Why I Suck At Fast Picking (and how I'm going to fix it)

I think I've finally figured out why I struggle with #speed #picking on the #guitar. I stumbled across a video a few days ago, by guitar tutor Tom Hess which explained it all. Unfortunately I can't find the video again, but I'll relay what it says in this one.
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[@mortonwilson795]

Great! Informative and helpful, muchos gracias. I started attempting to play guitar when I was 9 and remained 'self taught' thru my days with the band in the '70s and then the move from NZ to HK in '82 to work on soundtracks of all sorts. However, in summer of '85 I found myself in Charleston, Virgina on one of the first Guitar Craft Workshops hosted by Robert Fripp - my first guitar lessons! After recovering from the shock of retuning to CGDAEG (New Standard Tuning) Robert took us thru a number of exercises for both hands and alternate and cross-picking were fundamental to the stuff we wrote and played for a week. It was humbling and exciting and changed my playing in a good way . . . alternate picking is now 'natural' to me unless the track requires full on banging away to make a point sort of thing and I'm really grateful for the time spent with Robert. Your pentatonic alternate picking exercise is more or less what we did but with variations that also exercised all 4 fingers on the left hand and chordal cross-picking is now a helluva lot easier altho I doubt I'll ever reach the level of what Robert was doing on the 'Discipline' album stuff but we're always learning n'est-ce pas? Cheers and thanks again for the channel!

[@RS-xo7rd]

There are some useful bits on Ben Eller's site. I fully sympathise having the same problem.

[@SuperMrThom]

Wow, never considered that! Makes a lot of sense. Thanks John

[@petergedd9330]

I decided quite a long time ago to learn the really fast licks to my favourite guitarist, once I made my mind up it became a set goal, which helped, then I decided to do something that you don't see much on youtbe (but I did see one article) and that was to push through the sequence that you are learning, as fast as possible, and don't focus on the picking or any technique, but focus on the sound that you are achieving, do it more or less before your brain gets involved, funnily enough it started to work, slowly but surely I honed in on the goal sound, getting tighter, but my brain also started to get involved with the technique, and I thought 'Oh' so this is how its done, and both at the same time whilst practicing it started to get clearer and tighter and faster, without having to concentrate on any specific technique. I crossed a boundary and was gobsmacked that I could make this sound, and played it and played it and played. Now this is the thing......Can I make music with it? Well that's another curve ball I have to get over. Thank you John, love your channel, you know what......its soothing, I think its your voice and pace. Cheers

[@JRobsonGuitar]

Cheers mate 👍

[@latheofheaven1017]

Really interesting, John. I didn't even have to pick up the guitar to realise that I would do the same thing; My picking hand would also be lost.

[@JonnyDee123]

Great video, John. This could be me, too. Complete with the legato fallback and the lack of dual hand coordination. I have been doing a bit of what you've said here for the last few weeks and I'm finally making progress (albeit slowly). My only advice to anyone in this same rut is that patience is needed to dig ourselves out of it. The temptation is to rush it but ironically it just can't be rushed. Get the metronome out and start really slowly.

[@tangobayus]

Fast does not equal good. "Slow is smooth; smooth is fast."

[@xcx8646]

I'm in the camp that firmly believes that to play fast you have to start fast, and then clean up your technique over time. Slow is good for practising just about everything else, but when it comes to speed it is literally the opposite of what the player is aiming for.

[@Martin_84]

very interesting idea thanks ill try this i bet it works

[@Bizman62]

Back in the day some physiotherapist told me that it takes about two weeks to remember to do a new task - or an old task a new way. Then it will take a couple of months for your brain to build new tracks into your neural system, synapses or something like that. I've later read counterarguments to that theory but at least the schedule seems valid. Of course it will take even longer to truly master said new task or way. But that's another story.

[@tangobayus]

neuroplasticity.

[@xcx8646]

Fast picking is largely about how you hold the pick. Once you get the positioning then the tension disappears and fast picking becomes very easy.

[@Bezial-do4vg]

Forget whoever the bearded one is .... Tom Grady and pick slanting and also as some one else said 3 notes per string, im a 60 year old and since i have been using the above (used 3 notes scales since my teens) i have basically increased my speed 10 fold. Im not a shredder but i can say i can shred :)

[@NicoViergever]

Interesting idea.

[@alanrice9768]

Really interesting video, but I actually like your hammer-on/pull-off technique. Any chance of a quick lesson on that?

[@JRobsonGuitar]

Cheers mate. I've done several videos on how I play legato stuff. You should be able to search my channel for videos on that technique 👍

[@alanrice9768]

@@JRobsonGuitar found them, thanks. I feel a lot of practice coming on.

[@DuntoiRab]

Tom Hess is the guy.

[@JRobsonGuitar]

Thanks mate 👍

[@Bezial-do4vg]

lol the wonderful i am .... Tom Hess

[@paulcookseymmh5941]

Hi john,is it Tom hess with the long beard you were talking about,he has lessons on alternate picking

[@matt-fn9gr]

Tom Hess is anti alternate picking, he does some sort of economy picking

[@paulcookseymmh5941]

Yes matt your right it does seem to be more about sweep picking​@@matt-fn9gr

[@RF944]

I'm a economy picker by habit, for me to strictly pick alternately, it takes alot more focus.

[@muleman72]

Is that the guy that was A Dunlop guitar performer who did Namm shows?

[@TheTimeProphet]

Try 3 notes per string.

[@PaulGEBHARD-p8p]

I’d sooner listen to the feeling in two notes being played by BB King than guitar olympics any day

[@xcx8646]

Yeah, but you you don't have to shred metal. Tremolo picking and surf are great fun. Ultimately, if you don't have speed in your toolkit, to be used judiciously, you will always sound very one-paced and pedestrian.

[@seamanjive]

So what is the exercise?

[@chrisminer5884]

Fast picking is technically difficult but not very enjoyable to listen to in my opinion

[@User58747]

It's string-crossing that floors me - must be one of the most awkward techniques of using a pick! You're on the B string, you've played a down stroke and the next note is on the G string!!!

[@seamanjive]

In my humble opinion...too many notes in that solo, constant stream of information overwhelming and confusingcthe listener. Leave holes, let it breathe, restate lines, given the listener a chance to absorb tbe music.