The Fastest Lane - Video Lessons on Efficient Fretting Mechanics in Shawn Lane's "Power Licks"

[Tom_Gilroy]

@Imnobedhead

When you’re trying to sequence third’s diatonically up on the higher strings do you stick to 3nps or do you drop a note on the g or b string to make the pattern in one position? I’m coming up with pretty good solutions to keep it 3nps, but this is the first time I’ve noticed the more conventional “one position” scale layout having an advantage

Hi @Imnobedhead.

For the thirds patterns, it depends on the speed and texture I’m going for. At a “normal fast” I stick to 3nps and I maintain a cycle direction, but I may switch between (1 2 3) and (1 2 4) combinations if I feel it’s appropriate.

For example in the following shape, I may use (1 2 4) combinations for the entire pattern, or switch between (1 2 4) and (1 2 3) where indicated:

|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|---------5---|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|---------5---|-7-5-8-7---8-|
|-------------|-------------|---------4---|-5-4-7-5---7-|-------------|
|-------------|---------4---|-5-4-7-5---7-|-------------|-------------|
|---------3---|-5-3-7-5---7-|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-5-3-7-5---7-|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|

  2 1 4 2 1 4   2 1 4 2 1 4   2 1 4 2 1 4   2 1 4 2 1 3   2 1 3 2 1 3

The fretting combination (1 2 4) for whole-half is unusual, but it is highly efficient and is very useful in certain situations and for certain scale shapes

If I’m trying to play woopledybloop nonsense fast I’ll stick to 3nps, ensure the same digital pattern throughout and include a unision between the G and B or a chromatic note if necessary. At those speeds the individual notes don’t really matter so much, and these compromises can be necessary to maintain the efficiency of the fretting cycle. See here:

|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|---------3---|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|---------3---|-5-3-7-5---7-|
|-------------|-------------|---------4---|-5-4-7-5---7-|-------------|
|-------------|---------4---|-5-4-7-5---7-|-------------|-------------|
|---------3---|-5-3-7-5---7-|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-5-3-7-5---7-|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|

  2 1 4 2 1 4   2 1 4 2 1 4   2 1 4 2 1 4   2 1 4 2 1 4   2 1 4 2 1 4

Aside from this topic, how have you been getting on with the suggestions I gave you regarding fretting posture some time back?

[Imnobedhead]

That first of the two fingering felt incredibly silly… until it didn’t! (That 3-2 move to play d to f# is not something I’ve done but I like it now)

I’ve spent most of my afternoon writing out all my favorite four note chords and their four inversions as arpeggios alternating — 2 notes on a string then 1 then 2 then 1 then 2 then 1 — because they work absolutely perfectly with this concept of “fastest most efficient.” Is that something you’ve noticed and explored at all?

Your tips have served me well! Thanks again

[Imnobedhead]

• I’m seeing now that “212 Arpeggio Shapes” is actually a common topic along guitarists. I’ve used these shapes by chance when they were the obvious fingerings but I’ve never been so systematic about using them before. I’ve been figuring out all the inversions and avoiding 143 fingerings and it’s feeling really good

[aelazary]

bit of a weird one but i always liked this fingering for the G/B strings

|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|---------5---|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|---------5---|-7-5-8-7---8-|
|-------------|-------------|---------4---|-5-4-7-5---7-|-------------|
|-------------|---------4---|-5-4-7-5---7-|-------------|-------------|
|---------3---|-5-3-7-5---7-|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-5-3-7-5---7-|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|

  2 1 4 2 1 4   2 1 4 2 1 4   2 1 4 2 1 4   2 1 4 2 1 4   3 1 4 3 1 4

[Tom_Gilroy]

@Imnobedhead

That first of the two fingering felt incredibly silly… until it didn’t! (That 3-2 move to play d to f# is not something I’ve done but I like it now)

It’s quite an unusual move, but it’s very effective and valuable in many contexts.

@Imnobedhead

Is that something you’ve noticed and explored at all?

I’m familiar with the concept of 212 arpeggios and I have a few shapes and inversions under my fingers. Tim Miller has an ebook on the topic, which I’ve bought but not studied in great depth. From a cursory review, it seems some shapes are immediately amenable to the EDC principle and others are not.

@aelazary

bit of a weird one but i always liked this fingering for the G/B strings

This feels ok to me in an angled fretting posture at “normal fast” speeds, but I don’t like it at all in a parallel posture.

[aelazary]

I end up pivoting my thumb between both postures and can get it pretty fast, but I suppose depends on the speed you’re aiming for

[Tom_Gilroy]

@aelazary

I end up pivoting my thumb between both postures and can get it pretty fast, but I suppose depends on the speed you’re aiming for

I can see that working in most contexts.

It doesn’t really feel “bad” in parallel posture, on the fatigue/strain from (3 4) combinations doesn’t set in after two isolated reps of the cycle, but I can definitely feel that I wouldn’t want to play that fingering sequence at my fastest possible speed many times in a practice session.

[aelazary]

Yeah for sure, i use that fingering because it makes use of the nearest unoccupied fingers. Descending i use a similar pattern to the first one you wrote - or the unison fingering.

Btw, have you every tried played these intervallic sequence patterns with string skipping? They end up sounding pretty cool

[Tom_Gilroy]

@aelazary

Btw, have you every tried played these intervallic sequence patterns with string skipping? They end up sounding pretty cool

Yes, I have. I’ve also practiced with diminished and augmented shapes, moving the shape symmetrically across the neck, moving chomatically, etc. You can get a lot of mileage from these basic coordinations.

[Thegent]

This was really great, thanks for sharing this. I do have a question regarding transitioning digital between the two digital cycles:

When going from ‘reverse’ to ‘forward’ digital cycle, it feels efficient to play 4-2-1-2-4 however the transition wouldn’t fall under a ‘slide’ or ‘reveal’…nor does it have the 3-4 combination.

Would you consider this an efficient transition…at least as efficient as 1-2-4-2-1?

[Tom_Gilroy]

@Thegent

When going from ‘reverse’ to ‘forward’ digital cycle, it feels efficient to play 4-2-1-2-4 however the transition wouldn’t fall under a ‘slide’ or ‘reveal’…nor does it have the 3-4 combination.

It’s not a major problem if the 2nd finger frets the same string at the same fret in both instances. However, it is not maximally efficient, as the 2nd finger has to fret, lift and fret again with only one note duration.

@Thegent

Would you consider this an efficient transition…at least as efficient as 1-2-4-2-1?

No, not as efficient.

It might not be much of an issue at a normal fast speed, but as you push further 4-2-1-2-4 will be the limiting subsequence in a sequence otherwise built from EDCs and the efficient turnarounds.

[Thegent]

Thanks for that. I have other thoughts - for whatever it’s worth.

One of the benefits I’ve found through this EDC system (perhaps unintended) is new melodic sequences at ‘medium fast’ speeds (i.e. dialing in triplets between 16ths against a constant tempo). I think there are wider musical applications here outside of the ‘fast-efficient’ application.

A challenge I have is traversing diatonic scales across the g-b string (using exclusive EDC’s)…it trips me up (unless adding chromatics like the common b9 or #4)…I’d like to see others solutions. The 2nd/3rd finger on ‘same fret, adjacent string’ is really neat…I don’t think I would pull it off past the 10th fret…but lower is something I’ve never done but feels good with the wider fret spacing.

Another benefit I’m finding is the 3nps ‘shred clichés’ (as known on the forum) have new life when sandwiched between some of the less common patterns found in the EDC’s examples. I love the ‘clichés’…but shy away from them after playing though a number of songs because of the repetition…now they have more uses.

Having a number of picking motions (or solutions) is close to a ‘must’ for really taking full advantage of the EDC’s at top speed. My economy picking is very hit and miss (pardon the pun)…I probably would have been scared off of this concept prior to having at least a helper motion in addition to a primary motion.

[Tom_Gilroy]

@Thegent

One of the benefits I’ve found through this EDC system (perhaps unintended) is new melodic sequences at ‘medium fast’ speeds (i.e. dialing in triplets between 16ths against a constant tempo).

I’m delighted you are getting value from these principles.

@Thegent

I think there are wider musical applications here outside of the ‘fast-efficient’ application.

I think so too!

@Thegent

A challenge I have is traversing diatonic scales across the g-b string (using exclusive EDC’s)…it trips me up (unless adding chromatics like the common b9 or #4)…I’d like to see others solutions. The 2nd/3rd finger on ‘same fret, adjacent string’ is really neat…I don’t think I would pull it off past the 10th fret…but lower is something I’ve never done but feels good with the wider fret spacing.

The G to B and B to G crossings are definitely a tripping point, and it’s definitely worse with some diatonic shapes than others. The unusual transitions and the (1 2 4) for whole/half can definitely help to facilitate these crossings. Adding chromatics or skipping a string seems to have been Shawn’s preference. Really, this avoids the problem more than solves it, so I’m still experimenting with other options.

@Thegent

Another benefit I’m finding is the 3nps ‘shred clichés’ (as known on the forum) have new life when sandwiched between some of the less common patterns found in the EDC’s examples. I love the ‘clichés’…but shy away from them after playing though a number of songs because of the repetition…now they have more uses.

Absolutely. Actually, this reminds me of something Carl Verheyen taught in one of his instructional videos. Carl was discussing his method of building lines by mixing usual combinations of intervals. He then said that he thinks it’s important to also include something familiar to the listener, most often at the end of the line. Otherwise you run the risk of the listener feeling like they have nothing to connect to. For Carl, this is usually a blues phrase, but the principle applies everywhere.

@Thegent

Having a number of picking motions (or solutions) is close to a ‘must’ for really taking full advantage of the EDC’s at top speed. My economy picking is very hit and miss (pardon the pun)…I probably would have been scared off of this concept prior to having at least a helper motion in addition to a primary motion.

Yes, I would agree with this aswell. I’ve mapped out a lot of EDC based sequences which conform exactly to some particular picking movement and strategy. Strict USX or DSX, strict Gambale Rules economy/sweeping, strict swybrid, etc.

Actually, I think that the hammer on is the great facilitator of Shawn’s EDC based vocabularly, as they can be done ascending, descending and “from nowhere”. When no ideal picking solution exists, the hammer is very valuable.