Cracking the Code Episode 10: “Inside the Volcano” - Yngwie Malmsteen & DWPS + Sweeping

[@TheMikebledsoe92]

Thanks for breaking this down. You should be nominated for the Nobel Pick Prize.

[@troygrady]

Thanks!

[@blakealanfoster]

***** Seriously, dude. These videos have just pulled me out of the biggest slump... one I was doomed to be in forever. In a night I have improved more than I would have ever imagined. I just want to fucking hug you.

[@aphexlane]

freakin same!!!! @@blakealanfoster

[@kungfuman82]

You probably won't get this message, but I have to comment that I first read that ass "Nobel PRICK Prize" and was like "damn, dude" lol

[@macdietz]

@@kungfuman82 lol

[@TruthSurge]

dude.... i am sitting here laughing. you've managed to make a mystery documentary out of a Malmsteen lick. HAHAHAHAHAH hat's off.

[@troygrady]

Everything goes better with a little drama!

[@TruthSurge]

***** :)

[@shmuelfrancys9054]

But let put the a lot of guitar players see malmsteen as a mistery in the past he still nowadays is not clear for every body his picking technique.

[@MrJC1]

I'd laugh if Yngwie watches this and says... "Shit maan! I didn't think I was doing all this picking stuff when I was jamming. This video has taught me so much". Then he goes away and comes back even stronger. Now that would be classic.

[@XSFlanger]

+MrJC1 And then they meet and jam together. Damn I'd love to see that :D

[@nicksalvatore5717]

That’s what happened with Martin Miller and Andy Wood lol they improved I believe after being conscious of their movements

[@ukguitarnoodle]

His wife would probably have it removed as usual.

[@blamecharles]

Hell if you listen to Yngwie he never practiced in his life, lol.

[@joegrande4848]

well ywngwie came up with this originally so hes already an amazing guitarist

[@MartinMillerGuitar]

Been following you forever and love your work. Feel free to get in touch if you want to exchange some thoughts and ideas! Greets, Martin.

[@nogoogleplus]

These cracking the codes episodes are SO good….even 10 years later, they’re still so cool to watch! Many many thanks to you Troy from a loyal cracking the code member🤘🤘

[@jongomm]

Man, I wish I'd had your videos when I was 14. Your analyses of guitarists' idiosyncrasies is exactly what I was trying to do. Maybe the precise way I personally unpicked the patterns I saw in their playing was unique to me, and helped me find a voice as a musician. It's a great approach to educating, I just cannot commend you highly enough. P.S. I still have that little REH booklet!

[@troygrady]

You're not alone -- I wish I had cracking the code when I was 14. I would have been deadly! No question, the search for technique can sometimes produce interesting creative results. In my case it didn't though -- so I would have rather had the technique!

[@utubehound69]

***** 30 years late eh?

[@MrELJARBO]

***** Add me to the list over "wish I had known this when I was 14" (that makes me 30 years late..) But, then again; it's better late than never. Thanks for educational and inspirational videos. I'll make sure to recommend you, and to look furter into your stuff.

[@troygrady]

Thanks!

[@KingTabor]

***** I want to learn/confirm this one as well, the notes AFTER the 1st string pull off.

[@cast390]

Ive been playing guitar for 42 years,my technique is very good but not flawless.Ive never seen an instructional video or any teacher I've known analyze technique this way.Troy puts it under a microscope and breaks it down note by note.Someone here on the tube said"Troy is like the Mythbusters for guitar players"Great work Troy,Thanks

[@CodyCleggMusic]

This episode is literally life changing. I'm re-evaluating the last 7 years of playing. I just incorporated some of these things (some of which have already been intuitive for me and I've been doing, and some of which I never even considered), and I've already said "holy crap" out loud twice at the improvements I'm already seeing while I have this video paused. This is so awesome.

[@phillipaconley]

Mr. Grady, While I'm sure you're tired of people giving you compliments by this point, I feel compelled to tell you how very impressed I am with this video series. The quality of both the presentation and of the content itself is unparalleled in my previous KZbin experience. As an individual who is often analytical to a fault (one of my childhood nicknames was Dr. Spock, and no, my ears aren't pointed), I greatly enjoy - and am extremely impressed with - your detailed mechanical analyses. I am also a great lover of professional presentation and high-quality work in any form, and in that respect these videos are above reproach (and very enjoyable). The content is also extremely relevant and valuable to me: as a left-handed guitarist who plays right-handed guitars, I have always had above-average left-hand dexterity, but I have struggled to bring my right hand up to match the left. The insights you have presented are already helping to improve my picking ability, and for that I am very grateful. I greatly look forward to seeing all of your future content, and I am already mentally ear-marking a bit of my next paycheck to purchase a Season Pass from your website, as such excellent work deserves appropriate compensation. Anyway, if you have even bothered to read this far, thank you for putting so much time and effort into this video series. You have earned a loyal subscriber. Sincerely, Phillip Conley

[@MrJellyBOMB]

what he said :D

[@alexcastro7339]

Ditto

[@ThomasRBowen-gq3jr]

Just shows you how good Yngwie is. He figured all this out before anyone else was using it. When he was learning you didn't have instructional videos or anything like it.

[@troygrady]

Totally! He's a mechanical genius.

[@budgiecat9039]

right....let's just pretend Uli Jon Roth never existed...

[@BullToTheShit]

Thomas R. Bowen >"He figured all this out before anyone else was using it" Sorry. Troy says Yngwie and Eric Johnson use the same technique: sweep to higher string changes, alternate picking to lower-tone string changes (plus the downward pick slanting). Eric is nine years older than Yngwie. Yngwie's instructional came out in 1991. The Eric Johnson Austin TX performance is from 1988, and his first solo album came out in 1978 when Yngwie was in the 9th grade. Lots of descending licks on that album. I think Troy may have pointed out in one of his EJ videos that they both must have came up with their picking styles independently, I agree. There is zero chance Eric learned it from Malmsteen.

[@budgiecat9039]

BullToTheShit Eric was performing since the late 60's lol

[@jani14jani]

Thomas R. Bowen The craziest thing after reading his autobiography you realise that he didn't even analyze&work his technique even nearly on the same level as Troy on this video.

[@ricstormwolf]

Mind=BLOWN. NOBODY ever mentioned this technique in any instructional video I've ever seen. Amazing.

[@johnchristie4899]

Claus Levin

[@severalpaperclips]

Do you have a video title? I know Dariusz Wawrzyniak talks about similar concepts to Troy in a 2014 video titled "Alternate Picking Lesson" on the channel "gmcguitar", but I haven't seen Claus cover what Troy covers.

[@tecnolover2642]

Rev Wolf Theres actually alot! even back in the 80s the metal methods series covered alternative picking which is the down pick to the nrw string which Troy refers to as a sweep in this video. MAB also talked about it in Speed kills. Paul Gilbert taught about the edge picking in his video. all these were from the 80s! and on now youtube. one guy who really goes in deep on picking formulas is frank gambale. his vid is on here somewhere also I believe.

[@homesegreto]

It's known thing (since 1990x) . Yngwie plays with sweeps. It's natural way of picking, there are people who play that way naturally, without special training. But you can play every neoclassical lick with traditional alternate picking and legato, it doesn't change the music much.

[@SRHMusic012]

Look up economy picking. I have a Frank Gambale book from the 90s that goes over the same stuff. Just because it's not on KZbin doesn't mean it wasn't understood by others before...

[@aloak]

What's brilliant about this video is how Troy have turned Yngwie's instructional video, which I've always thought was one of the most useless "instructional" materials of all time, into something really useful. Kudos for that!

[@Shamino1]

When I discovered your short series I thought you were highly over-analyzing technique to little purpose. Having sat through these videos twice in a row while practicing, I have noticed my picking capabilities quadruple over a course of two weeks- something I had not been able to do in two years. Now reading my own comment, I seem to sound like a comment trying to sell a product- but Jesus Christ, as gaudy and over-produced and repetitive as these videos may seem to be- this is INSANELY useful information to anyone at any level, any age, no matter what sort of learner you are (auditory, visual, hands on) I wish you had been producing these videos a decade ago, and I shudder to think where I'd be today. And I have to ask: Is it the Yale Money or the Yale paraphernalia that keeps you looking and sounding like a teenager in your 40's?

[@troygrady]

+Shamino1 Neither! It's just movie magic: www.sephora.com/root-concealer-for-gray-coverage-P282611

[@Shamino1]

***** Ahahahaha, fantastic response. God Bless and cheers for all the guitar tips.

[@mallrat11]

+Shamino1 it's that schoolboy haircut! I also didn't really fully appreciate whats going on in these videos until I watched them from the beginning. It makes more sense when you hear about troy's journey. It's weird, I feel like I got 25% faster in the last day just from watching this. Maybe my fingers are just more inspired or maybe it was focusing more on pick slanting and playing with the leading edge. Regardless these vids are a fun watch if youre into the history and evolution of shred

[@chambeet]

Dat Yale paraphernalia tho. :P

[@Yngsatchvai]

I like his teaching format. Instead of just teaching hes teaching through his exact experience. Very useful as we can all see where we may have made similar mistakes. Best on youtube

[@GangaRangit]

Thank you Troy for carrying a whole generation. The only thing i can do apart from liking your videos is to share this with everyone i know. You have changed the whole way i look at the guitar through your approach.

[@lauraeeee]

Troy - you deserve an oscar or a grammy for all of this,

[@PhilippZieglermusic]

This is GOLD. Period. You are making by far the best instructional videos I have ever seen, and just the three free Yngwie Videos kind of launched my playing into a whole new Era. I'm definitely getting the season pass. Thanks Troy for doing this!

[@TWKamil]

I'm bass player more than guitar player but i must say to you this: in era of everyone who can play 2 chords doing "lessons" on youtube you are clearly person that have something smart to say, and do it in a fun way (your 20 mins videos are more fun to watch, than to struggle through some 5 mins). I'm glad that i clicked on your video as related to Yngwie's song.

[@jacobaagaard4409]

This is kick-ass story telling. I am totally hooked.

[@socrate7]

Scientific approach of analyzing guitar picking at its best !

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks Troy! Your stuff is not only very informative but also very entertaining!

[@ToneD5150]

This is easier said than done! All I do is practice, practice and practice some more! Thanks Troy!!!

[@PaulProvosty]

....and this video is probably the most important video for downward pick slanting players ever. Hands down.

[@troygrady]

Thanks! This is really about how sweeping connects to alternate picking. It's tempting to just say, oh, sweeping, we already know what that is. But the key is that pickslanting is the glue that makes it all work. Yngwie's "volcano lick" is really pretty challenging to do with pure alternate picking, but when the rules are in place it just works.

[@PaulProvosty]

***** Yes, and I think this video does a great job explaining exactly what "downward one way pick slanting" really is. I am a downward pick slanter myself, but never knew how to vocalize or explain my technique. Now I see why I have/had string changing problems after downstrokes...because I wasn't rotating my hand to create an "upward pickslant". I think it's also worth noting that I have observed players using exaggerated hand rotating movements when changing strings using alternate picking, like Jimmy Herring, but I never knew what it's purpose was. Thanks again Troy, I will be following this series very closely!!

[@troygrady]

Cool - yes, these things are everywhere and once you learn to see them, it's like seeing the Matrix!

[@nicolabinetti7676]

I come back to this occasionally and always get something new out of it. Great work Troy!

[@AllenGarberGuitarFun]

Another fantastic job Troy! I have to say that Yngwie's mechanics can't be denied. I probably would never really listen to Yngwie, Johnson or DiMeola for pleasure the way I would listen to Van Halen or Led Zeppelin, but the freedom that one gets from understanding and using these mechanics can help to play any difficult passages by any artist or even passages that you make up yourself. Stirring stuff!

[@SimonBorro]

Exactly ;)

[@marstudios7879]

Troy, I don't have any word to describe how excellent work you've done with all these episodes. I've never seen how well can be analyzed a guitar technique. Keep up the good work buddy.

[@MrMusiclovelife]

Troy..thank you! I’ve been playing since I was 15, I’m 51 now...I never knew about this. You have opened doors!! Thank you for taking the time to break this down in an easy to understand yet meticulously delivered way. You’re awesome!

[@MarsCantFeed]

I get more excited when these videos drop in my sub box than any of my other subscriptions. Love this series, really awesome thank you so much

[@rolandlemus203]

Thank you for all you do on these videos, it is not only educational, but you make it entertaining:) I appreciate all of your efforts on these! THANKS!!

[@poulwinther]

Great videos Troy! This is such a nostalgic memory lane trip because I went through almost exactly the same struggles, even the metal mechanics tapes, slowing down licks (with a Fostex 4-track) and much more. The discussion about who invented what is pointless, especially because players at the time would hide their techniques rather than sell them. My own alternate picking sucked so hard that I started inventing "directional" picking myself in the 80's. Suddenly I saw a video by Frank Gambale and it all fell into place. Generally a lot of players were trying to push the same boundaries and came up with a lot of similar solutions. Surely Eric Johnson, Uli Roth and many others did parts of these techniques before Yngwie and perhaps he studied all of them but at the time he could only do so by ear. The fact remains that nobody before him integrated such a magnitude of various techniques into such fluent and flawless mastery as him. Early recordings show that at age 19 at the latest he already had everything perfectly in place. He is getting so much stick these days for being repetitive, only speed focused, poor song writer and much more. It's a pity because his articulation, phrasing, fluidity and vibrato are all still to this day among the best that ever was. Now on top of that, please take a proper listen to something like Far Beyond the Sun and tell me who else could write something 10% as complex in musicality, composition and arrangement at around 20? :-)

[@Yourguitarworkshop]

Awesome video Troy, wow! I remember all I had growing up was a cassette player that I could slow down. This would have saved tons of time back then. The quest of "cracking the code" by the way is something I've loved doing myself, especially where you feel you're about to crack it but you're just not there yet. :-) Thanks Troy!

[@francoisauge1938]

Finally! Waited 30 years for this video.

[@TheBTeamOfficial]

Comin back to this vid 8 years after originally seeing it is making me feel the need to rewatch the whole series again. God ❤ This, along with Mr. Fastfinger and Punk-o-matic give me such great guitar nostalgia vibes

[@superflysoulbrother]

Troy Grady and Troy Gowdy, 2 national treasures.

[@JLee1stDegree]

a-freakin-mazing!! 30 years ive played, i wasnt a slow player but in one week(and a "borrowed" light bulb moment) i am easily twice the speed and fluid like ive never been able to command. thank you so much

[@WWE2761]

Thank you so much for these videos! My picking has gotten so much better since I started watching these and you deserve so much recognition for what you do!

[@scratchguitar]

I'm amazed at the amount of effort and passion put into this videos, truly inspiring and what's best they're truly an awesome way to get better at playing guitar!!! Thank you very much for this amazing videos Troy!!! you really changed my life!!!!

[@martinpettersson6923]

Sir, Your videos are fantastic!

[@troygrady]

Thanks Martin!

[@Biwlll]

After a very hard 3 years recovery time from a RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury) I'm finally back in the guitar world... But 3 years without playing (sometimes I've played once but it made my arms hurt like hell!) means that my technique almost gone all away... I bought Season 2 of Cracking the Code and it's helping me in developing a new and better technique! You sir, you are the real MVP! Thanks alot!

[@troygrady]

RSI injuries are the worst, often because they stem from stuff that's day-to-day essential. Glad to hear you're getting back on track! Ultimately you'll practice less with these techniques then without them. Or at least, practice less on mechanical things and more on musical.

[@Biwlll]

***** Yeah! I'm feeling this already... It takes one or two days for me to adapt myself to one passage or something else with the "new way of thinking" and then BOOM! It's like a turbo! Would you say that Master of Mechanics would be good for me right now or should I develop my new technique first? And Again I have to say, YOU SIR! YOU ARE THE REAL MVP!

[@troygrady]

Masters in Mechanics is more about getting a monthly lecture on a new / cool / inspiring topic. It's not so much a skill level thing. For example, we have an Yngwie seminar coming up which is basically this episode but in a lot more detail. As far as technique, getting comfortable with dwps + sweeping was the first thing I did. Once you get that happening with some confidence, then looking at two-way pickslanting would be the next logical step.

[@zacdagypsy]

It's all about passion and sacrifices, discipline, dedication, patience, hard work and talent ! On 'ya Troy, you rock, mate !

[@cheenu711]

Watching this has been a revelation. Being self taught I've flirted with different techniques ideas and I would always wonder why some stuff which is supposed to be difficult came very easy to me and other presumably easy licks were like trying to lift a mountain. Thanks Troy. This has helped me understand my own technique and refine it into a well oiled machine.

[@heavyrelic8506]

Troy should get an award for these videos👏🏻

[@ShadowOpsProject]

I can't get over how amazing these videos are. Your analysis and production values are just impeccable.

[@FlashGrover]

Troy - this is clearly the BEST guitar video on the internet! You are a freak for working this stuff out & we all thank you

[@troygrady]

Flash Grover Thanks man!

[@CleverDjembe]

Genious. Pure genious. I wonder why I've never seen ANY other guitar teacher talk about this stuff on youtube.

[@TheMurch23]

I'm really loving this series. Not only are the instructional bits really useful, but it also feels like a glimpse into a different world of learning, since I grew up in the internet age where everything is already laid out somewhere, and much easier to figure out if it isn't since you can slow stuff down, find videos, eq out other instruments, chat with others, etc.. It's really interesting even beyond the actual learning, and I really appreciate that. I'm just wondering, are all the future episodes focused on picking? I'd love to see your take on something like tapping or legato.

[@GGRetroRally]

Hey troy, Just a quick thank you for the videos. I've been playing guitar on and off for the last 20 years but never had any speed at all. For the last four months, I've had a new guitar teacher who has been helping with problems with my left hand and I've been watching your videos for a while now for my right hand. Last night I finally played a part of the volcano pattern at near Yngwie speed for the 1st time ever.. I nearly danced around the living room with joy and amazement. Couldn't have done it without these videos. Thank you!

[@troygrady]

Awesome! Glad to hear it.

[@nightwingofkandor2990]

Thank you! I've been playing guitar for 15 years and I started to naturally do a lot of the stuff you mention naturally. But with these videos and knowing why thou use certain techniques for certain patterns. I feel confident that I can learn any lead guitar piece I want to and crest killer licks of my own. It's like a magical key to a door that has been locked for years. Or the holy trail of speed picking if you believe in god. I found your videos because I am the biggest Steve Vai fan. Like you when I saw the Crossroads dual i was blown away. Now I'm confident that with in the next few months I'll have it mastered and ill be able to post it on my own KZbin channel along with anything g else I want to be able to play. This has been the single most helpful guitar lesson series I've ever found anywhere. I always felt like I was just missing a few things that would take me to that level of playing and here they are clear as day now.

[@RyanTaylor4real]

I always wondered why I could play faster going down the neck vs up. After watching, I realized that I was an upward pick slanter and I was using Yngwei's technique the opposite way that he was using it. Thanks to Troy! Now I can switch thing around! I'm so excited!

[@bigdaddygranpa5578]

This is the most important video I have ever seen in my life. Wow. I can put this in play to jam like I always dreamed of. !! Took me long enough . Thanks Troy !

[@ChrisTopheRaz]

This is very valuable work that you’re doing here. A lot of people have benefited greatly by watching this. Thank you for putting the time and effort into it. 🤘

[@bmwm3cs]

Love the production. VERY Cool!. No one has ever explained it like this before.

[@whatarefriends4]

This thing you’ve got to demonstrate picking is unbelievable

[@ksmit]

Troy, you inspire me to play better. Thank you soooo much!!!! Your micro-insight and hard analysis is incredible and much appreciated.

[@necasperaterrent2097]

Thank you Troy for this video. This is something that I have always been doing but felt I was not playing correctly because of all these lesson books and dvds that claim strict alternate picking. I bet more people do this then are willing to admit or maybe not even realize. I'm now comfortable in knowing there is nothing wrong with my technique

[@j2112c]

Just brilliant.. this episode puts it all together... but this whole series is a life story anyone from the 80's to early 90's can relate to... I just pray they never come off YT as I have planned the next years study based on them... 30 years after I first heard it I WILL finally play Black Star. ha ha... so many thanks Troy!

[@tonyrobertsguitar]

Yet another stellar Yngwie dissection by the Great Troy Grady!

[@jdcaporali]

This episode is freakin' awesome!!! Hope we doesn't have to wait a lot of time for Ep. 3! A million thanks for all the videos, they're very inspiring and I'm learning a lot of cool guitar stuff!

[@isaacinvang]

you are so generous for sharing us this mindblowing documentary. God Bless You!

[@Shapomark]

you're doing great job! This deserves much more views!

[@typedeaf]

Troy, I've watched this series before, and I was mostly dismissive of the pick slanting and escaping stuff. I thought to myself, "Yngwie or Gilbert surely dont REALLY do this. Strict alternate picking is the key!" Thats what we were sold for a two or more decades. This time I tried a few of the licks and was also hugely surprised at how some things I could never play suddenly seem possible. Your videos have changed guitar learning forever. Your focus on the minutia of technique, with slo-mo video on dozens of world-class players backs up your theory. And the video production is just awesome, with all the animations and sound effects. You really have cracked the code for fast playing and for guitar instructionals.

[@troygrady]

Thanks! Glad to have helped. In general, we're not really for or against any particular technique. "Strict alternate picking" is a great example. People talk about it like, well, it's just alternate picking, what else is there? Well, that doesn't explain how to actually * do * it. And the motions that someone like Yngwie uses, even when he's "just" alternate picking, only work on certain kinds of phrases. And if you're using those motions, then you need to know that or you're going to run into trouble.

[@ClarkeOnGuitar]

These videos are great Troy, I remember watching that old Yngwie tape with my brother 20 years ago laughing at "here's that lick slow". Fantastic analytical work on such a beast of a picker!

[@herbertbadgery]

Not surprised to see you here Clarke! Watched that video a few dozen times with you myself... In fact you may well have made me a copy of it :-)

[@ClarkeOnGuitar]

herbertbadgery that u Nic?

[@herbertbadgery]

You got it dude :-) Troy - what Clarke said. I think we must have worn that tape out trying to figure out what YJM was actually doing. Absolutely LOVING this series.

[@otakurocklee]

Really great videos. I don't think anyone has broken down Yngwie's picking before on such a deep level.

[@xLSDxUCSB]

Troy, Thank you so much for the insight. Your analysis is superb and inspiring. When I was a kid I had the YNGWIE REH video borrowed from a friend. I watched and tried and tried but never progressed. After watching this a few times, it truly feels possible to learn some Yngwie properly. Now, time to practice. Thanks again, Steve

[@David.K203]

I love you man. Thank you so much!

[@simonize251]

God bless this Rainman. I’ve had a lot of these theories on the tip of my tongue before but nothing this broken down and so very well explained

[@frozencons]

Great episode, Troy. This whole downward pick slanting thing has done a ton of good for my playing. I can't wait for the two way pick slanting stuff you've alluded to in the past. Cheers!

[@guiyegarcia]

I've just purchased a season 2 pass and I'm blown away by the content. There's a lot more than i thought! Loved the performance notes. There is so much to practice that i feel the material covered in these two episodes they worth the $30. When i considered the session pass, in partly was to thank you for your time spent answering aaaall my questions, but now i see that this pass is supercharged with lots of cool stuff! I seriously recommend it! As always, sorry for my english, and cheers from Argentina!

[@RobertOlsen]

Some excellent excellent stuff here, the 5 rules were stellar, appreciate the work been done! Cant wait to get home and practice! It makes you appreciate Yngwie even more with all those constructed licks that blends so well together. Awesome, thanks a bunch!

[@YTSPoster]

dude I know this video is pretty old and Im pretty bad at guitar (at the moment) but just by looking at these videos man they're so inspiring and they help me understand WAY MORE than any other educational alternate picking videos have taught me, this is amazing man keep up the good work and I hope to become a great guitar player just like you one day! :)

[@sparshpriyadarshi]

this is mind blowing... shred skill 2.0 here i come !!! thanks Troy

[@andrej.urminsky]

Amount of effort and work put in this production is seriously outstanding. Still in 2020.

[@aperson539]

Thank you for making this video series. I'm sure it will help many guitar players in the future.

[@StringAlongUkulele]

Yngwie is a great guitar god. But what is amazing is Troy's analysis of the licks and also putting them into an entertaining format. Well done Troy! Your analysis is really appreciated. Keep on shredding!

[@troygrady]

Norm Ruplen thanks Norm!

[@KiriakosGP]

This video belongs to the most fantastic, useful and prototype guitar videos ever. Great job!!! We're all thankful Troy!!!

[@troygrady]

Kiriakos GuitarPower Kali meta! Thanks man. One of my best friends from high school is named Kiriacos btw.

[@troygrady]

American but his family is Greek for sure.

[@ChichaManow]

Thanks for reminding me how fun it was analyzing and figuring out all of that stuff (stacato 'muting', picking patterns an fingerings) back then, almost 30 years ago. I also came to the same conclusions on my own in 1985-6 just by experimenting with different patterns and techniques an trying to merge them, listening to recordings and slowing them down (no computers or tablatures back then, even videotaped lessons were a bit hard to get). Bravo sir, great analysis!!!

[@troygrady]

We all tried so many crazy things back in the day to figure out the music we wanted to play. This is just our version of it, but it's clear we were all on the same wavelength in those days. Thanks for watching!

[@theinstigator1931]

Love his story telling, like I'm watching a movie. Killer job

[@Ch0ru5]

Awesome! I feel now like really "cracking the code"! That's what I never heard before in tonnes of tutorials "how to play fast", great job!

[@ForViewingOnly]

Another superb video Troy, and I enjoyed the Sorcerer's Apprentice theme too!

[@mjm00011]

Thanks for putting so much time into your videos Troy, you rule!

[@Anar-hk5rv]

I CANT BELIEVE THIS IS FREE. THANK YOU SIR

[@DJBiermann]

Dude, I've just discovered your channel by way of YT spiral and for a guitar nerd like me it is supremely entertaining. Not just b/c it's the exact instructionals I watched at 15 trying to discern the same things, but the video production is equally spectacular! And to phenixdagemini's point, I was from a small town and even many killer shredders I met in my travels were unable to duplicate a style like Yngwie's; they had just developed their own methods, which was cool too. However, when I went to Berklee I took lessons with Joe Stump who could actually explain the intricacies of Yngwie's playing much like you do here (instead of just telling me that he doesn't know how he does like YJM might!) I haven't bought any instructional material since I was a kid, but the fact that you are dissecting the playing of all my 80s/90s idols in such a fun, informative way, I think "Cracking the Code" will be appearing on my credit card statement soon.

[@jojokeo]

After watching all the episodes I've realized that I've been on the doorstep for so long & just haven't associated what I was doing when things went well & what were the reason(s) when they didn't. I've been experimenting with a lot thicker picks recently & they force you to angle & slant them downwards for clean consistent tremolo work. And to think I accidently came across this after watching a speaker cab vid being made!? Holy Max Grip Batman! Troy, all I can say is a HUGE thank you.

[@ceili]

I loooooovvvveeee these videos, they remind of back to the future for some rerason

[@Sushilala33]

Thank you for this Troy. Alternate picking is truly amazing and people like yourself and MAB make it look easy but this makes sense. cheers bud

[@SuperLandslide]

Your videos are awesome! I'm a pro guitar player. About the same age as you. I love watching these videos just for the storyline and nostalgia of the hurdles (like slowing down a fast solo) that we had growing up in that era. I'm going to go buy a season pass just for the karmic debt I feel for the enjoyment I've had watching these! FANTASTIC!

[@Ark4evah]

You deserve a larger audience! holy shit, not only are your knowledge and skills amazing, but also you present your observation in a simple and coherent way! :D Loveit

[@MrPopalosus]

Many thanks for this Troy ! The mechanics of all this was probably just intuitive for many of the great players. I've been playing a LONG time and your formula certainly explains why some of my licks worked and some just never did. Bravo on the research! SUBSCRIBED!!

[@JudgeFredd]

You need a Grammy award for your videos mate

[@activistarts7722]

People keep saying these videos are over produced and I don't get that....it's a series that matches the over the top, over produced, high energy, sometimes cheesy music that came out during this period. It fits perfectly. In 2019 you won't see stuff like this anymore cuz the elites are blocking everything. Be grateful for this highly specific gem. I wasn't into 80's metal outside of Judas Priest and now I'm a fan of all these guitarists especially Yngwie, since I play baroque flute.

[@byefelicia479]

unbelievable. truly unbelievable series.

[@burttheburger]

This video made me change how I view my picking, thank you Troy :)

[@shreder89]

man i whish i wasn´t poor and broke so I could buy all your videos on your website instead of having to wait for them on youtube ( thank you so much for doing this! otherwise I would never have heard about your incredible insights!), and also pay for some online lessons, you go Troy! greetings from Argentina!

[@dougsteeleguitar]

I had a dream that i went to Troy's house, and his folks were MEGA RICH. He lived in a mansion, amazing views.

[@cagataysunal1130]

I was shredding accurately and with perfect timing yesterday in front of my friends and one of them said "didn't you start playing guitar 10 months ago?". Seems the tricks you were talking about have worked. Thanks a lot. Though I still struggle a lot at RIP solos, these tips definetly did help me. (I know that I shouldn't copy other guitarists for creativity reasons. I am just experimenting with them. I will leave lucretia to marty. Again, thanks a lot. Thousands thanks aren't even enough.)

[@troygrady]

Çağatay Sunal Thanks Çağatay, glad it's been helpful.

[@juliensoyer5786]

oh man I have played everything in pure alternate picking for ten years I have to practice that ! Thanks !

[@directive-4]

This is astonishing and scientific. So well presented. Well done and thanks!

[@SayceBuckleyFreak]

Love your approach to guitar instruction ! !Very innovative and refreshing !

[@tmatheson54]

Troy, I am really enjoying this series on 'Cracking the Code'. I'm a big fan of Eric Johnson and Yngwie Malmsteen. Not sure why but I lean a bit more towards Eric. But I love 'Cliffs of Dover' by Eric and 'Far Beyond the Sun' by Yngwie almost to the same degree. I could listen to those songs all day long - well almost. You put some serious effort not only into the guitar hero forensics and analysis but also producing an awesome video production, but your life journey in attempt to raise your guitar playing to a higher quantum level as you grew up was very entertaining and admirable. You were driven and never gave up. I tilt my guitar to yours as a toast for a job well done. You have a pleasing vocal sound with your narration and goes well with your story telling and technical explanations. Well done and my hats off to you. I'm not worthy! I love a pretty wide range of music but I started learning to play guitar when I was about 13 or 14 (about 50 years of playing off and on during my guitar playing journey) and I lean towards the Rock and Blues genre. I also dabble a little with some Classical guitar with my Takamine hollow body but very little. I pretty much was self taught and when I first started playing in the late 1960s Eric, Hendrix and C.T.A. (Later to become Chicago) with Kath on lead guitar and others were the heroes of the time and set the benchmark in those days. I tried taking guitar lessons but soon learned most guitar teachers seemed to have giant egos and I don't think they cared if you learned anything it just seemed like they got their rocks off showboating to what they probably thought was a low life amoeba attempting to 'learn' to play the guitar. Later in my guitar playing life which had been on and then off again I heard Eric and Yngwie and my jaw dropped (and of course Stevie Ray Vaughan for the Blues) and I almost wanted to smash my Ibanez into a million pieces. Later in life things just got busy with marriage and kids and a career and my relationships with guitars suffered! I feel bad because I should have made more time for my guitar. I have been fortunate to hear Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson and I missed SRV but heard his brother Jimmie cover for an Eric Clapton concert. Of course I've been to other concerts with other guitarist but what was strange when Jimmie came out to play before Clapton he just wasn't hitting it. I think he was a little intoxicated. Then when Clapton came out it was so much better that it was embarrassing. I mean Jimmie is no slouch but Stevie was just more into it. SRV, Jimmie's younger brother had to kind of feel a little kick in the nuts when after all Jimmie was playing before Stevie but I think they had a good brother to brother relationship. At that Live concert he had to feel a little down but I really think he was proud and happy for him. He just had such a short time on planet Earth. It was a very awkward to hear him playing that night. I kind of felt bad for him... some of the concerts and venues I heard this guys at especially one for Eric Johnson I must have been maybe six feet away hearing and watching him. I pretty much lost my hearing for that night afterwards. It was a small venue and the amps were cranked up. Is there anyway I can pay you or donate some money to you? This really is a great piece of work. Plus you sound like a kick ass guitarist. So in ending once again thanks for all of your hard work on this project. Well done guitar Bro. Is there anyway I can give or donate some money to you for all your hard work. My guitar buddy and I were always trying to play some of Eric's stuff much like what you encountered but never seemed to be able to pull it off (pardon the pun). Can I PayPal you some money or something. I just want to reward you for your never ending quest to play their songs and style. Cheers, Tom

[@GuitarHickNick]

So when are you going to interview Yngwie ?

[@Gwyn1stborn]

Problem: he's too douchy

[@thirael]

@@Gwyn1stborn last time i saw a video of him it sounded like he had gotten a little humbler

[@GuyNarnarian]

What happened to Eddie? He just disappeared?

[@gogpoydi]

GuyNarnarian he has cancer

[@MatthiasBuesing]

Well, I'm pretty speechless. It's hard to believe that the great Yngwie forms his runs after picking techniques - and there are millions of players out there keep praying that the consistant use of alternative picking is the way to play fast. I'm playing for 25 years now myself but this video is quite scary to me...:-O

[@troygrady]

Indeed, it's fascinating, but it's probably more of a chicken and egg problem where the techniques and the lines evolve together. Yngwie is lucky enough to be able to do this by feel, without really thinking about it, which is pretty amazing.