Interesting picking exercise

Mannoroth

errrr... help me out people, is this image at all visible / visible enough? I'm using this photobucket setup for the first time? :-\

This is a fairly straight forward picking exercise designed to develop dexterity when alternate picking between two strings. The example must be played starting on a downstroke and using strict alternate picking. Pick each note in the exercise and don't use any legato. Suggested tempo around 80 bpm to get started depending on your level as a player (I had so start at about 40 ?). Also note that for illustration purposes the exercise should be played all the way through and then looped, don't repeat bar 1, play both bars and loop the whole sequence.

Whilst I was drilling this one I noted that, although the picking motion was fairly comfortable, I actually struggled with the fretting hand. There are 2 points where one has to jump from the b-string to the high e using the same finger and on the same fret. You will note that this happens at the pinky/ring (on fret 15) and index finger (on fret 12) (depending on how you play the pentatonic shape). In other words, I'm playing fret 15 on b-string with the pinky and directly jumping to 15 on e-string with the same finger, and then a bit further this jump occurs on the index finger at fret 12 as well.

I found this movement was quite uncomfortable at first, and also that it is in fact easier for me to do with the pinky than with the index finger. I found this quite strange! I think this happens because the index finger is often used as an "anchor", for instance when sliding to a new position, playing legato, etc. For example, how often do we really use the index finger to hammer-on? At the same time I think there is a bit of finger interdependence training required, perhaps we neglect the index because its naturally the strongest?

I thought it would be interesting to see how other players deal with this jump and also whether they experience the same... do you lift the finger from the b-string to the e-string, "re-fretting" it, or do you bar the notes allowing you to get the note on the e-string without lifting the finger at that point. Which technique works better for you?

IceCreamMan

i keep my fingers across both strings , much easier and smoother /quicker

Averatu

IceCreamMan wrote: i keep my fingers across both strings , much easier and smoother /quicker

What if you're in a position that does not have the notes on the same fret?

IceCreamMan

Averatu wrote:
IceCreamMan wrote: i keep my fingers across both strings , much easier and smoother /quicker
What if you're in a position that does not have the notes on the same fret?

well that would depend what the next note in the sequence would be but probably would use different fingers to start off with leaving a digit free to play the progression either on the neck or bridge side .....

and of course how many frets away .....

Mannoroth

IceCreamMan wrote: i keep my fingers across both strings , much easier and smoother /quicker

This also feels easier for me ? , however, could cause a noise problem when you're playing with distortion.. get those "bleeds".. you have to kindoff roll the finger up and down to get the one note and mute the other.

evolucian

If I remember correctly, this exercise comes from Troy Stetina's "Speed Mechanics" book... and this one deals with inner vs outer picking/ cross string picking... correct?

You can do a mini barre but it has to be a good mini barre so it can roll - otherwise the notes will ring into each other and clash and ruin the exercise. This uses more energy than the one outlined below - simply due to the rolling effect needing to be correct.

The book deals with minimizing movement to a large degree... whether right hand or left hand. Another way is to slide your finger across the strings. Hold 12... move ring finger to 15 then while that's being played, you glide your index to the 12th fret... apply pressure only once the note is ready to be played.

Hope it helped some...

Mannoroth

evolucian wrote: If I remember correctly, this exercise comes from Troy Stetina's "Speed Mechanics" book... and this one deals with inner vs outer picking/ cross string picking... correct?

Spot on! ? Only thing is, I struggled more with the finger movement than the actual picking it was designed for!

Thanks for tips, will give it a go!

evolucian

cool man... Aim for not anchoring that index. Anchoring will lead to bleed... and at 160bpm (the third examples tempo he gives), that bleed will just make it sound like sludge... Spent quite a while on that book... took my youth away. (Ow...my back...)

Averatu

evolucian wrote: cool man... Aim for not anchoring that index. Anchoring will lead to bleed... and at 160bpm (the third examples tempo he gives), that bleed will just make it sound like sludge... Spent quite a while on that book... took my youth away. (Ow...my back...)

Good book.