Moving on from "Unlocking the Tremolo". I play on frets 5-6-7-8 of the G, B, and high E strings. I think of the rhythm as constant 16ths, but I divide the playing into groups of 4 notes, 2 notes, and 1 note. The goal is to maintain speed. The hardest part is the one-pickstroke-per-note section on each string. The high E string seems the most inconsistent. (The B string seems the smoothest.) But it is much better than it was a week ago. ;o) This isn't finished but I want to submit now in case I have somehow gone astray. As you suggested, I play some three-notes-per-string patterns, but they are nowhere near as fast as these. I have to work on getting triplets faster. As for licks, I'm working on a few Al di Meola and Strunz & Farrah licks found on this site. But they are not fast yet either. I'm making subtle adjustments to my pick grip. (Not the grip really but WHERE I grip the pick.) I'm trying to keep it from moving around at all. I want it steady and even in both directions. Sometimes it seems fine but other times it's choppy. Damn it! ;o)

Uploaded: Oct 22, 2022 12:00 AM

In response to Troy's comments on my previous video. The mission: STOP touching the picked string with the side of my thumb. The method: something like Benson picking (as I worked on it a few years back.) Key features distinguishing this from my last video: 1) Supinated forearm; 2) "Banana" thumb (fully extended as when making the thumbs-up sign) 3) Pad-to-pad grip (near the tip of the index) I believe this is the fastest, smoothest picking motion I can attain. However, I detect three areas of concern. 1) Some upstrokes sometimes carry through the next-lower string, making an undesirable sound. 2) Initial strokes sometimes "catch" on the strings, making an undesirable sound. 3) I don't know if I can play this way slow----it seems to be 'full tilt and nothing but.' (There's no tension in playing this way but there's no sense of control, either. Perhaps that would come with sustained practice.) Question: Although this solves the problem of touching the picked string with the side of my thumb, is it creating more (other) trouble than it's worth? Do I work on this or ditch it?????

Uploaded: Oct 26, 2022 12:00 AM