After quite a while of trying to increase my tremolo speed, I found a slight variation on the tremolo practice routine that seems to help me. My instrument has smooth chrome covers on the pickups. I found that if I begin the tremolo movement on the pickguard and then move so that I’m actually on the surface of the pickup I can begin to move through the string at speed. I think there’s some advantage for me in having the surface of the pickup cover to keep my pick at a reasonable depth against the string. Hoping that this will develop into faster tremolo on the string without the “training wheels” of the pickup cover.
for myself i wouldn’t even begin to even try to speed up my tremolo. it just feels like that is the top speed my body could even do since that is my natural speed of gyrating my wrist. never thought to try to speed this up.
Troy did a video on pick depth that you’ve probably seen.
I personally think these training wheel pick depth trainers won’t help much, as it essentially lets you relax in a way thats not possible in normal picking. You need to make the muscles work to control the pick. If you can do a video it would help a lot as I’m imaging you going from pick guard to the pick cover, to actual string?
I’ve never found pick depth to be a limit in speed, the pick itself is curved in a way that prevents you from getting stuck.
i know whats slowing me down, my terrible ear for music. haha! AND my lack of creativity melody. i would also say pick width even doesnt matter, watch some of those gypsy players they will shred with thin picks its insane. lmao!
This seems like a cool idea, awesome that you found something that works for you to “dial in” pick depth.
Also, pick depth seems to be contentious here for some reason, along with attack dynamics (too much attack will slow you down). Both of these things I believe in, and I’m kind of surprised Troy hasn’t delved into either one more.