The wrong way to pick? - Key alternate picking secret

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  • Опубликовано: 13 сен 2024
  • FREE COURSES: www.guitarmast...
    This method of picking is what have worked wonders for me. When I shifted the way I was moving my hand shifting strings got way easier. This little insight belongs to my best alternate picking advice.

Комментарии • 109

  • @TyTy-fq3mh
    @TyTy-fq3mh 4 года назад +132

    You know you haven’t mastered guitar until you can make it levitate.

    • @pvillez
      @pvillez 4 года назад

      Do you mean the "helicopter wrist" movement?

    • @monday3272
      @monday3272 3 года назад +3

      @@pvillez no. He wasn't holding the guitar at 0:25 with both of his arms lol

    • @Sparkblaze21
      @Sparkblaze21 2 года назад

      There's a stand

  • @denniscastillo706
    @denniscastillo706 3 года назад +12

    This video is exactly what I needed right now, being stuck in the picking and breaking my head trying to understand why can't I pick faster

  • @matsp888
    @matsp888 5 лет назад +6

    That relaxed "strumming" sensation has solved just about everything regarding my alternate picking. Thanks, Claus.

  • @Onesmo
    @Onesmo 7 лет назад +17

    PROBLEM SOLVED!!! another great tutorial... thank you so much.

  • @andrewbanas3036
    @andrewbanas3036 4 года назад +2

    You nailed it. Every one dances around the issue but bottom line is you have to develop this repeatable picking stroke that finishes above the plane of the strings. You only need to perfect this one stroke, not the three different strokes some advocate. AL Dimeaola likens it to turning a key in a door lock. It's that smooth arc that brushes the string coming up or down and finishes above the strings that allows you to change strings. For faster tempos you simply shorten the distance of the arc. Great job of explaining this proper technique that really anyone can develop with some practice and attention to detail.

    • @errriss
      @errriss 3 года назад

      I understand the explanation but my hand can’t do it. Somebody needs to invent a device that helps you do that learn the motion. I can do it right slowly but it can’t get hyper speed. Also I understand that my shoulder/ elbow needs to go up and down to position my wrist at the right area for perfect playing but ai can’t do it. I have been practicing for hours per day for years now can’t do it. Makes me sad.

    • @andrewbanas3036
      @andrewbanas3036 3 года назад +2

      @@errriss One other thing, there is no substitute for a good and demanding teacher who critiques your technique with a fine tooth comb and doesn't settle for just "okay". You really need a teacher who cracks the whip and doesn't let you slack off.

  • @gastonruiz10
    @gastonruiz10 3 года назад +2

    Your lessons on technique are absolutely fantastic, by far the best on RUclips. Thank you!

  • @andrewwilkinson2436
    @andrewwilkinson2436 6 лет назад +2

    This video opened my mind to the "pendulum" movement when alternate picking, which I've now added to my playing and wow, what a feeling NOT to hit other strings when changing strings. All these years I built up my speed to very fast on one string but never were as fast when it came to changing strings. Thanks Claus for explaining it in a manner that really hit the spot.

  • @atarijam
    @atarijam 3 года назад +1

    I've discovered this technique on my own and the way you explain now makes so much sense why it works :)

  • @piotrpopczyk8154
    @piotrpopczyk8154 3 года назад +1

    Thank You Claus, You've changed my picking technique and gave me a real progress in my guitar technique 🤗🤗🤗

  • @letthereberocknroll3870
    @letthereberocknroll3870 4 года назад +1

    Thank you! I had the same issue you had. And I couldn't understand why I couldn't play my scales faster. Now, I am playing faster thanks to you.

  • @alexojideagu
    @alexojideagu 6 лет назад +11

    From day one I have never skipped strings Alternate picking, I always picked towards the next string. Or what's called "economy" picking.

    • @chrisking6695
      @chrisking6695 3 года назад

      That's a good way of doing it but it changes the sound and it's a super weird feeling for a lot of people. I think learning all ways is the best way to go.

    • @CHOPERUS23
      @CHOPERUS23 3 года назад

      @@chrisking6695 If it's good enough for Malmsteen!

  • @jimbotski
    @jimbotski 5 лет назад +30

    I'm extremely fast at alternate picking my nose with this technique.

  • @OnliNeSFX
    @OnliNeSFX 6 лет назад +2

    Wow finally a video I can relate too, I’m always picking fast, playing super sloppy, changing strings was difficult for me because I would hit a string more time before I changed. Thank you

  • @chrisking6695
    @chrisking6695 3 года назад +3

    The technique is called 2-way pick slanting Clause! Great content as always!

  • @tk41370
    @tk41370 7 лет назад +3

    total genius, thanks for the insight

  • @christineblack4654
    @christineblack4654 4 года назад +1

    better explained than Troy Grady. THIS is well explained, rocking the wrist like that is the key. thanks. BUT we cant see, do you pickslant??

  • @andrewbanas3036
    @andrewbanas3036 3 года назад

    I keep coming back to this video. The motion described is what I see all the great alternate pickers do. The concept of fine tuning one motion that works in all alternate picking situation works for most players. I think of this motion as striking an arc that ensures I always finish on top of the plain of the strings. I don't know why this no brainer technique isn't page one of every guitar method book.

  • @_vixen_4504
    @_vixen_4504 4 года назад +1

    i didn't even know that i have the same problem you had that i use the better technique for slower picking and the bad one for faster but now i realised that Thanks!

  • @travisrollemusic
    @travisrollemusic 7 лет назад +2

    You are truly a great teacher! Subscribed, and thanks for the lesson :D

  • @Funkrocker81
    @Funkrocker81 7 лет назад +3

    Finally, there ist the close up I ever wanted since your video about 'not to slant the pick' some time ago...
    Don't get me wrong, this is a great lesson and a great free course, good work. But what you talk about is what Troy Grady refers to as Crosspicking and you might use a bit of that swinging motion. The movements are really small and fast in the video to see it clear enough to analyze it (adding slow motion could be an idea to improve your lessons even more) and as you said in the earlier video, you hold your pick pretty neutral but in the close up we see the small occasional tilts of the hand when you pickslant to switch to the next string. 04:02 Awesome techniques that need a closer slo-mo look! thanks for sharing, Claus!

    • @TordiMoore
      @TordiMoore 7 лет назад +1

      Funkrocker81 I really think you are wrong here. Troy would refer to it as 2-way pickslanting like Claus' Alternate-picking heroes Al di Meola and Paul Gilbert use.
      I wanna thank Claus so much for making these videos, its helping me alot, he's the real deal! He really know his stuff and i like his energy and explaining! He really deserves more views!

    • @Funkrocker81
      @Funkrocker81 7 лет назад +2

      Tordi Moore ok, I agree and try to say it better. The swinging curved motion is Crosspicking but when he speeds up, it is 2WPS with perhaps a bit of swinging.
      I referred to an older video by Claus where he neglects doing a pickslant and I could not believe that because how would he change strings when purely alternate picking with odd numbers on strings... and now the pickslant are obvious when he switches to a new string. That's all I wanted to say. There is no problem when one is holding the pick in a neutral position like him but the statement to slant the pick for the string change was missing for me. It is not what he is doing that is high level awesomeness, it is what he is missing to say about it ;)
      Thanks and greetings

    • @TordiMoore
      @TordiMoore 7 лет назад

      Funkrocker81 Well, i just visited Troy's Crosspicking videos, and if i understand it correctly, crosspicking use pickslanting(forearm movement) only on the upstroke and wrist-extension(door-knocking movement) on the downstroke. Claus doesn't use wrist-extension(door-knocking movement) in his picking that i can see. He use the forearm for his 2WPS motion, but since he's fast its hard to see it.
      I totally know what you mean, and ive probably viewed that video you're referring to, and i think what Claus meant was, it was dumb to be restricted to 1WPS all your life like Yngwie and Eric Johnsen. And i dont think he meant 2WPS like he clearly uses himself. I watched some Al di Meola videos recently, and i see where Claus got his inspiration from.
      Me too, finally i found the puzzle on picking technique this year, and now i finally understand Claus' picking technique. Well, unlike Troy, he's actually teaching us far more useful stuff for free on YT, but Troy show us like a mad scientist on the pickinghand-movement. So Troy is very helpful in that regard, but i prefer Claus and his teaching style, although i see your point of view of the up-close camera like Troy's doing could help Claus in videos like this. Anyway, if you blend them together its perfect :)
      Have a good day wherever you are in the world!

    • @Funkrocker81
      @Funkrocker81 7 лет назад +1

      Tordi Moore Crosspicking in TGs Sense is every technique where the pick has a curved motion, like Albert lee or Martin Miller.
      My point was just that Claus labeled a pickslant a bad behavior and advised to hold the pick neutral. Then I asked myself how he switched strings because I am at the moment slower with crosspicking than with 2WPS. Now I saw what he missed to say about his technique. He slowly plays with crosspicking and when he speeds up, he switches to 2WPS where he holds the pick mostly neutral and slants the pick when going to a new string. It's as easy as brilliant.
      Have a nice weekend, thanks for the discussion and greets from Germany 🤘

  • @laskartrece
    @laskartrece 5 лет назад

    What is your profession Claus? You are very self aware, self conscious teacher and that makes you very creative and critical of yourself as well, which gives you modesty. Thank you! Your psychology is perfect for the trade! I am an educator too and I have been working with different musicians to get the proper technics for the guitar and yours is one of the kind. By the way, I cannot open your "free course" in my computer, it takes you to technical stuff. Thanks.

  • @Soloist1983
    @Soloist1983 7 лет назад +20

    This follows the pickslanting approach elucidated by Troy Grady, but adds the rotational mechanic that is often overlooked. I just recently discovered this, had been picking ceiling to floor for the last 10 years, it's a miserable feeling even if you can pick quickly that way.

    • @Soloist1983
      @Soloist1983 7 лет назад +5

      totally with you, I spent 3-4hrs a day doing picking exercises for idk how long, maybe 4 years...never felt right, could only do consistently fast runs for maybe 5 seconds MAX, and even then there was SO much tension. To put it simply, every pickstroke felt like a collision event, my pick felt like it was getting hung up, switching strings felt like my hand was imprisoned, had to sort of "bounce" my way out, which was horriblly inefficient. There is definitely a way to do this wrong, and it could cost you hopes of actually creating the music you want to. Perhaps it is because I started out playing only Joe Satriani licks, as I only started using a pick about 2-3 years after getting most of Satch's stuff down (when I was a teenager). It is the worst feeling in the world to know that you can play, and even have some decent chops but fail to put it all together because of poor pick technique. Let's forget the speed angle and just state it, this is your RHYTHM hand, it must be consistent always, which is why good picking technique is such an issue

    • @guitar78ish
      @guitar78ish 7 лет назад +2

      Troy does cover this with Eric Johnson's technique, he may use different terms but I believe it's the same concept. Eric talks about this in his first two instructional videos which Troy covers in the following video:
      ruclips.net/video/jqbl0TknKEY/видео.html

    • @Soloist1983
      @Soloist1983 7 лет назад +9

      guitar78ish He doss cover it, but it wasn't explained in such simple terms. Honestly, I did come to this conclusion from Troy's video, but, this cuts straight to the point. Troy is definitely a revolutionary when it comes to alternate picking research, it now seems that other teachers are realizing that people are actually picking incorrectly, rather than embracing the "any way you pick will get you there with enough practice" approach. The ONLY time I used a rotational type picking is during strumming and even then it was still more up and down than rotational. All my life I heard people say that was fine and that with time I would get better, nope never happened, despite countless hours of peactice. I would have never thought to pick this way without Troy's, and now Claus' videos

    • @Seikenguy
      @Seikenguy 6 лет назад +1

      As far as Tom's videos go, this looks more like crosspicking than pickslanting. In fact I didn't think it was possible to crosspick so fast, as Troy mentioned that crosspicking is great for playing non-sweep one note per string arpeggios, but for multiple note per string fast picking dual pickslanting has more potential.

    • @roseblack6342
      @roseblack6342 5 лет назад

      @@Seikenguy how is dual pickslanting different than crosspicking?

  • @markostojicic4429
    @markostojicic4429 5 лет назад +13

    Have anyone realized that he is not holding his guitar but it also isn't hanged arpund his neck, it floats

    • @AxiomApe
      @AxiomApe 5 лет назад +4

      Probably on a stand that holds it at that angle

  • @clmym00
    @clmym00 6 лет назад +4

    That makes a lot of sense, Thanks.
    I'm finding it incredibly difficult to change from floor to ceiling picking to turning the key.... As soon as I try increasing the speed I revert ....help 😥

  • @juliodefreitas157
    @juliodefreitas157 2 года назад +1

    Awesome tip,and thank you for sharing your skills 👍🔥❤

  • @h.m6619
    @h.m6619 6 лет назад

    Divide you're learning, each picking technique is a big concept on it's own, try finding exercices that make you train on only little part of the whole picking technique, when you've mastered the exercice, try something that can exercice on another tiny part of it, and so on... Stress your mind little by little, too much stress isn't the most efficient thing to make your mind learn. Patience is key, go slowly but surely. (Sorry for my english.)

  • @chucktrier
    @chucktrier 7 лет назад +2

    Money at the 📺 amazing insight!!

  • @agod5608
    @agod5608 7 лет назад

    good illystration and explanation. I never knew the problem not the answer.

  • @damienthorne861
    @damienthorne861 2 года назад

    It makes perfect sense. You are a God. Cheers.

  • @kipponi
    @kipponi 4 года назад

    Avoid the plectrum stuck on strings. This rotate helps strumming too. Pick angle is so important.

  • @bedepe05
    @bedepe05 7 лет назад +1

    i press thumb up before playing your video, never regret

  • @qualityisrare
    @qualityisrare 6 лет назад +3

    Sometimes I use alternate picking, sometimes I pluck, sometimes I use legato; It comes down to this; what tone do I want to get when utilizing or bridging strumed chords, arpegiated chords, bends, and slides.

    • @daveparsley6849
      @daveparsley6849 5 лет назад

      Thank you and shut it. This is a tutorial site. The reason we all came here - including you - is to learn how to do it, not hear some schmucko flatter himself with self-professions and no proof.

  • @johndsouzaguitartoday3075
    @johndsouzaguitartoday3075 3 года назад +1

    Thank you

  • @mrk4510
    @mrk4510 6 лет назад +1

    Thanks, I do tend to do the spasm thing you talk about.

  • @ryanbright7496
    @ryanbright7496 5 лет назад +1

    This has been a helpful video.

  • @edgarmendez5574
    @edgarmendez5574 7 лет назад +1

    thanks man, nice masterclass, im curious about the string and pick gauge that you are using in this video?

  • @matreynolds1
    @matreynolds1 5 лет назад

    This makes sense, my problem is that I can only be sure I'm doing rotational movement if I raise my wrist so it's not resting on the bridge. I'm wondering if practising like this will lead to problems later.

  • @darionieves550
    @darionieves550 5 лет назад +7

    Yes,exactly,I did it,is hard but make sense,and guest what,I'm faster

  • @BlackRaven156
    @BlackRaven156 2 года назад

    Can you please put that course back up?

  • @errriss
    @errriss 3 года назад +2

    Cool informative video. I have tried for many hours and days to pick like that and the pick feels like it’s stuck on upstrokes even if I try really hard I can’t get a smooth angle with the pick and the strings and it make me play too hard. No matter how hards I try to control picking depth. I also can’t get the movement correctly and can’t find good place to put my palm to get completely relaxed so I can’t play fast. I also drop my pick or it changes angles while I play, it’s like I’m fighting with the guitar, not playing and I don’t think I will ever succeed I don’t have the talent I guess. Very upsetting because I have been practicing for months now this way of picking and nothing works no matter how I hold my pick too and I have tried many ways.

    • @nnc248
      @nnc248 2 года назад

      You just described my exact problem, did u ever find a solution? I dont think I'll bother if I can't get to grips with it anymore

    • @tmarti3207
      @tmarti3207 2 года назад +1

      Place pinky finguer in the body of the guitar in front of the bridge pick (resting by the side of the finguer) then rest the ring finguer as well (the side). Now pick movimg the pick towards the floor (upstroke) and the towards the body of the guitar (downstroke). Use the pinky and ring finguer as reference all the time. (Do not plant the tips of the pinky and ring! Just rest the sides of these finguers on the body). If you do this you will achieve the rotational or pendulum picking. Otherwise is very easy to fall into side picking and then speed reduces and rhen becomes hard to cross strings

  • @lorez6063
    @lorez6063 7 лет назад +1

    This is cool. Thanks Claus.

  • @SM-xs3gf
    @SM-xs3gf 5 лет назад +1

    This was incredibly helpful, thank you

  • @Screamingcry12
    @Screamingcry12 6 лет назад +1

    Do you have to develope speed for this when you first start wrist picking, or do you just get the speed for it within 5 minutes or so? I've picked with my forearm muscle for too long and I want to change my picking so I can play comfortably.

  • @nirwanritik1359
    @nirwanritik1359 3 года назад +2

    Elon musk plays guitar....
    Martian guitar...

  • @furryz666
    @furryz666 7 лет назад

    One of many effective methods if it works it's good

  • @bevanchriz9767
    @bevanchriz9767 4 года назад

    Thank you soo much for this video

  • @umovilac
    @umovilac 6 лет назад

    Very good... Thank you Claus

  • @MrVyrtuoso
    @MrVyrtuoso 4 года назад

    The most economic motion is to do no more than is necessary to accomplish a task. Even with the other alternate picking motion, sustaining that consistent motion is actually good, and to clear the string all one would need to do is on the pick stroke right before shifting strings turn the picking hand up in the direction of the pick and only enough so that the pick misses the string as one shifts to another string. Since my own picking mechanics employ a motion that involves the entire forearm pivoting up and down from the elbow as fulcrum with my wrist steady in a fixed position during faster tremolo articulations and my pick angle is pretty much flat nearly parallel to the strings as that is how I prefer my sound, all I need is this slight slanting of the hand on the pick stroke right before string shifting. I used this as my "escape" mechanism because my preferred way of shifting strings is to pick in the same direction as the string shift as much as possible, and so I needed a simple way to clear the strings for when picking in the same directionas the string shift wasn't available.

  • @jonbentley8088
    @jonbentley8088 4 года назад

    Could anyone explain what he is doing in words? I still don't fully understand the difference between the first and the 2nd way

  • @premiumfill2801
    @premiumfill2801 3 года назад +1

    Is that a crosspicking motion?

  • @Screamingcry12
    @Screamingcry12 6 лет назад

    Are you just rotating your forearm, or are you moving your wrist and rotating your forearm too? Forgot to ask that.

  • @umbra9705
    @umbra9705 6 лет назад +3

    4:05 I cant even do that so im giving up on this technique

  • @darionieves550
    @darionieves550 5 лет назад

    Now I need to control my impulse.

  • @utbazia8131
    @utbazia8131 6 лет назад +1

    you are great man 🤘🤘🤘🤘👊

  • @Cognitoman
    @Cognitoman 9 месяцев назад +1

    Pick slanting

  • @wlmirand
    @wlmirand 3 года назад

    I got a simple exercise, where I play like 1-2-3-4 using eight and sixteenth notes and, even being very simple, I cannot go further than 90bpm, because I feel too much string resistance.
    Any hint to solve this?
    Thanks

    • @IJAmBaZz
      @IJAmBaZz 3 года назад +1

      Used to have that too, you just have train your wrist to hit the string harder, and dont squeeze the pick too tightly, but not too loose either, and also i have to keep telling myself to relax my forearm and my shoulder so my technique does not become too stiff

  • @robloxgladiator6917
    @robloxgladiator6917 7 месяцев назад

    you remind me of carl 365

  • @indradhanush5444
    @indradhanush5444 3 года назад +2

    When Arnold quit bodybuilding..!!

  • @EmotionalShredd
    @EmotionalShredd 4 года назад +1

    Thats called Crosspicking

  • @deathcrush79
    @deathcrush79 4 года назад +2

    dude your hand is doing the same movement. so far only eddy van halen knows how to pick with that circular motion

    • @guitarmastery
      @guitarmastery  4 года назад +1

      Haha, who dosen't love a little bit of Eddy.

  • @Гитарныйконструктор

    👍👍👍

  • @agriculturebuildingchanel2823
    @agriculturebuildingchanel2823 5 лет назад

    Good bro

  • @Chokee17
    @Chokee17 4 года назад

    shit, it's working ! god damn, can't believe. FUCK

  • @jeffskyberg5615
    @jeffskyberg5615 2 года назад +1

    Troy Grady who teaches “speed picking” teaches the opposite of this.
    Does that just prove everyone is different? Both of you are amazingly fast but teach the opposite approach.

    • @guitarmastery
      @guitarmastery  2 года назад

      Troy is wrong. Sometimes there isn’t a diplomatic reply.

  • @Jimmysage3273
    @Jimmysage3273 Год назад

    I feel like I’m faster with a wrist axe I don’t understand at all

  • @generalrodcocker1018
    @generalrodcocker1018 Месяц назад

    no, it doesn't make sense at all, sorry

  • @rickyboss8747
    @rickyboss8747 7 лет назад

    Please translate french

  • @8triagrammer
    @8triagrammer 6 лет назад +1

    Leave it to a German to figure something out that's technical.. :)

    • @joe-un1ky
      @joe-un1ky 4 года назад

      Danish

    • @fs7572
      @fs7572 4 года назад

      ...or to an American. Go to Troy Grady to get it really on point.

  • @MrIkesimba
    @MrIkesimba 7 лет назад +1

    Why wouldn't you just use economy picking?!

    • @kingmikethe1st
      @kingmikethe1st 7 лет назад +3

      Economy picking and Alternate picking have different distinctive sounds. Subtle but noticeable, and some passages sound better being picked alternate, some much better by using economy.

    • @MrIkesimba
      @MrIkesimba 7 лет назад +3

      I really doubt anyone could hear a difference in sound between alternate & economy picking, especially since economy picking involves alternate picking. But the main point is that he's trying to play fast 3 note sequences which move to adjacent strings. In order to maintain a strict alternate picking structure he has to skip over the string in a very inefficient movement. This is the exact situation that economy picking was developed for. In his 3-note sequence the third note is a downstroke. He chooses to move to the next, higher string using an upstroke. This forces him to alter his right hand and do a string skip. Why?!?!?! On the third note just move to the next string with another downstroke. Not only is it WAY more efficient, but it starts the next 3-note sequence with a downstroke, exactly how he started the first sequence. He's going down-up-down, (skip over the string) up-down-up, (skip over the string) down-up-down...
      When it's easier, and faster to go down-up-down, down-up-down, down-up-down... without any skipping.
      If you want to play fast efficiency is king. This is a great channel, he's a great player and his lessons are fantastic. But I just have never understood why people work on sticking to strict alternate picking when there's a better way.

    • @Corpsecrank
      @Corpsecrank 7 лет назад

      But this is exactly what was addressed in the video. There is no correct or incorrect. If you prefer economy picking then use what you prefer. Some people swear by using a trackball mouse who are we to judge what works for them...

    • @chewymids
      @chewymids 7 лет назад +3

      I think for some it's that, if you practice strict alternate, you're not stumped when other patterns come along, like two notes per string, or the Gilbert lick, or three notes on one string and two on another etc. Whatever happens, you know it's up/down.

    • @josephbond3133
      @josephbond3133 7 лет назад +1

      "I really doubt anyone could hear a difference in sound between alternate & economy picking"
      Mrlkesimba, after seeing how Troy Grady dissected Yngwie's picking style in his "Volcano" video, I can now easily hear the difference between alternate and economy picking. I couldn't tell 30 years ago, but you can clearly hear Yngwie use economy picking on the fast lick on "Now Your Ships are Burned" and the fast acoustic lick on "Evil Eye". As far as pure fluidity goes, economy picking is the fastest and most efficient way to pick through a scale for metal/rock/jazz/fusion styles, no doubt. Economy picking, however, sounds weak and wrong for country and bluegrass lines. The raw down/up percussion of the pick is absolutely required for those styles. If you know of a country/bluegrass player that sounds authentic and GOOD using pure economy picking, please post a video here. I would love to know who they are. :)

  • @hanswurst61245
    @hanswurst61245 5 лет назад +1

    Hey Claus, please stop spreading such misinformation.