Would like some feedback on my tremolo picking technique

Technique Critique
#1

Hello Technique aficionados! My name is Jordan and this is my long overdue first post on this forum.
So I got a subscription to Cracking the Code last year along with all of the seminar content and My abilities have absolutely exploded in the last year. however I think what is currently holding me back is a fundamental lack of a foundation for my tremolo picking technique.
When I first began playing guitar I primarily adopted an upward pick slanting motion for my tremolo picking and I always figured that was good enough.
Upward pickslant technique for CTC forum - YouTube
this is a quick vid of my UPS technique as of now

fast forward to now, I have learned all of these two way pickslanting motions and It feels like im beating my head against the wall. because my downward pickslanting technique is inconsistent, tension riddled and uneven sounding. here is my current DWPS technique Current dwps technique for ctc forum - YouTube
just from watching myself play this it looks very inefficient and inconsistent

Ive spent a good bit of time experimenting with different wrist and forearm movements and So far the only new picking technique ive had any luck with is this highly flexed-form wrist picking movement where I actually open my fingers up a bit and gently rest them on the body New dwps technique for ctc forum - YouTube
the reason I think this technique is working a little better is because the movement is coming more from the wrist and I can keep my whole arm more relaxed at higher speeds but, i simply have not had any luck applying this new technique to any DWPS licks I can currently play. I guess it allows me to pick a bit faster but it just feels a lot less accurate.

Anyways sorry if this post has a lot of fluff in it. I just thought I would introduce myself :slight_smile:
I would immensely appreciate some feedback on what I have got going.
in general I just cant pick very fast and I would love to take my playing to the next level

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#2

What genre do you typically play, or would like to play? The third video looks like “gypsy style” which I’m not sure would work well if you’re needing to do heavy palm muting.

To me it looks like your degree of angling either UWPS or DWPS might be too much, making it feel awkward. Have you tried going from UWPS, to “neutral”, to DWPS and back again while keeping constant picking like you do in your videos? This might help you find the “sweet spot” with regards to pick angle.

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#3

Hey! I’m mostly a rock and metal player so palm muting is an absolute must. and yeah im not really a gypsy picker either haha :sweat_smile: so even my UPS looks like its at too much of an angle huh? I suppose its something I could focus more on when I practice.

in hindsight I probably should have posted a vid or two of some actual licks.

#4

here is just DWPS some Eric Johnson 5’s

here is some 2WPS licks

and here is the Paul Gilbert lick

and for good measure here is some alternate picked sixes. This is difficult for me to keep up consistently however, I have generally found when I do 2WPS ascending im most comfortable starting with UPS and hitting the next higher string on an upstroke
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#5

Overall I think the playing sounds good! I’m not the best judge of pickslanting, but your 2wps does look a bit exaggerated. Is the first video you posted your fastest picking speed?

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#6

Agree, and great tone :slight_smile:

I agree again! You may be focusing too much on the “slant of the pick”, causing you to combine two completely different hand/arm setups in the middle of the same lick. Sorry for the confusion - that should not be necessary!

What matters is not the slant of the pick, but the trajectory the pick makes (upstroke escape = USX, downstroke escape = DSX or double escape = DBX).

Just choose your favourite hand position and try to play the Paul Gilbert lick fast (at or close to your top speed) from that position, let’s see what happens.
(or any other lick that requires multiple escapes)

And, of course, when you have a good chunk of time to do some reading, take a look at our Pickopedia :smiley:

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#7

The DWPS Mixolydian lick at the end of the first video is just about at my top speed yes, thats why it sounds sloppy haha. and by the end of the lick I am pretty tense sometimes which is why i feel like my picking technique is inefficient.

#8

Yeah It seems like I have a bit more experimenting to do thanks for the insight!