Guitar Dreams
Everything Guitar - Alternate Picking Help
GhostDog - Dec 18, 2004 - 01:41 PM
Post subject: Alternate Picking Help
Hello all, I've been lurking your forums here for about three months now and finally decided it was time to join. I found your site while searching for some good practice lessons and techniques and fopund some really great ones imo and have been back frequently to check them out and read your forums for good advice, which there has certianly been no lack of, so I would like to say Thank-You all for takeing the time to do what you do here. Now onto my question!
I have really been trying to focus on techniques lately that will help improve my overall playing speed. I'm into alot of different types of music and really admire players rangeing from Eric Clapton, Joe satriani, Metallica (Justice for all and before), so my playing interest are pretty wide. I usually progress pretty well on most lessons/techniques after a few hours of relentless practice but alternate picking has got me in a rut for some reason. I always seem to get messed up. I can keep a pretty fluid 120
going but when I try to increase my speed at all I seem to be missing strings
and just muddling things up. My action as low as I can get it with a minimal amout of fret buzz for my guitar (Godin Freeway Classic) but I'm wondering if the strings should all be at the same height or if it's ok to set them up individually. I set them up one by one by listening for buzz on each one and then raising them a bit until it's tolerable but wasn't sure if this would affect things like faster picking. Am I maybe expecting to much too fast as far as alternate picking? It's just frusterating to practice for a few hours and not seem to gain any ground is all so I thought I might be missing something. Thanks for any help folks!!
bhuether - Dec 18, 2004 - 02:35 PM
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I personally would not want to adjust each string separately. Also, try using a small, firm pick, like the Jazz II or Jazz III. That in combination with efficient motion of the pick hand will help. What I mean is use the principle of economy of motion. Don't be moving your arm and wrist all over the place.
I hope that gets you on the right track!
-brian
GhostDog - Dec 18, 2004 - 08:19 PM
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Thank you for the reply Brian, appreciate it! My guitar is still under warranty
so I took it to the dealer and had him adjust my trus rod and we went from there on the saddles. He suggested, that for my guitar specifically, it would be best if I set my strings with the radius of the neck and that in itself helped quite abit. I must say, I have a lot of respect for all you guys and gals that have mastered alternate picking! I've never gotten so frusterated while trying to learn anything on guitar as I have with this lol! The frusteration seems to make me want to learn it all that much more though so it's all good! Thanks again brian. 
jimmy - Dec 23, 2004 - 06:03 PM
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Hello,
Don't be put off if your picking is not coming on as quickly as you'd like.Alternate picking can take years to develop not hours,try as Brian said to keep movement to a minimum and to keep as relaxed as possible.You need to accept that it could take a long time to master this technique,the main thing is,to keep practicing and not give up.
Good luck.
GhostDog - Dec 23, 2004 - 08:26 PM
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Yep, I'm definately starting to see that this is going to take some dedication and alot of time to master. I have been really focusing all of my playing time to learning techniques and not so much on learning new songs but when I started on alternate picking I decided it would be best if I broke up my efforts
abit. I figure if I play a few hours a night, for say 5 nights a week I'll take at least two of those nights to focus on learning some tabs and the rest I'll focus on alternate picking. This kind of helps keep me motivated, it's easy to get frusterated I find if one focuses too much energy on techniques alone. I did
however get 2 jazz II and 2 Jazz III picks and I love those little suckers!
Daz - Dec 24, 2004 - 08:46 AM
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That's a good idea, GhostDog. For a short period I practiced technqiue and nothing else, and after about 2 weeks I hardly wanted to play the guitar. If you practice just technique, I think you'll progress a little faster - while you're not bored- but you will probably become bored or just not motivated.
How good are these Jazz IIIs I've heard about? I've never seen one, and I can't seem to find them in any of my local music shops. Recently, I have been using some Ibanez plecs that I found in one of the local shops, they're just like regular plecs except that the ends are very pointed, which I like. The only problem is that the ends wear quite quickly...
GhostDog - Dec 24, 2004 - 04:09 PM
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Daz wrote:
That's a good idea, GhostDog. For a short period I practiced technqiue and nothing else, and after about 2 weeks I hardly wanted to play the guitar. If you practice just technique, I think you'll progress a little faster - while you're not bored- but you will probably become bored or just not motivated.
How good are these Jazz IIIs I've heard about? I've never seen one, and I can't seem to find them in any of my local music shops. Recently, I have been using some Ibanez plecs that I found in one of the local shops, they're just like regular plecs except that the ends are very pointed, which I like. The only problem is that the ends wear quite quickly...
I like the Jazz II but the III's are abit better, for me anyway. I think they might be like the Ibanez ones you're reffering too as they are very pointed
on the end, the Jazz II's are a little more round but still pretty good. I live in a pretty small town with only one music shop and I couldn't get them here either, I asked my brother-in-law to pick some up in Moncton at the MusicStop before him and my sister came home for the Holidays so he got me two of each. He plays as well and we had a little jam Wednesday night,
I used the III's all night and loved it. Very comfortable and easy to control as well.
Daz - Dec 27, 2004 - 04:54 AM
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Do the ends of the Jazz III's stay very pointed for quite a while? The Ibanez ones I use became quite rounded after about an hour of not very intense playing.
GhostDog - Dec 27, 2004 - 06:20 AM
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They seemed to hold up pretty well Daz. We jammed on and off for roughly
5 hours or so. I haven't had time to play since but I just looked and I don't see any noticable wear to speak of. I'm probably going to be practicing for a few hours today so I'll let you know.
Daz - Dec 27, 2004 - 12:36 PM
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Sounds good. Heh, I think I'll probably have to order them off the 'net or something. 
jimmy - Dec 28, 2004 - 08:19 AM
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I've been using the same jazz III pick for about a year practicing 2 hours a day roughly,and it is only slightly worn at the tip,so they seem pretty strong to me.
Daz - Dec 28, 2004 - 11:33 AM
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Sounds great. I'll definitely have to order one of these!