how do I build up speed for solos?

contra65

anyone recommend exercises for building speed?

Megii

OnTheRopes

I like Guthrie but that video is a bit naff. Nothing wrong with the teaching but whoever was in charge of cameras wants *******
Why zoom in on the stationary fretting hand when you are demonstrating right hand picking technique lol

I prefer this one

Megii

OnTheRopes said:

I like Guthrie but that video is a bit naff. Nothing wrong with the teaching but whoever was in charge of cameras wants *******
Why zoom in on the stationary fretting hand when you are demonstrating right hand picking technique lol

I prefer this one

Fair point - I still think his advice is well thought out and excellent though, I posted that one because it really helped me with my own picking and speed.

bingefeller

Another troll, but it's a legit topic for discussion.  

Given what we now know about picking, the advice of "start off slow and build up" is redundant.  The movements your hand make when playing slow are completely different than when you're playing fast.  You're better working on things at moderate speeds and once you have the movements down worry about cleaning up your playing.  

It's best to work on trem picking on one string, to build up some kind of speed that way, then work on simple patterns, like the six note Yngwie pattern, on one string.  This will get your hands locked together.  After that you can then move on to playing patterns across strings and work on getting your hands synched up together when changing strings.

However, there is another problem and that is changing strings.  You have to work out if you're an upward pick slanter or a downward pick slanter.  Whichever one of these you are will greatly affect the orientation of your lines and if you're better changing strings after a downstroke or up stroke.  Once you work this out, you are half way there and your speed will increase very quickly.  

OnTheRopes

Megii said:

Fair point - I still think his advice is well thought out and excellent though, I posted that one because it really helped me with my own picking and speed.

Don't get me wrong, I was criticising the Video makers, not Mr Govan or his advice.

Megii

OnTheRopes said:

Megii said:

Fair point - I still think his advice is well thought out and excellent though, I posted that one because it really helped me with my own picking and speed.

Don't get me wrong, I was criticising the Video makers, not Mr Govan or his advice.

No worries mate - you're absolutely right about the video production, and certainly not saying it's the only thing worth watching either. Just thought it worth posting all the same really.

bingefeller

Shawn Lane talking about speed and advising _not_ to start off slow.

stratman3142

bingefeller said:

Another troll, but it's a legit topic for discussion.  

Given what we now know about picking, the advice of "start off slow and build up" is redundant.  The movements your hand make when playing slow are completely different than when you're playing fast.  You're better working on things at moderate speeds and once you have the movements down worry about cleaning up your playing.  

It's best to work on trem picking on one string, to build up some kind of speed that way, then work on simple patterns, like the six note Yngwie pattern, on one string.  This will get your hands locked together.  After that you can then move on to playing patterns across strings and work on getting your hands synched up together when changing strings...

I agree to a certain extent, if it's picking motor skills that are limiting speed. But I find it helps to slow down a complex line and get it in my head, then up build speed slowly, in my fretting hand development. At one point I realised that running out of knowing what notes to play was limiting my speed on extended phrases (as opposed to repeated short patterns, which can be easier), so I need to get the extended phrase (spanning multiple CAGED patterns) in my head slowly.

Also, I get benefit from practicing legato at slow controlled speeds with defined rhythmic patterns (ie semiquavers or semiquavers triplets), as a supplement to what I often do with legato, which is to float over the beat.

bingefeller

stratman3142 said:

bingefeller said:

Another troll, but it's a legit topic for discussion.  

Given what we now know about picking, the advice of "start off slow and build up" is redundant.  The movements your hand make when playing slow are completely different than when you're playing fast.  You're better working on things at moderate speeds and once you have the movements down worry about cleaning up your playing.  

It's best to work on trem picking on one string, to build up some kind of speed that way, then work on simple patterns, like the six note Yngwie pattern, on one string.  This will get your hands locked together.  After that you can then move on to playing patterns across strings and work on getting your hands synched up together when changing strings...

I agree to a certain extent, if it's picking motor skills that are limiting speed. But I find it helps to slow down a complex line and get it in my head, then up build speed slowly, in my fretting hand development. At one point I realised that running out of knowing what notes to play was limiting my speed on extended phrases (as opposed to repeated short patterns, which can be easier), so I need to get the extended phrase (spanning multiple CAGED patterns) in my head slowly.

Also, I get benefit from practicing legato at slow controlled speeds with defined rhythmic patterns (ie semiquavers or semiquavers triplets), as a supplement to what I often do with legato, which is to float over the beat.

yeah, practice slow to get the patterns under your fingers but don't spend days increasing your metronome in 5bpm notches because your muscle memory will have the slower, jerky movements drilled in and it will be very hard to shift away from these. Plus, by doing this a player is spending more time playing slow than playing at moderate tempos and honing their actual speed picking technique.  

JAYJO

I always thought it was accuracy above all else then speed  will come ? 

viz

JAYJO said:

I always thought it was accuracy above all else then speed  will come ? 

I think that’s the traditional way but now it seems bursts are the thing. I don’t know but I cerainly think tunefulness is more important than speed. 

JAYJO

viz said:

JAYJO said:

I always thought it was accuracy above all else then speed  will come ? 

I think that’s the traditional way but now it seems bursts are the thing. I don’t know but I cerainly think tunefulness is more important than speed. 

 Thats good to because im awful at speed picking. 

Barney

bingefeller said:

Another troll, but it's a legit topic for discussion.  

Given what we now know about picking, the advice of "start off slow and build up" is redundant.  The movements your hand make when playing slow are completely different than when you're playing fast.  You're better working on things at moderate speeds and once you have the movements down worry about cleaning up your playing.  

I sort of agree iff all you want is one speed but seen as though music is in all tempos it makes sense to learn in all tempos ...
Iv  actually seen guitarists that can pick very quickly but not good at all at intermediate speeds ...as you say each way requires a different technique and in order to manage this we really need to cover the slight differences....that's just my opinion btw !

OnTheRopes

bingefeller

That sounds awful TBH.  

OnTheRopes

bingefeller said:

That sounds awful TBH.  

yes it does, but he is worth a closer look at some of his other videos

bingefeller

OnTheRopes said:

bingefeller said:

That sounds awful TBH.  

yes it does, but he is worth a closer look at some of his other videos

I use to watch him, but now I just stick with Troy Grady's stuff for technique.  I'm not really interested in expanding my theory at the moment, but I know Pebber has loads of theory vids.