The 3am200bpm WristTwist, or

Technique Critique
#1

…the only way I can get into USX at these speeds. I can’t start this USX at quite this speed and I don’t really like how I’m no longer touching the bridge. Only my pinky is making contact. I’ve tried to move from DSX into USX while keeping some part on the bridge, but it all falls apart immediately. My most comfortable version of USX maxes out at about 150 but I can do it uncomfortably at like 180-185. Not painful uncomfortable, but more like I can’t travel very well doing it.

What is this telling me? Is the vid showing me what the best way is for me to do it and I should focus on traveling? Or should I work on getting my slower version faster?

#2

Nice trem! I have trouble seeing stuff like this but are you positive it really turns in USX? When I get to a PC I’ll try viewing the non “short” YT version so I can slow it down. The posture your hand gets into sure looks like a USX posture, but all that matters is the path the pick travels in.

Not saying it ISN’T a USX motion but we just need to be certain so we know our options. If it is indeed USX and the only way to get to it is this slow transition, no problem. You are an advanced player and have decades of DSX programmed in. Learning a brand new motion is hard. I would totally expect a period where you have warm it up or do some stuff to call up the motion. When I finally got USX working with a tremolo the next thing I noticed was as soon as I introduced fretting, my picking hand would go right back to DSX. What was programmed in wanted to take over. That is why often, to mimic EJ, a shorter path is to modify his licks so that they work with DSX and the occasional mixed escape. 2 Excellent examples are Andy Wood and Joe Bonamassa.

What do the other motions you mentioned look like? I’d like to see the 150 USX and the 180 USX. We’ll get something working for you so the good news is that the future is bright :sun_with_face: : -)

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#3

Here’s your video in a player where we can slow it down:

I’m not sure what to make of it honestly. At fast speeds like this the pick strokes naturally get smaller, but I can’t tell if the upstrokes would be escaping. Is it possible to back off the tempo slightly to allow for larger strokes, and try intentionally doing rest strokes so that your pick always gently contacts the “b” string on all downstrokes.

Also, there’s not enough room to really see what causes this but keep your eye on this area:

image

That “space” between your arm and the guitar is changing and this could be from your forearm twisting. If so, cool. The forearm rotating is definitely a motion that would create USX in this slightly gypsy setup.

OR it could mean that the elbow is driving the motion. If that’s the case, There’s not much we can do to get this motion into USX as the elbow is a simple hinge that drives the pick away from the body on downstrokes. There’s of course nothing wrong with that, but it’s DSX and not USX, so trying to use a motion like this for EJ is just not going to work. Again, I’m not saying that’s what’s happening here. I’m just saying, if the elbow is driving the motion, that’s where we are.

In any case, I’d highly recommend uploading these videos (and the ones I’d asked for above) to the platform (i.e. non-forum) and get Troy or Tommo to take a look at this. I’m an amateur, they are pros. I sometimes see stuff that’s not there and we don’t want you chasing wild geese. They’ll be able to tell you exactly what’s going on.

Lastly, if you haven’t already seen this, do check out Adam’s (RIP) amazing video on how to play EJ phrases with a DSX motion. Chances are you’d have that stuff whipped into shape in a matter of hours, days at the worst case. It may be more of a shortcut than trying USX.

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#4

I also can’t really tell if that becomes USX - it looks sort of like a quasi-MAB position, and he’s DSX. Maybe you’re just barely clearing the strings on the upstroke, but of course the best way to find out is to try that motion with a USX phrase.

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#5

It’s always the obvious that I miss out on. Thank you! @DC11GTR I’ll add to my requests by asking you to either play fragments of the Petrucci chromatic run with that motion OR some ascending 6’s

b|-------------------------5-6-7-5-6-7- etc
g|-------------5-6-7-5-6-7-------------
d|-5-6-7-5-6-7-------------------------

Depending how that goes, I’d suggest you attempt the same exact motion, but use Gilbert 6’s

b|-------------------5-6-7-5-6-7- etc
g|-------5-6-7-5-6-7-------------
d|-5-6-7-------------------------

See what I’m getting at? Let’s have this motion prove to us what it is. If it’s DSX or even trapped, there’s no question why EJ style 2nps stuff feels challenging for you. Interested to see what happens!!

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#6

Thanks for the replies. I’ll record some stuff later this afternoon.

I need one of those magnets because I’m having to hold my big ass phone and it’s not easy, haha.

I was trying a few other things last night to see what my hand was doing and I really can’t tell what the hell is going on. I did the Petrucci chromatic, the Metropolis Pt.1 run and a few Gilbert’y things and it seems different for each one and even more different depending on speed. My hand adjusts itself as it feels it needs to.

I also did a few EJ-style licks and my adjustments are similar. I did 180 8th-note triplet across the strings descending and like 150 ascending, which is where I was with that weeks ago. Granted, I play far more than I practice because it’s in small windows and I’m actually working more on having a soft touch with my fretting hand so I don’t injure myself again. PTSD is a bitch… I just need to nail the correct motion I should be using so I can finally tackle this bastard!!

All that said, seeing that the OG G3 lineup is coming to town next year… It seems like fate!! I’m going to try to get back into Vai’s orbit so he can introduce me to EJ and Satch again. It didn’t go as well as I hoped back in 2001 lol