Testing picking and want feedback

I’ve been a member since September and have been a lifelong elbow picker with a downstroke escape picking style. I joined to learn the Eric Johnson stuff and have been working towards that.

With my normal technique, I could always play fast, but medium tempo was difficult to play cleanly. I’m hoping that I can develop either a two way style/Steve Morse style, or transition to wrist upstroke escape.

I’m wondering if I am usx at all or am I still dsx, string hopping?

Eric style

Black star lick

2 Likes

Hey @shredhead7, I’ve been discussing your clip with @Troy, and it looks like your “new picking” is somewhat similar to the double-escape form that Troy demonstrates in this video. With a bit more trial and error, you may be able to make it smoother and more consistent:

The most important point though is that this is not a USX approach! In the descending Eric fives, for example, you can clearly see that you are doing two separate downstrokes instead of a 2-string sweep. If a USX style (like EJ/Yngwie) is your current objective, then this motion is not the way to go.

I see you are a MIM subscriber, so you should be able to find plenty options for possible USX motions in the Primer.

Finally, you probably knew that but your DSX form at the end of the first video is great - so don’t give it up!

I think you mean the first video!

1 Like

Yep! thanks @Johannes I just changed it! I should add that for best mileage the DSX movement should be used of patterns that change strings after downstrokes - this may not be the case in all the things you are playing at the end of the first video (I think I see several upstroke string changes that get caught on the strings), which is probably why there’s a bit of excess string noise.

Thank you Tommo for the feedback! Yes, I’ve been a dsx my whole life, I just didn’t know it until I signed up. I grew up on Yngwie, Paul and Vinnie, many of the same as you. Signing up and watching Troy show all the guys with usx made me want to change. I guess I could use Joe Stump as an example of why change, but I’ve always wanted to play anything.

With that said, unless I go straight Gypsy, arched hand, I can’t get a true usx. I’ve tried different wrist positions on the bridge, but the pick always reverts back to dsx. I’ll post some more videos for feedback.