From: ken@batman.austin.ibm.com (Ken Goach)
Newsgroups: alt.guitar
Subject: Re: Speed picking and heavy metal cord riffs
Date: 13 Oct 92 21:35:46 GMT
Reply-To: ken@austin.ibm.com (Ken Goach)
Organization: IBM Austin, TX

In article <1992Oct9.032309.3437@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu>
rbanksjr@nyx.cs.du.edu (Richard E. Banks Jr.) writes:
>
>Question 1: What is your technique for speed picking single strings and
>cords?  How do you hold the pick?  How hard do you pick?  I'm semi-new
>to guitar playing and have been trying to peed pick but its not working
>for me

Well, ideally you would hold the pick parallel to the string -
in the same plane.

Hunh? Like this:

                             pick
                        -----------
  string  --------------|---------|-----------------------
                        -----------

O.K. So I'm no Rembrandt (maybe a Picasso) and that's a hella thick
pick, but I think it gets the point across.

Holding the pick parallel and also straight


			
    -------------------------------------------
			/^\
                       /   \
		      (-----)
		       

not pointing at an angle


    ---------------------------------------------
		/		\
               /		 \
	      /			  \
	     /			   \

		(at either angle)
		where these are angles the pick would be
		in when looking down while playing

is the best way to *accurately* pick fast parts - IMHO.
I can tell when I've been bad about this - one side of the
pick will be worn down massively. That's a pretty good sign.

If you are after a speed-metal, thrash-type riffing attack
(duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-duh at 240 b.p.m.) then
it's really not that important to be *perfect* on your
angle but it sure helps.

Start on one open string and do only upstrokes and downstrokes
until you get it even. Start slow with a metronome and work up
speed. Yes, use a metronome. I know, you have a good sense of
rhythm - that's not why. Later, when you add notes with the
left hand, it helps to have the right hand dead-on even so
the two can work together.

Work up speed until you're fanning the string. Then try that
ascending Jack Benny violin riff from "Eruption"

high E |---12--16--19--17--16--17--14--16--| repeat ad infinitum

	(or whatever the notes are - you know the tune)

and get it even and fast. Them move it to a lower string. I've found
that, fo some reason, doing this on the low E is the hardest, which
is where most thrash/speed players use it.

Chords, chords, chords. Well, it's really hard to do this on *2*
strings at once, right? It's not impossible, but what I've found
that is helpful (and what my thrash style is) is not constantly
playing both notes all the time. Learn to accent the "chord" (well,
it's only usually two notes, the root and either a 5th or 3rd
or flatted 3rd, but that's a chord) on certain beats. Like this:


A|--2--X--X--X--2--X--X--X--5--X--X--X--8--X--X--X--|
E|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--3--3--3--3--6--6--6--6--|

where X = don't play or mute.

Speaking of muting, you also need to learn how to mute strings at
the bridge with the fleshy part of your right hand - the part
below your your little finger on the edge of your hand and the
muscle at the base of your thumb. Rest it on the bridge and use
it to dampen the string you don't want to sound.

How hard do you pick? Well, it depends. If you're thrashing, you can
pick pretty hard, but you should be able to 1) play fast lightly
for low volume parts and 2) accent certain beats (see the above
thrash example and experiment on accenting certain beats). You can
get away with using lots of muting to fake a soft part, but that
will also make it very staccato. Sometimes I can play faster when
I pick more lightly, sometimes the part calls for hard, almost
exaggerated picking. Learn it all. Being able to swell in volume
while picking a quick part can be a nice effect. Similarly,
being able to accent certain beats/notes can be cool too. Some
guitar magazine had a bunch of thrash/heavy progressions to work
on that accented certain beats, etc. I'll see if I can find the
issue number. It was great and challenging too.

This will give you some starting ideas. I would highly recommend
before you develop a bunch of bad habits that you beg/borrow/steal
the first Paul Gilbert instructional video or a book. The Gilbert
tape has some good exercises, and the guy can wail. There are also
many books available.

Good luck!
  

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THIS POSTING DOES NOT REPRESENT THE OPINIONS OF MY EMPLOYERS.
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"The killer awoke before dawn, he put his clown shoes on, and
             he ... flopped on down the hall..."
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