CONTENT

CHAPTER 1: THE WAY YOU PRACTICE

CHAPTER 2: THE WAY YOU HOLD THE PICK

CHAPTER 3: EVEN NUMBERS OF NOTES PER STRING

CHAPTER 4: ODD NUMBERS OF NOTES PER STRING

 

To Play fast, you first have to make sure that you have the fundamental skills, otherwise you can not use any shortcut even if you know what they are. Everything I write here is kind of inspriration for You, because you actually have to find out which style of playing is the one you want to use. If you are not familiar with that or something I write here, search for it in the internet, please. These words will have BIG LETTERS than. You should be familiar with these graphics:

|19-20-17-20-15-20-----20-19-20-17-20-15-20|

|------------------------19----------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------------|

d=downstroke: Extend and rotate, hit the string then extend

u=upsroke: Flex the forearm, it the string then flex and rotate

(P=pull off)

 

CHAPTER 1: THE WAY YOU PRACTICE

There are all types of meanings concerning this issue.

First you should to learn HOW TO HAVE MORE TIME and HOW TO HAVE FUN PRACTICING GUITAR.

 

PRACTICE=use a metronome (or backingtrack when practicing songs) which increases the speed automatically. Start at 50bpm. Write the name of the exercise/song/whatever, your current maximum speed in bpm (or the duration you can play the song you practice) with date and Your goal with date into Your PROGRESS-LIST.

 

Example for Your list:

name - current speed – date – problems - goal - date

Example #1 – 94 - 11.11.11 - I hear notes that are not intended to be heard – 160 - 12.12.12

Example #1 – 104 - 12.11.11 - I hear some notes that are not intended to be heard – 160 - 12.12.12

...

 

The PROGRESS-LIST is great but it would be great too, if You would record Your Progress (see questions below).

 

Do I exercise regularly? (do appointments)

Do I know what I should practice? (see PROGRESS-LIST)

Do I practice goal-oriented, time-oriented? (see PROGRESS-LIST)

Are the sounds connected? (record video)

Am I the rhythm? (use a metronome)

Am I using the right technique? (record video)

Are fingers, hands, wrists, arms, elbows, shoulders, neck and face relaxed? ((record video)

I hear sounds that are not intended to be heard? (record video)

 

CHAPTER 2: THE WAY YOU HOLD THE PICK

Always use DOWNWARD PICKSLANTING or 2-WAY-PICKSLANTING.

Try an 15-45°angle, so that the top of your pick points to your upper body. THE ROTATIONAL MECHANIC is a natural consequence of the hand position. You actually do not have to think about it.

 

Always use EDGE PICKING. Try an 10-25°angle, so that the top of your pick points to your left side of your upper body.

 

Use both and your pick falls across the string very easy.

 

CHAPTER 3: EVEN NUMBERS OF NOTES PER STRING (4,6,8,...)

Always switch strings after upstrokes (when using alternate picking).

 

Example #1

e-9-12-10-9-10-13-12-10-9-12-10-9----|

B------------------------------------|

G------------------------------------|

D------------------------------------|

A------------------------------------|

E------------------------------------|

PRACTICE!

 

Example #2

  d  u  d u d  u d  u

e-10-13-12-10-9-12-10-9---------------|

B--------------------------------------------|

G--------------------------------------------|

D--------------------------------------------|

A--------------------------------------------|

E--------------------------------------------|

PRACTICE!

             d u  d u d  u d u

e--------------------------------------------|

B-------------------8-11-10-8-6-10-8-6-|

G--------------------------------------------|

D--------------------------------------------|

A--------------------------------------------|

E--------------------------------------------|

 

Each finger has always his own fret.

It is almost always

1.fret - 1.finger 1 or index i

2.fret - 2.finger 2 or middle finger m

3.fret - 3.finger 3 or ring finger r

4.fret - 4.finger 4 or pinky p

In Example #3it is

8.fret - 1.finger 1 or index i

9.fret - 2.finger 2 or middle finger m

10.fret - 3.finger 3 or ring finger r

11.fret - 4.finger 4 or pinky p

 

Example #3

  p i r  p  r i p  i  r p  r i

e----------------------------------------------|

B-11-8-10-11-10-8-11-8-10-11-10-8-|

G---------------------------------------------|

D---------------------------------------------|

A---------------------------------------------|

E---------------------------------------------|

 

Example #3

  4 1 3  4 3 1 4 1  3  4 3 1

e----------------------------------------------|

B-11-8-10-11-10-8-11-8-10-11-10-8-|

G---------------------------------------------|

D---------------------------------------------|

A---------------------------------------------|

E---------------------------------------------|

PRACTICE!

 

If necessary, use a pulloff to have the upstroke at the end.

(P=pull off)

 

Example #4

           P          P

e-10-12-10-9-10--------------------|

B-------------------10-11-10-8-10-|

G--------------------------------------|

D--------------------------------------|

A--------------------------------------|

E--------------------------------------|

PRACTICE!

 

If playing 2 Notes per string, begin with an upstroke.

 

CHAPTER 4: ODD NUMBERS OF NOTES PER STRING (1,3,5,7…)

Always sweep, to switch strings (on ascending lines).

 

Example #5

Ascending                             

|------------------------------5-7-8-|

|------------------------5-6-8-------|

|------------------4-5-7-------------|

|--------------5-7-------------------|

|--------5-7-8-----------------------|

|-5-7-8------------------------------|

PRACTICE!

 

Example #6

Descending

|-8-7-5-----------------------------|

|-------8-6-5-----------------------|

|-------------7-5-4-----------------|

|-------------------7-5-------------|

|-----------------------8-7-5-------|

|-----------------------------8-7-5-|

PRACTICE!

 

You can use every scale in any fingering.

The following -x- show the notes of the C major.

E phrygian=F lydian=G mixolydian=A minor=B Locrian=C major=D Dorian.

 

0   1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10  11 12

|-x-|-x-|---|-x-|---|-x-|---|-x-|-x-|---|-x-|---|-x-|

|-x-|-x-|---|-x-|---|-x-|-x-|---|-x-|---|-x-|---|-x-|

|-x-|---|-x-|---|-x-|-x-|---|-x-|---|-x-|-x-|---|-x-|

|-x-|---|-x-|-x-|---|-x-|---|-x-|---|-x-|-x-|---|-x-|

|-x-|---|-x-|-x-|---|-x-|---|-x-|-x-|---|-x-|---|-x-|

|-x-|-x-|---|-x-|---|-x-|---|-x-|-x-|---|-x-|---|-x-|

 

If You know these notes, you could came up with this:

(d=downstroke u=upsroke)

 

Example #7

   d u d  d u d  d u d  d u d  d u d  d u d

E |-----------------------------------------------13-15-17-|

B |--------------------------------------13-15-17----------|

G |-----------------------------12-14-16-------------------|

D |--------------------12-14-15----------------------------|

A |-----------12-14-15-------------------------------------|

E |--12-13-15----------------------------------------------|

(E phrygian)

PRACTICE!

This is THE SWEEP PICKING STRING SHIFT

Another great way to play ascending lines:

 

Example #8

(E phrygian)

     d u d   d u  u  d u d  d u  

E |-----------------------------------------------|

B |-----------------------------------------------|

G |-----------------------------------------------|

D |------------------------------------15-17----|

A |-------------15-17----15-17-19------------|

E |--15-17-19-------19------------------------|

and so on:

   d  d u  u  d u d  d u  u

E |-----------------------------------------------|

B |--------------------------17-18--------------|

G |---16-17----16-17-19---------19----------|

D |19-------19----------------------------------|

A |-----------------------------------------------|

E |-----------------------------------------------|

PRACTICE!

 

Example #9

Harmonic Minor

(=Aeolian with a raised 7th scale degree)

 

d u d  d u d  d u  d u d  d u  d u d

|----------------------------------1-2-4--|

|-----------------------------2-3---------|

|---------------------1-2-4---------------|

|----------------3-4----------------------|

|--------2-4-5----------------------------|

|-2-4-5-----------------------------------|

PRACTICE!

 

Transformed:

 

Example #10

d u d, d u d, d u d, d u d, d u d, d u d

|--------------------------------2-4-5-|

|--------------------------2-3-6-------|

|--------------------1-2-4-------------|

|--------------0-3-4-------------------|

|--------2-4-5-------------------------|

|-2-4-5--------------------------------|

Fingers:

1 3 4, 1 3 4, 3 4, 1 2 4, 1 2 4, 1 3 4

|--------------------------------2-4-5-|

|--------------------------2-3-6-------|

|--------------------1-2-4-------------|

|--------------0-3-4-------------------|

|--------2-4-5-------------------------|

|-2-4-5--------------------------------|

Practice it and compare it with Example 9!

 

Sometimes it is better to use Alternate picking. If you do so, THE ROTATIONAL MECHANIC becomes apparent. Your palm rolls away from the strings on upstrokes and closes up against it on downstrokes:

(d=downstroke u=upsroke)

 

With sweeping:

Example #11

  d u d u  d u d  d  u d  u  d u d

|-19-20-17-20-15-20-----20-19-20-17-20-15-20-|

|-------------------------19--------------------------------|

|------------------------------------------------------------|

|------------------------------------------------------------|

|------------------------------------------------------------|

|------------------------------------------------------------|

PRACTICE!

 

With Alternate picking (You have to GET DOWN FOR THE UPSTROKE here):

Example #12

  d  u d  u d  u  d  u  d u  d u  d  u

|-19-20-17-20-15-20----20-19-20-17-20-15-20-|

|-------------------------19---------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------|

PRACTICE!

 

If playing Arpeggios play in this style:

(d=downstroke u=upsroke p=pull off /=slide)

 

Example #13

 u p u d d d (/) u p u d d d (/)  u p  u  d  d d

|-5-2-------2-(5)-8-5-------5-(8)-11-8------|

|-----4---4-----------7---7------------10-----|

|-------5---------------8-----------------11---|

|------------------------------------------------|

|------------------------------------------------|

|------------------------------------------------|

 

Example #14

DOUBLE DOWN UP:

d d u d d u d d u d u u

|------------------------------------------------|

|------------------------------------------------|

|---0-0---0-0---0-0----0-0------------------|

|-5-----5------7------7-----------------------|

|------------------------------------------------|

|------------------------------------------------|

 

and so on...

 

Now create Your own music!

 

-         If You do so, I recommend choose between this different techniques:

-         2-WAY-PICKSLANTING + ALTERNATE PICKING

-         2-WAY-PICKSLANTING + ECONOMY PICKING

-         LEGATO

-         DOWNWARD PICKSLANTING

 

Have fun!