Description
The Pickslanting Primer is Cracking the Code’s comprehensive guide to developing clean, accurate picking technique.
It is evidence-based, derived from our groundbreaking slow-motion interviews with celebrated players. These interviews revealed, in some cases for the first time anywhere, the remarkable mechanical adaptations that great players make to get from one string to another with a pick. In doing this work, we standardized concepts like escape motion and pickslanting, which practically redefined how picking technique is understood, studied, and taught. If you’ve heard these terms in use, they were created here.
The techniques in the Primer are continually tested and updated through extensive Technique Critique teaching with awesomely dedicated learners from around the world. In the Primer you’ll learn about:
- Unlocking your true maximum efficiency and speed
- Synchronizing your picking and fretting hands
- Using escape motion for clean string changes
- Joint motions and their unique capabilities
- The influence of mechanics on musical vocabulary and improvisation
- Famous players and how their techniques work
- Mechanics for specific musical styles, from bluegrass to metal
For detailed section and lesson listings, for the Pickslanting Primer, you can browse the Primer itself right on the site. And note that when you buy the download product, you’ll be able to view all the videos and musical examples here on the site, too, for added convenience.
The Pickslanting Primer is updated continually and those updates are free for life, no matter how long ago you purchased your copy, and no matter what price you paid for it.
Note that Primer purchases do not include Technique Critique evaluation by the Cracking the Code teaching staff. You’ll need a subscription for that, but you can simply sign up for a month whenever you’re ready for that evaluation, using your existing Cracking the Code account.
Here's an overview of what's included with the download. For more detail, check out the platform page!
Getting Started
Title |
Getting Started With The Pickslanting Primer |
Choosing A Pick
Title |
Choosing A Pick With The Rule Of Roundness |
Choosing A Pick Grip
Title |
Choosing A Pick Grip |
Core Techniques
Title |
Chapter 1 - Alternate Picking |
Chapter 2 - Stringhopping |
Motion Mechanics
Title |
Chapter 1 - Identifying Wrist Motion |
Chapter 2 - Identifying Elbow Motion |
Chapter 3 - Identifying Forearm Motion |
Chapter 4 - Identifying Finger Joint Motion |
Testing Your Motions
Title |
Chapter 1 - Testing Your Speed |
Chapter 2 - Testing Van Halen-Style Wrist Motion |
Chapter 3 - Testing Di Meola-Style Wrist Motion |
Chapter 4 - Testing Elbow Motion |
Chapter 5 - Testing Forearm Motion |
Unlocking The Tremolo
Title |
Chapter 1 - The Tremolo Test |
Chapter 2 - Beginner Tremolo |
Chapter 3 - Solving Stringhopping |
Chapter 4 - Choosing The Best Motion |
Chapter 5 - Improving Fast Technique |
Escape Motion Fundamentals
Title |
Chapter 1 - The Problem of String Switching |
Chapter 2 - Single Escape Motion |
Chapter 3 - Double Escape Motion |
Chapter 4 - Circular Escape Motion |
Chapter 5 - Joint Motions and Escape |
Escape Motion In Use
Title |
Chapter 1 - Switching Strings With Even-Numbered Groupings |
Chapter 2 - Odd-Numbered Groupings With Double Escape |
Chapter 3 - Escape Motion Picking Styles |
Escape Motion And Pickslanting
Title |
Chapter 1 - The Garage Spikes Problem |
Chapter 2 - Pickslanting And Escape motion |
Chapter 3 - Pickslanting vs Edge Picking |
Primary Motion
Title |
Chapter 1 - What Is Primary Motion? |
Chapter 2 - Primary Motion And Speed |
Chapter 3 - Primary Motion And Musical Vocabulary |
Chapter 4 - Speed and Learning New Motions |
Primary Motion Tests
Title |
Chapter 1 - Determining Your Primary Escape |
Chapter 2 - Evaluating Primary Escape Test Results |
Evaluating Your Technique
Title |
Chapter 1 - Efficiency And Physical Effort |
Chapter 2 - Efficiency And Speed |
Chapter 3 - Efficiency And Loudness |
Chapter 4 - Easy, Fast, And Loud |
Techniques By Player and Genre
Title |
Chapter 1 - Emulating A Specific Player |
Chapter 2 - Picking For Rock And Metal |
Chapter 3 - Picking For Jazz |
Chapter 4 - Picking For Bluegrass |
Chapter 5 - Picking For Gypsy Jazz And World Acoustic |
Chapter 6 - Picking For Classical Mandolin |
Reverse Dart Thrower Wrist Motion
Title |
What Is Reverse Dart Thrower Motion? |
Reverse Dart Form |
Managing The Other Fingers |
Testing Range Of Motion |
Testing Trapped Motion |
Testing Escape Motions |
The RDT Motion Family |
Adding A Pick |
Adjusting Pick Attack |
Following The Wrist Motion Path |
RDT Motion Variations |
Maximizing RDT Efficiency |
Wrist Motion Comfort |
Tapping Speed |
Reverse Dart Wrist Picking Styles
Title |
The Double Escape Picking Style |
The Downward Pickslanting Style |
The Upward Pickslanting Style |
Two-Way Pickslanting vs Double Escape |
Forearm Motions
Title |
Chapter 1 - Introduction to Forearm-Wrist Motion |
Chapter 2 - Anchoring, Grip, and Pickslant |
Chapter 3 - Performing the FW Motion |
Chapter 4 - Evaluating Motion Feel |
Chapter 5 - Muting |
Chapter 6 - The Tracking Mystery |
Chapter 7 - The Downstroke Sweep |
Chapter 8 - Flexed Form |
Chapter 9 - Rotation |
Chapter 10 - Noise Control |
Yngwie Malmsteen
Title |
Chapter 1 - Downward Pickslanting |
Chapter 2 - Building Speed with the Six-Note Pattern |
Chapter 3 - Switching Strings |
Chapter 4 - Changing Direction |
Chapter 5 - The Black Star Lick |
Chapter 6 - The Volcano Pattern |
Chapter 7 - Scalar Sweeping |
Chapter 8 - Arpeggios |
Pickslanting Primer - Yngwie Style Clips.zip |
Pickslanting Primer - Yngwie Style Clips - Slow.zip |
Pickslanting Primer - Yngwie Style Clips - Tablature - GPX.zip |
Pickslanting Primer - Yngwie Style Clips - Tablature - PDF.zip |
Pickslanting Primer - Yngwie Style Clips - Tablature - GP.zip |
Eric Johnson
Title |
Chapter 1 - The Five-Note Pattern |
Chapter 2 - Pentatonic Sweeping |
Chapter 3 - Five Notes Ascending |
Chapter 4 - Pentatonic Sixes |
Chapter 5 - String Tracking |
Chapter 6 - The Straight Pentatonic Scale |
Chapter 7 - Classic Fives |
Chapter 8 - Pentatonic Pickups |
Chapter 9 - Neoclassical Fives |
Pickslanting Primer - EJ Style Clips.zip |
Pickslanting Primer - EJ Style Clips - Slow.zip |
Pickslanting Primer - EJ Style Clips - Tablature - GPX.zip |
Pickslanting Primer - EJ Style Clips - Tablature - PDF.zip |
Strunz & Farah
Title |
Chapter 1 - Ardeshir's Upward Pickslant |
Chapter 2 - Ascending Sixes |
Chapter 3 - Ascending Eights |
Chapter 4 - Rules of Upward Pickslanting |
Pickslanting Primer - Strunz and Farah Style Clips.zip |
Pickslanting Primer - Strunz and Farah Style Clips - Slow.zip |
Pickslanting Primer - Strunz and Farah Style Clips - Tablature - GPX.zip |
Pickslanting Primer - Strunz and Farah Style Clips - Tablature - PDF.zip |
John McLaughlin
Title |
Chapter 1 - The McLaughlin Four-Note Pattern |
Chapter 2 - Two-Note-Per-String Patterns |
Chapter 3 - John's Upward Pickslant |
Pickslanting Primer - John McLaughlin Style Clips.zip |
Pickslanting Primer - John McLaughlin Style Clips - Slow.zip |
Pickslanting Primer - John McLaughlin Style Clips - Tablature - GPX.zip |
Pickslanting Primer - John McLaughlin Style Clips - Tablature - PDF.zip |
Pick Design And Function Reference
Title |
Chapter 1 - The Classic 351 |
Chapter 2 - The Jazz III |
Chapter 3 - The Big 346 |
Chapter 4 - Gauge |
Chapter 5 - Material And Tone |
Chapter 6 - Chirp |
Chapter 7 - Abrasion |
Pick Grip Reference
Title |
Chapter 1 - Trigger-Style Grip |
Chapter 2 - Pick Point |
Chapter 3 - Grip Exposure |
Chapter 4 - Thumb Overlap |
Chapter 5 - Extended Trigger Grip |
Chapter 6 - Angle Pad Grip |
Chapter 7 - Trailing Edge Grip |
Chapter 8 - Middle and Three-Finger Grip |
Chapter 9 - Supporting Fingers |
Pick Attack Reference
Title |
Edge Picking |
Angle Of Attack |
Identifying Wrist Motion
Title |
Chapter 1 - Identifying Wrist Motion |
Chapter 2 - Identifying Di Meola Wrist Motion |
Chapter 3 - Identifying Stern Wrist Motion |
Chapter 4 - Identifying Gilbert Mixed Escape Wrist Motion |
Chapter 5 - Identifying EVH Wrist Motion |
Chapter 6 - Identifying Dart-Thrower Wrist Motion |
Wrist Mechanics
Title |
Chapter 1 - Wrist Mechanics Explained |
Chapter 2 - The Clock Face Model |
Chapter 3 - Clock Face USX |
Chapter 4 - Clock Face DSX |
Chapter 5 - Clock Face DBX |
Chapter 6 - Clock Face Stringhopping |
Identifying Forearm Motion
Title |
Chapter 1 - Identifying EVH Forearm Motion |
Chapter 2 - Identifying Gypsy Forearm Motion |
Chapter 3 - Identifying Aldrich Forearm Motion |
Identifying Elbow Motion
Title |
Chapter 1 - Identifying Moore Elbow Motion |
Chapter 2 - Identifying Wylde Elbow Motion |