What started out as as a DSX to USX journey evolved mid-way into what it initially should have been, which was a DBX (sorta, kinda, mostly) motion that focuses on a DSX or USX motion for specific things. The misunderstanding was entirely my fault, but to get from one to the other follows the same path, so it’s not like it was an actual mistake. I’ve had a ton of those little things happen during this journey but they all led me here. So, yay!!
My fastest (and a motion I actually don’t like doing) is a DSX using elbow and the occasional thumb/finger when traveling. That was what my “point of reference” was in order to figure out my USX motion. The thing about that DSX motion is that it was only ever used when the tempo got way too out of control and I had to keep up. It was basically my “fight” response and it did it’s job, but it doesn’t feel good to do. It never did. I also suspect that it was a big part of what caused the injuries that made me have to retire to begin with because it’s pure stress, twitch and/or whatever those things are that make your appendages do things they don’t want to do. It was basically bullying the speed out of my hands.
When speed wasn’t the primary goal, my motion was actually straight up DBX, but without taking into consideration what the starting stroke was or what it would need to be. On occasion, a line I’d play would get sloppy when changing strings and other times not at all. I’m guessing that my escape motions would sometimes kick in and sometimes not… Now, that I understand what those are, those same lines have, theoretically, become far, far easier. Theoretically…
And now, to address to the topic title: I hit my initial targeted goal a couple of weeks ago and have been able to add a bit to it, though only for the tremolo itself. The 190 feels smooth and relaxed and comfy and all the things are sync’d up in all of the Big Three motions for just about everything that’s not 2nps. It can get it to 200-205 with single string stuff and I could probably push it a bit more, but my fretting hand doesn’t like anything beyond 190 right now and they’re the boss. Aside from the 2nps, I’m pretty much where I want to be at this stage. To be able to play whatever I feel like playing at that targeted BPM and not have to think too much about it. Not scales, not lines, not licks, just random at my desk playing. There’s plenty of time for those things in the next steps… But I don’t know what they are. Hence… This thread!!
I’ve be skimming threads to see what other’s questions and suggestions have been and I’m not quite sure how to go about it. From what I’ve been reading, once you have a motion that you know can get to where you want it to go, you can start at any speed since it should be the same either way. Is that correct? I never used a metronome to get faster in the past, and from those same posts, I think that is what was I doing instinctively. Thank god because I can’t stand metronomes, lol
What I’m trying to do now is get a strong 2nps in any motion before I focus on one or the other. At the moment, hand sync is kind of shitty with 2nps when I do it using the same approach that I used before I got to this stage. Some of that I’m guessing is just the nature of the beast and that it will clean up over time. But the other part is that my fretting hand doesn’t seem to like it for very long, so I switch whatever 2 notes I’m fretting. Like a 1-4 on 2 strings, 2-3 on the same 2, then 1-2, then 3-4 and so on. Otherwise, I’m sometimes getting only a bar and a half of each combo before I have to switch. Since I can 4nps or YJM6 for lengthy periods of time, I’m guessing (hoping) that its just a strength/endurance kind of thing. I can pick it, or I can fret it at good tempos, but together, 95/100, nope!!
Taking all of that boring ass diatribe into account, I’m moved to ask these questions:
How fast should I really push it?
As fast as I can? Or as fast as I can do it with a certain success ratio?
At what point is it too fast to be helpful in improving it?
Since both hands are capable on their own, just not together, which one should be the focal point?
Should I only go as fast as my fretting hand can comfortably do for a long period of time, even though I won’t get any improvement on my picking hand doing it?
Is there a better way to build the strength/endurance in my fretting hand away from the instrument?