Triples v.s. 16ths

[Jack Napalm]

To start off I am not a shredder or speed demon by any stretch of the imagination but I have been working on speed and technique recently just to be able to do more when an occasion arises.

I am trying to figure out why triplets are easier to do than 16ths when you are playing the same notes in the same amount of time. As an example if I play triplets at 100 bpm playing 16ths at 75 bpm is the same amount of notes. I can comfortably, without tension, play triplets at 170 bpm. Just right hand triplets not even using the left hand. I can go higher but tension creeps in fairly quickly. Its getting better but just haven't cleanly and consistently gotten above 170 yet for long periods of time.

Moving to 16ths I should at least be able to do 127 bpm for the same amount time. I can do them but not for as long as I can with triplets. Tension creeps in quicker and my right hand misses a note. If I stop for a just a second I can get back to it but tension creeps in. I can drop down to 120-125 comfortably. Its the same amount of notes in the same time period. Just counted differently. I can do short burts of higher bpm but can't maintain high speeds.

I have been working with a metronome and single click. There is something about 16ths that is tripping me up. I can't figure out what I am doing wrong when I move to 16ths. When I add my fret hand I have the same issue just at slower tempos.

Lately I have been working on doing triplets at first, then I move to 16ths, then back to triplets at higher speeds for a shorter time just to push it some.

Any ideas or exercises anyone would recommend?

 

[degenaro]

To start off I am not a shredder or speed demon by any stretch of the imagination but I have been working on speed and technique recently just to be able to do more when an occasion arises.

I am trying to figure out why triplets are easier to do than 16ths when you are playing the same notes in the same amount of time. As an example if I play triplets at 100 bpm playing 16ths at 75 bpm is the same amount of notes. I can comfortably, without tension, play triplets at 170 bpm. Just right hand triplets not even using the left hand. I can go higher but tension creeps in fairly quickly. Its getting better but just haven't cleanly and consistently gotten above 170 yet for long periods of time.

Moving to 16ths I should at least be able to do 127 bpm for the same amount time. I can do them but not for as long as I can with triplets. Tension creeps in quicker and my right hand misses a note. If I stop for a just a second I can get back to it but tension creeps in. I can drop down to 120-125 comfortably. Its the same amount of notes in the same time period. Just counted differently. I can do short burts of higher bpm but can't maintain high speeds.

I have been working with a metronome and single click. There is something about 16ths that is tripping me up. I can't figure out what I am doing wrong when I move to 16ths. When I add my fret hand I have the same issue just at slower tempos.

Lately I have been working on doing triplets at first, then I move to 16ths, then back to triplets at higher speeds for a shorter time just to push it some.

Any ideas or exercises anyone would recommend?

Are you using lots of 3 note per string patterns?

 

[Jack Napalm]

I am when I start incorporating my fret hand.

 

[War Admiral]

Another question...do you consciously accent your divisions with your picking or your fretting hand or both?

 

[Jack Napalm]

Another question...do you consciously accent your divisions with your picking or your fretting hand or both?

Yes. Lately I have been working working on different beat accents. Sometime every beat and sometime just the 1st, or the 1st and 3rd, or the 2nd and 4th.

 

[War Admiral]

Another question...do you consciously accent your divisions with your picking or your fretting hand or both?

Yes. Lately I have been working working on different beat accents. Sometime every beat and sometime just the 1st, or the 1st and 3rd, or the 2nd and 4th.

Sorry, I'm still not clear on the answer...I get that you accent but how? Picking hand...fretting hand..or both.

 

[Jack Napalm]

Sorry, picking hand. If I am with my fret hand it is not intentional.

 

[War Admiral]

Sorry, picking hand. If I am with my fret hand it is not intentional.

Cool! Thats what I wanted to know. You should really try accenting with your fretting hand fingers also...it helps tremendously with syncing your both hands and your fretting hands endurance and accuracy. Make a concious effort on always "hammering" your notes, while picking of course, with you left hand and accenting the divisions. Holdsworth took this to a new level in his left hand technique! His right hand is another story though...mostly sweeps. But you can use this same technique with alternate picking too and it will help tremendously. This just kicks your left hand right in the balls!!!!!

For the right hand I would then suggest inside picking, outside picking and cross picking exercises after that and you will be one helluva monster!

 

[Jack Napalm]

Interesting. I never thought about accenting with my fret hand. For years I had a heavy hand and gripped too hard. So, I pulled back and re-learned not to be so heavy handed but never thought about accenting with that hand. I will add this to my workout. Very cool.

Thanks!

 

[War Admiral]

Interesting. I never thought about accenting with my fret hand. For years I had a heavy hand and gripped too hard. So, I pulled back and re-learned not to be so heavy handed but never thought about accenting with that hand. I will add this to my workout. Very cool.

Thanks!

Your fretting hand fingers will learn to be more independent this way. The side effect being it will also become much more stronger, dexterous and fluid.

 

[shredhead7]

Try playing 16th patterns on one string, instead of crossing strings (with your fret hand).

Example on high e
12 15 13 12, 10 13 12 10, 8 12 10 8, etc...
8 5 7 8, 10 7 8 10, 12 8 10 12, 13 10 12 13
or even
12 13 15 13, 12 13 15 13

I think that once you start synching the left and right together, on a very basic pattern that is four notes, the 16ths will come easier. I had the same problem as you when I was starting out. Once I learned 3 notes per string patterns and triplets, that became so much easier to me, as you had a down beat at the start of every pattern.

Fear not though, a lot of excellent players play 16th note runs on a single string as I've demonstrated above.

One more thing, don't change the tempo when you are practicing right hand technique. Keep the metronome at 120 and play quarter, eights, 16ths, back down.