Troy Grady's Michael Angelo Batio Interview

bingefeller

I bought Troy's new (I think it's new) MAB interview last night, just to get his Conquering the Scale lesson.

If anyone doesn't really get his pick slanting concept then I would highly recommend this as he goes through upward and downward pick slanting and how to join them together.  He explains everything very well and clearly.  I haven't watched the MAB interview yet, but it should be good, although I'm not really a fan of his playing but he does have good technique so he does.

http://troygrady.com/mechanics/michael-angelo-batio-interview/

ElectroDan

I have been surprised by how my playing has changed for the better since getting the CtC pass.

I had worked out some techniques for avoiding "String Hopping" as he calls it, but there were a few ideas in that pack that opened up a whole wealth of economy licks that I otherwise wouldn't have had.

Not only that, but noticing my playing improve has inspired me to practice more.

Best money I've spent on a guitar instructional product. And I've spent quite a bit over the years!

bingefeller

ElectroDan said:

I have been surprised by how my playing has changed for the better since getting the CtC pass.

I had worked out some techniques for avoiding "String Hopping" as he calls it, but there were a few ideas in that pack that opened up a whole wealth of economy licks that I otherwise wouldn't have had.

Not only that, but noticing my playing improve has inspired me to practice more.

Best money I've spent on a guitar instructional product. And I've spent quite a bit over the years!

Dan how do you think when changing from downward pick slanting to upward pick slanting?  Do you do it at any particular time?  Say for example playing odd or even number of notes on a string?  

I tend to find that most of my change in pick slanting occurs when there are an odd number of notes played on a string.

Say I am playing 5 notes on the B string - I would play them with downward slant, then the next 5 notes on the G would be with upward slant.  

I haven't really analysed this too much but I think this is where I am going with it.  It's harder to put into words for me.  

ElectroDan

@bingefeller I have always been a Downward pick slanter. Only more recently have I been exploring two way pick slanting and Upward pick slanting and I can see it has interesting benefits for certain licks.

This is going to be hard to describe, But:

As long as the pick is slanting toward the next string you are going to play, you will avoid string hopping.

Using your own example above If you play 5 notes on the B string and are intending to move to the G string for 5 notes. If the pick is slanted up, and you start with a down-stroke, your pick will go... down, up, down, up, down and be free of the plane of the strings to move to the G on the next upstroke.

Alternatively, still with the pick slanting up, you start with an Up-stroke on the B string, your pick will go... up, down, up, down, up. It will be stuck beneath the plane of the strings, but will be sitting against the G ready for an upward economy stroke. Smooth!

You only need to switch to a downward slant when you want the lick to head in the other direction (back to the B string from the G for example).

If I were going to head back to the B string from the G string. I would tend to do this change from upward to downward slant on the second note played on the G string. So again, it wouldn't matter how many notes I played on the G because my move to the B would be preceded either by an Up-stroke (which rises up out of the plane of the strings), or a down-stroke which comes to rest on the B string ready for an economy stroke.

It works well for certain scalar licks once you get used to the economy strokes. It's not right for every type of lick though, so I still use alternate picking and legato notes.... whatever works.

octatonic

@bingefeller thanks for posting this, it is very interesting.

ElectroDan said:

@bingefeller I have always been a Downward pick slanter. Only more recently have I been exploring two way pick slanting and Upward pick slanting and I can see it has interesting benefits for certain licks.

I seem to do the Morse thing- I was taught this by Ian Miller, a teacher in Australia.

ElectroDan

I've watched Grady's Morse video.... and still think it's Witchcraft.

)

bingefeller

ElectroDan said:

I've watched Grady's Morse video.... and still think it's Witchcraft.

)

Steve Morse is great, I think he flat picks everything, right?

It's good to go back and watch Troy's youtube videos now that I have a better understanding.  I was a dismissive of the pick slanting thing to begin with but once you really understand it you can look for it in your own playing and utilise it to help you with difficult licks and string changes.