Suggestions for a couple of bars of practice picking music?

allen

Hi there,

I recently did a video about learning to play fast and posted it in the 'Guitar' section and it has generated a lot of debate. As a follow up I am going to do an experiment and learn 2 new fast-ish extracts of music and see which approach works better in an experiment.

Can I have your suggestions please.

I'm a very 'intermediate' player so no way of learning a whole thing or anything properly difficult. Preferably south of fret 15 too.

I think I'm looking for 2 bars of 16th notes at about 120bpm which is pretty fast for me. Nothing too technical in terms of other techniques, maybe just picking and no stretches beyond 4 frets.
Hopefully it's a bit of enjoyable music.

Piece A - learn via the perfect at slow speed and then speed up gradually every day.
Piece B - learn via the 'just go at it at speed' and then work out mistakes later.

Suggestions Please 

How about the run up in 'Black Betty'? something from Santana? Gary Moore? Basically some classic rock or pop. 

I'll get 2 target exercises and then give it a try this week and record the results.

Here's the original discussion thread:

https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/231433/i-think-justinguitar-is-wrong-about-playing-slowly-to-get-faster/p1

flying_pie

Enter Sandman solo has a run lasting a couple of bars mid solo - just where it modulates to F# and starts with double stop bends. Pretty sure it's around that sort of tempo and it's not too technical

fretmeister

Technical Difficulties- Racer X 

Main riff.

rocktron

Take a look at YouTube videos by Robert Baker, and BERNTH. 





BERNTH is from Austria. He created several videos on speed picking, and his exercises are instructive and challenging to play very fast.

Zakk Wylde is the master of Pentatonic shredding, but that is for another time.

You can make up your own 3-notes-per string exercises. A lot of shredding is done on the first three strings. Learn the five Major Scale patterns from the 3rd to the 12 fret. Then play just the first three strings from one pattern and link to the first three strings of another pattern to create your own riffs. With experience,you can incorporate strings 4, 5, and 6 of the scales.

For example, here is a basic riff using extractions of the major scale patterns around the 12th, and the 5th fret:-

On the high E string: Play 15 14 12 10
On the B string: Play 13 12 10
On the G string: Play12 11 9
Move down
On the high E string: Play  8 7 5
On the B string: Play 8 7 5
On the G string: Play 7 5 4, 

This also helps you "get out of the box". Some combinations will sound good, and some will not. You will quickly learn which notes work well. 

To build strength and stamina on all four fingers at the same time, try the following exercise:-

Start with your first finger at any fret on the G string (let's say at the 5th fret) and pick the string, then pick the string with the second finger on the 6th fret, pick the string with the third finger on the 7th fret, and then pick the string with the fourth finger on the 8th fret. This is four notes per string, but the idea is not to play four notes per string but to give all four fingers a workout at the same time. Repeat the same on the B and high E strings, then work your way backwards until your fretting hand movement gets smooth. This should help loosen your fingers and get them to move fast for shredding. See how fast and long you can do this exercise without your fingers getting tired, but don't strain your fingers with repetition.  

If you find that getting to the 8th fret with your pinky finger is a far stretch, you can start the exercise at the 9th fret until your pinky finger gets strong.

I don't know anything "shreddy" by Gary Moore, but you can try learning the first 30 bars of the slow blues, The Loner. Check here for the tabs:-   https://www.songsterr.com/a/wsa/gary-moore-the-loner-tab-s23197t0

Many beginner guitarists say that although they have practised scales a lot, they do not sound like the professionals. Here are some tips from Joel Hoekstra on how to embellish an A Minor Pentatonic Scale with some basic techniques:-