Yngwie sixes - flooring it (16th note triplets at 90bpm)

Technique Critique
#1

Hi all,

Here I want to share my first video. It’s been a while since the last time I recorded myself so I must admit that the camera is still very intimidating. :sweat_smile:

In this video I am playing the well-known Yngwie sixes pattern in D minor, and trying to “floor it” i.e. pushing myself a little beyond the speed limit at which I can usually play a “fast” line comfortably. The tempo is set at 90bpm.

Please feel free to share your observations regarding my picking movement (DWPS) and any tips/exercises to improve my hand synchronization. For context, please consider that I’ve been working on the Pick Slanting Primer for a couple months and was completely frustrated by string hopping before that. Moving between strings seemed incredibly difficult until I found this site. :slight_smile:

Also, what do you think about the tone? I have the feeling like I am picking too hard, but please let me know what you think.

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#2

Hey man!

First thing I noticed was that especially on the lower strings, you tend to shift into a downwards escape motion, which is resulting in a lack of efficiency in string switching for a pattern like this. It’s a super common habit, I see it in my guitar students regularly. I believe it stems from not string tracking properly when moving from the high E towards the low E. Paul Gilbert describes his string tracking motion like sawing a piece of wood, and that it stems from his shoulder.

I’d suggest practicing a bit on the lower strings and doing licks that switch back and forth between two strings, like lick Yngwie does in Jet to Jet.

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#3

Hi BalckInMind,

Thanks a lot for that! I hadn’t even noticed before, so I will keep an eye on my string tracking. and my picking motion itself.

It’s interesting how an experienced player/instructor can find a technical weak spot in no time whereas I would have needed several months (or years) to find out on my own. I love this community. :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

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#4

For most of the video, you’re using either a neutral picking plane or a DSX plane. You try to rotate to a USX plane on the last note on strings, but you’re not quit managing to do it smoothly. On some reps, it sounds to me like you miss the last note entirely.

Usually, you’re hitting the first note of the pattern well, but the issues come in later into the pattern. You’re fretting hand isn’t correctly synchronised on the later notes, but your pick strokes are in a fairly consistent rhythm.

Much of the time , I’m hearing

1-2-3-4-x-x-

or

1-2-3-4-x---

instead of

1-2-3-4-5-6-

To get your fretting hand synchronized, I’d recommend practicing the pattern with just the fretting hand, aiming to ensure consistent rhythm.

Also, try maintaining the USX plane throughout the pattern, or alternatively, switch the picking and stick with DSX throughout.

It might be helpful to see you tremolo picking on a single string.

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#5

Building on Tom’s comments, I’d also try practicing it in a single position without introducing fretting hand motion, until you can get it quite a bit faster and smoother. Just get something like 15-12-14-15-14-12 going looped over and over again to get the timing and coordination, and speed down, and then worry about adding some motion, moving up and down the string, changing strings, etc.

Honestly, taking patterns like this and just playing them as fast as you can in position, is something I’ve found VERY helpful in building speed. Practicing legato as well as picked can help a lot, too.

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#6

I’ve had the same problem. For some reason as soon as I get to the A and Low E string my playing stumbles and gets off. Timing is off, fretting is off etc, :confused:

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#7

Wow! Thanks everybody for your valuable insights! I really appreciate the detailed recommendations.

It results that, indeed, it seems like I wasn’t even doing UPS although I was convinced that I was doing it!:upside_down_face::upside_down_face::upside_down_face: . Now that I am aware of it, I am working on getting the proper attack angle and movement. Will definitely keep you posted on my progress.

Also, my synchronization most likely needs some work too, so I am combining some “speedy” practice moments with others in which I play slow and try to focus on making both hands work properly together.

I just tried an actual UPS for a couple days and felt a difference already! For instance, the galloping rhythm Iron Maiden-style was something that I wasn’t able to even try until now! :smiley:

#8

If there’s ANYHTING I’ve learned from this site, it’s that what I think my picking hand is doing, and what my picking hand is actually doing, are two totally different things. :rofl:

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#9

I totally know what you mean :rofl: :rofl:

#10

Hi all, I want to share a progress update! :smiley:

After the truth revealed in my previous video (i.e. I was basically not using DWPS at all), I have recently focused on revisiting my movement and found some interesting things:

  1. Even though I initially thought I was using DWPS, however, as soon as I started playing, I switched to UWPS as an unconscious mechanism to prevent my fingers from staying in contact with the strings or even the pickguard. Now I feel that my fingers (or knuckles if I close my hand) kind of touch the surface of the strings as a by-product of the DWPS motion and angle that I am using (I prefer to keep my wrist close to the guitar. I find the “floating hand” position that many players use a little uncomfortable).

  2. I feel I can keep the pick closer to the strings almost all the time with the same angle, which results in avoiding string hopping and changes to the angle of pick attack. Now I feel the DWPS-friendly patterns very similar to sweep picking, mostly because I sporadically feel the pick resting on the next string. I like such feeling.

Here’s a video of my progress. I personally like that I don’t perceive dead notes this time (previous attempt 3 out of every 6 were muted/dead) :smiley:

Note to self: watch the tempo! :sweat_smile: . It’s ironic that I feel like playing this at a faster tempo (like 100-110 bpm – this attempt is at 90bpm) is a little easier.

Please feel free to share what you think.

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#11

@steve506

I feel you about the muting issue. The way I deal with muting other strings when using DWPS is to rest the edge of my palm below my picking hand pinky (the one used for palm muting) on the strings lower than the one I’m playing at the moment, while muting the higher strings with the side of my fretting hand index finger.

Also, I’m noticing that the notes sound kind of muted and I’m not sure whether that’s caused by the picking hand or by the fretting hand. Nevertheless, I would recomend practising the lick very slowly (8th-note triplets at 40 bpm, or if that’s too hard, quarter notes at 120 bpm) just to learn to let each note in the subdivision ring out properly before picking and fretting the next note. The bursting approach is used for increasing speed, but I believe that practising both extremely slowly and at the edge of your ability should be incorporated into building a solid technique at a fast tempo. That way, you’ll instill the economy of motion in your your fretting hand (therefore teaching your fingers to move less to achieve higher speeds). Here’s a useful video for developing the synchronisation between two hands:

Also, check out his DWPS angle when showing how to count subdivisions, that’s how your hand should look (more or less, depending on your motion mechanic).

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