Hendrix Killing Floor right-hand technique

soma1975

A quick question for teachers out there. 

What exercises or whatnot would you recommend to get this opening rhythm up to speed?

I think it's about 130bpm and my hand maxes out doing it around 110. I've tried just going slowly and building up. Trying to do it at speed immediately makes me tense up and lose it. 

Any suggestions gratefully received. 

JonnyBgoode

soma1975 said:

I think it's about 130bpm and my hand maxes out doing it around 110. I've tried just going slowly and building up. Trying to do it at speed immediately makes me tense up and lose it. 

Can you do the right hand strumming pattern at full tempo playing just muted strings continuously, like the video above at about 4 sec,  or does your hand still tense up?

soma1975

Still tenses up. To be honest I've been practicing it just muted for a while. 

GoFish

Forgive me if this is old hat, but it sounds like it could be to do with strumming technique - wrist vs elbow and shoulder. They all contribute to the speed. Try videoing your right hand as you play and then you maybe better able to spot any idiosynchracies in your strumming. Try standing if you're currently seated, just to get a different angle of attack.

I know the Everley brothers didn't do any of this, but there's more than one way to success! If all else fails, try Bye Bye Love.

soma1975

GoFish said:

Forgive me if this is old hat, but it sounds like it could be to do with strumming technique - wrist vs elbow and shoulder. They all contribute to the speed. Try videoing your right hand as you play and then you maybe better able to spot any idiosynchracies in your strumming. Try standing if you're currently seated, just to get a different angle of attack.

I know the Everley brothers didn't do any of this, but there's more than one way to success! If all else fails, try Bye Bye Love.

If I don't nail this before I die it will certainly be 'bye bye happiness'. 

I think it is 10000% what you say re technique but I've never seen any exercises to directly address this other than people saying 'hey just be relaxed when playing this at 400bpm'. Will certainly give standing a go though cheers. 

JonnyBgoode

Ok, well its bit hard to troubleshoot without seeing you actually play, there could well be an issue in your technique that needs addressing first. If you are starting with some unnecessary tension that will simply build quickly.

I do think its a good idea to focus just on the right hand mechanics with muted strings. Rather than starting slower and gradually speeding up, or trying to play it continuously at tempo, have you tried speed bursts?  The idea here is that you set the metronome at your target tempo, but play small parts of whatever you're working on, separated by longer gaps that give your time hand time to recover and completely relax. Then over time you gradually reduce the gaps/add more.

So with regard to the above video and the triplet strumming pattern I referred to earlier,  he's playing
chica-dum,  chica-dum,  chica-dum
..where each dum lands on a metronome beat, follow me?   Set your metronome at tempo but don't play every triplet, start with one then leave three beats of the metronome before you play next, so you get:
chica-dum, <click>, <click>, <click>, chica-dum, <click>, <click>, <click>

then when you have played that a *lot* and you are 100% sure you feel no tension , you play;
chica-dum, chica-dum, <click>, <click>, chica-dum, chica-dum, <click>, <click>

Once that's sorted you do 3 in a  row, etc.

if you feel tension, you go back a stage. If you can't play the first variation without tension creeping in you have a technique issue that needs resolving IMO.

soma1975

Cheers will give this a try. Appreciate you taking the time to write that. 

roberty

Keep your wrist high, dangle your hand down onto the strings and flap it around. Make sure the whole thing is loose and relaxed 

soma1975

roberty said:

Keep your wrist high, dangle your hand down onto the strings and flap it around. Make sure the whole thing is loose and relaxed 

Wrist high? High off the strings or high relative to the top of the guitar body?