Shred guys, your .02 please

[Matt300ZXT]

Can I just not shoot steroids straight into my fingers?

 

[Metalhex]

The biggest challenge is to keep doing it, not walking away, not matter what (unless it's a physical problem like tendonitis etc.). Progress is not linear, it sometimes stagnates for months (even years !) then suddenly everything clicks and in a matter of a week, giant leaps are made. One sure thing is that no progress is made if you don't even try.

I need tablature that shows the up/downstrokes, because when I watched countless videos (Troy Grady, etc...) it's like yeah, I know that string hopping is bad, but I never was shown the right way.

Then other people say, "well X worked for me but might not work for you" and vice versa. So I start thinking, oh maybe none of these lessons apply to me if they didn't work for everyone in the same way....hence the analysis paralysis and exhaustion from overthinking.

Some people swear by alternate picking everything and do a great job at it. Yet I can't do it when changing strings and can never figure it out.

 

[Techdeth]

Seriously play slow as fuck when learning. Don’t rush it or go for the speed at all . Spead coles once the brain is bored with play the part the right way and driven into the ground from slow repetition. I sometimes trick my students into learning the part they want to know . I show them a part that’s way harder then they go back and they are like holy shit that was easy . I now do that with myself

 

[alund]

Metronome gets you there. It’s a pain in the ass BUT over the past 6 months k use it for about 15 mins per day (when I play). And I see improvement. Oddly. Or not. My best 2 strings are 3-4. Then 5-6. 1-2 seem to be hard for me. String changes from light to heavy is tuff. Use the strengths by ascending 2 strings Vs crossing all 6 for long runs. Makes alternate picking easier. The other thing that helps is burst speed then hold. Then again and again. Runs or 4-6-8 etc. I don’t know why but I’d assume memory blocks make it mindless..

 

[Jack Luminous]

I need tablature that shows the up/downstrokes, because when I watched countless videos (Troy Grady, etc...) it's like yeah, I know that string hopping is bad, but I never was shown the right way.

Then other people say, "well X worked for me but might not work for you" and vice versa. So I start thinking, oh maybe none of these lessons apply to me if they didn't work for everyone in the same way....hence the analysis paralysis and exhaustion from overthinking.

Some people swear by alternate picking everything and do a great job at it. Yet I can't do it when changing strings and can never figure it out.

No need for tablature or complicated patterns at first. You need to work on the fundamentals. Don't overthink it, just do strict alternate picking and keep practicing with a metronome everyday. Without taking any break. Progress will happen, I'll guarantee it. You just start with a downstroke and then alternate strictly. Three notes per strings, straight scales, groups of three, groups of four, groups of six etc. Always tap your foot on each click of the metronome and always play quarter notes. Start at 60 then go up slowly.

 

[alan67]

You might have to re-examine your technique. If you have the wrong technique you will be able to play it slow and will get better with practice…but you’ll still have a limit to your speed. Sometimes you have to just let it fly to reveal the incorrect technique.

Descending runs are often the hardest due to way your pick is slanted. They are for me, I have a downward pick slant. Descending runs make my pick tend to hop/bounce up and down…and that right there literally cuts your speed IN HALF!

This! It's not enough to simply say, alternate pick - up, down, up, down......continue. The actual mechanics of the picking motion matter - an eternity of practicing an inefficient motion won't fix it.

 

[Metalhex]

Seriously play slow as fuck when learning. Don’t rush it or go for the speed at all . Spead coles once the brain is bored with play the part the right way and driven into the ground from slow repetition. I sometimes trick my students into learning the part they want to know . I show them a part that’s way harder then they go back and they are like holy shit that was easy . I now do that with myself

But if my mechanics/technique is wrong to begun with, then I will steadily get more proficient at using a poor technique. If I had someone there next to me to correct my wrist angle, or pick angle, or arm placement, or whatever...then I know that I'd be starting off the right way.

Whenever I practice with a metronome I build slowly until I hit a brick wall then I realize I can't break through the wall because my mechanics are bad.

 

[Techdeth]

But if my mechanics/technique is wrong to begun with, then I will steadily get more proficient at using a poor technique. If I had someone there next to me to correct my wrist angle, or pick angle, or arm placement, or whatever...then I know that I'd be starting off the right way.

Whenever I practice with a metronome I build slowly until I hit a brick wall then I realize I can't break through the wall because my mechanics are bad.

I’d have to see you play . Sometimes it just mental . But there is ways around it and different mechanics for others . What Ben and Troy do is great for them but not the way for everyone to play fast . But ya i
Would have to see what you feel is bad mechanics

 

[SpiderWars]

But if my mechanics/technique is wrong to begun with, then I will steadily get more proficient at using a poor technique. If I had someone there next to me to correct my wrist angle, or pick angle, or arm placement, or whatever...then I know that I'd be starting off the right way.

Whenever I practice with a metronome I build slowly until I hit a brick wall then I realize I can't break through the wall because my mechanics are bad.

It’s tricky because everyone is different. What is comfortable for one person is awkward af for another.

Sometimes when my right hand is just having one of those days and hand synchronization sucks I’ll just tremolo pick for a while until it is smooth and tension free. You should be able to do that for a long time with no fatigue/pain. And the pick motion, forward and back, is linear. No hopping/bouncing. Two motions; two clicks. That always seems to be a good start.