

Playing Technique
#1

Hello fellow guitar players, I am just returning to a more intense training to improve my technique. I have already worked a bit with the elbow, but right now, I need to develop a DBX technique for specific one note per string phrases.
I returned to the Testing Your Motions section, and had good results with the Van Halen Wrist Motion. The problem is that I’m having difficulties in identifying this motion in order to watch the Picking Motion Tutorials. I’m not sure whether this a reverse dart thrower motion with a different arm position from the Al Di Meola Wrist or a Dart Thrower Motion of even Wrist and Forearm together.
I created a table trying to correlate the motion tests to the motions themselves to the escape motions they can generate and I would like to check if it is actually correct.

Technique Motion Test Possible Escapes
Elbow Elbow DSX
Reverse Dart Thrower Al Di Meola Wrist DSX, USX, DBX
??? Eddie Van Halen Wrist DSX, USX, DBX
Forearm Forearm DSX, USX, DBX

Is this correct so far? Does anyone know what this Van Halen wrist is actually? Thanks in advance.

#2

The EVH wrist motion is RDT - not 100% the same form as Di Meola/McLaughlin style, but it falls under the same general labeling. If you watch the latest RDT wrist tutorial, it’s explained. It can do DSX and DBX, maybe USX, but there’s no tutorial for that currently.

The only other thing I’ll add is that pure forearm (rotation) is typically only USX. Forearm-wrist might be more capable of varied escapes.

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#3

As you’ve noted, there are a lot of different ways to do DBX. What’s tricky about it, in my opinion, is that there isn’t the “tremolo” equivalent of it. I mean, you could do a tremolo but you wouldn’t really be sure it’s DBX unless you film yourself and find out, so you have to try playing things that require DBX to be sure you’re actually doing DBX.

For all my flaws, I actually learned DBX really quickly (i.e. found the motion…still refining it). I did it by just playing as fast as I could on a 2 note chord. Then I added a third note, then a 4th (ascending arpeggio, but ringing out cleanly). Then I tried coming back up a string at a time. It only took about a week of fiddling to find something that worked.

Just make sure you’ve got some licks under your fingers that feel pretty comfortable and that you’re familiar with what “smooth” picking feels like. That’s always Troy’s big advice to people embarking on DBX. You’ve gotta first have a solid single escape motion. The big trick with DBX is that the motion itself isn’t really any harder than the single escape motions. It’s just…different. If it feels like it’s fatiguing, it’s wrong. Throw it out, and try another motion that feels as easy as whatever fast elbow playing you know how to do.

Also, Troy says all the time to not only practice 1-nps licks when you’re learning DBX. Make sure you throw in scalar things too. He often recommends fiddle tunes or classical pieces written for the violin as they have no consideration of even/odd numbers of notes per string.

TL;DR;

That I know of, there isn’t a tap test that directly translates to DBX, the exception being the newer RDT section as that should get you DBX if you can get a posture/grip that allows a neutral pickslant.

Good luck!!

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#4

Thanks for the replies. These days I watched the most recent lessons, and know I understand that the Van Halen wrist is another type of RDT. And most importantly, I also understand why it feels different, because it really uses slight different muscle movement.

Thanks a lot for the advice. Actually I’ve got a few licks with elbow and with Al Di Meola wrist motion. My problem more specifically was that the Al Di Meola wrist feels a bit uncomfortable. I know it means that I have to find a better way to do it (easy, fast and loud) but I feel it would be be better to focus on the Eddie Van Halen wrist, as it is easier for me.

I will practice with a few Vivaldi licks, I will certainly enjoy that.

@Riffdiculous thanks for the information, below is the updated table

echnique Motion Test Possible Escapes
Elbow Elbow DSX
RDT Al Di Meola Wrist DSX, DBX
RDT Eddie Van Halen Wrist DSX, DBX
DT N/A DSX, DBX
Forearm Forearm USX
Forearm Wrist N/A ???

DT = Dart Thrower
RDT = Reverse Dart Thrower
*It seems to me that RDT is usually associated with supinated arm position and DT with pronated arm position, but I could be wrong here.

#5

The forearm wrist blend can do USX (Doug Aldrich) and though not common, it has DBX capabilities. Troy’s demonstrated this in many clips

#6

Also DT can do USX, this is what Shawn Lane used :slightly_smiling_face:

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#7

Forearm/Wrist = Jimmy Herring DBX and I “think” DSX when he gets faster although his form is as weird as can be…