This channel and your documentation is one of the greatest achievements on RUclips. No better record or explanation exists on how the greatest pickers get things done.
This channel is a literal gold mine of knowledge, and this is my favorite segment thus far. I didn't realize I was applying most of FG's principles til now (albeit poorly), and this series just laid bare some of the things I've always had trouble with -- which hopefully results in me being able to overcome them. Thanks Troy and team!
When Frank first came out with "Speedpicking and Monster lick" instructional video, I knew right away there was a huge part of this tutorial that was unseen.....and probably little understood by Frank himself. In many cases, Geniuses do not fully understand the mechanics of their art form. (that said, Frank's video was ground breaking). Troy....your presentation is first class. I wish it could have been a part of Frank's first video on sweeping. I was a very proficient alternate picker (Di Miola school), but, like you had a hell of a time trying to put the two techniques together. Thank you.
To his credit, Frank is more aware than most about what he is doing. But the fact that he uses this diagonal type of alternate picking motion, and the way it requires even numbers of notes per string, and how that connects to sweeping, is maybe the aspect that has remained somewhat mysterious all these years. We didn't really address this in the interview just because there was so much other ground to cover. But it's always amazing to see what gifted players are doing up close, and just how much they were able to figure out with no prior teaching to go on.
You should be able to always get those harmonic chirps. Getting those at will, with upstrokes and downstrokes, tells me I’m gripping the pick properly.
i am already finding so much relief in changing strings with an Up in two days !! unbelievable !! this was hidden for years and years ! u are a genius'
As a fingerstyle player my whole life, this was absolutely mind-blowing. I finally, FINALLY have a full picture understanding of how all this works, and how to practice it. Thank you!!
Thank you so much Troy! Your video's and unique breakdowns of technique has taken my playing ability to a whole new level. I sincerely cannot thank you enough, for your video's and your more in depth website. Also, thank you for discussing about how Frank has avoided repetitive stress injury with his technique. I currently have epicondylitis, and I still manage to be able to play by adjusting the way I hold the guitar : (Now at a 45 degree angle) Plus, I am also using a larger pick, I bought a bag of the shield style, Ernie Ball Prodigy picks, combined with your advice it has made a world of difference.
@@forprogress999 You definitely should, and if you do join he has tools that breaks down these videos into small segments called clips. The clips contain each pattern that allow you to break down everything to ever smaller slices: basically whatever you want and you can even slow it down to your preferred BPM, it even has tablature with indicators for up and downstrokes. I have never seen instructions that makes things so easy. Too bad I didn't have access to this system when I started playing guitar almost 30 years ago. I can play things now, that I once thought I would never be able to play. For the record, I do not know Troy, I just firmly believe that he offers something special and nothing else comes close
Troy, love your stuff! Great info. A couple of guys with interesting right-hand approaches: Steve Kaufman, guitar. He uses a thin pick and seems to just push through each string in some manner. Very unique technique. Chris Thile, mandolin player extradinaire! Buddy Wachter, plectrum banjo king! Thanks!
Your doing it again Troy, this time its planes! seriously though love all of your vids. This is one of your clearest yet!! The effect your tutorials have had on me is to be able to see it done quite plainly with your amazing camera technique and has had the effect of enabling and empowering me to do it too, it is a fantastic feeling to move up a gear and know that their are many more gears to go. Frank is the best sweeper in my opinion. Thank You for all of these. Stay Safe
another interesting thing about his picking - look at Frank's hand grip. He tucks in his ring finger the most, but leaves his pinky and middle finger more loose, the middle finger supporting the index, which is supporting the pick. It's unconventional but I think gives you a good mix of free range of loose, easy rotational motion and control.
Thank you so much, mr. troy, the right hand technique can be a difficult mystery to solve, this deep analysis with this amazing graphics are so useful and help clar doubts about playing with the righ hand. Thank you so much!!!
Informative & fascinating, I've been intrigued with how this works being that I've issues with upward pick slanting for sweep picking but this clarifies what is need to me to improve, Frank much thanks big time for this which what I needed.
I notice with the slow motion Frank rolls the pick back and forth to achieve a coupled motion to get the easy transition from up to down slanting. He does this by having a pick grip where the tip of the index and thumb run parallel to one another in opposite directions. You can clearly watch this at the 7:30 mark. Watch his thumb and index finger roll the pick. Cool vid Troy!
When I was first getting into guitar i was always breaking strings while alternate picking. So I would slant the pick up and down like this as a way to stop breaking strings... I love how I discovered two way pick slanting on my own
I believe that upward runs (to lower notes) are more clumsy because most of us were clueless about taking picking mechanics seriously, from the day we no longer had to watch it. Consequently, we tend to evolve an up slant and ascending scales because they feel both smoother and easier, more conducive to muscle memory and repetition. When we try to focus and switch technique on descending runs, the awkwardness is merely unfamiliarity, made familiar by practice and diligence. But once the up slant, and reversal of thinking that accompanies that becomes familiar, along with other techniques, alternating between these becomes organic. Just like DWPS and odd even notes picked per string, with the occasional hammer offs and slides to new positions ala Yngwie, automatically raising the pick up above the strings on upstrokes. No thinking required after that materializes. My upward direction picking runs to lower tone strings at speed was extremely weak! Now they're getting easier and stronger because of practice. I can blaze through to higher tone strings really fast and with variety and some semblance of melody. That's just now, after a year, starting to become organic and new doors are opening that I never knew existed before. Like this one. Troy's mentioned the "weird feeling" of trying new techniques, like MAB's machine like two way slanting and straight vertical path thru the strings, many times. MAB's slanting is barely measurable, much less discernable. Only practice, lots of it, can bring that kinda speed. Bottom line for me is... Over 40 years of playing "lead", it was Troy Grady who slapped my face and kicked me in the ass on realizing... My picking hand matters as much if not more than my fretting hand *and...* had I known all this 40 years ago? I'd have never become a journeyman precision sheetmetal mechanic. I'd be a well known musician...just like the rest of us who discovered "Cracking the Code" and got over that wall. I point every young or aspiring guitar player (and a few older ones...;) straight at Troy! Have a great day.
Honestly, as far as we can tell, moving to a lower string isn't inherently clumsy. At this point, we've seen hundreds and hundreds of videos of players who have posted to our forum seeking advice, and there really isn't any pattern that we've noticed. Everyone who was self taught has gaps. Some people learned certain motions and find certain phrases easy. Others learned other ones. Moving to a lower string after playing an upstroke on a higher string requires a different motion than moving to a lower string after playing a downstroke on the higher string, as Frank often does. And that's if you're using wrist motion. If you're using elbow, it can only do downstroke, not upstroke, because it's a more rudimentary joint. Lots of variables. Knowing how the joints and motions work can clear up a lot of the superstitious stuff about certain types of lines being harder or easier. So we hope!
Thanks for these videos Troy. Even though I am a cracking the code subscriber and have watched the Gambale interview the breakdown added commentary on these youtube videos are really helpful. LOVE the Frank G/David G side by side! Wow!
This video answers my question in that escape motion (DSX, USX) and Pickslant (UWPS, DWPS) are two different components/techniques and could in theory exist separately although most of the times they are combined for better smoothness.
its a lot more than just his pick work... it's the whole set up of the guitar then the amp tone and mic placement dry amp and wet amp mix then peddle board each efx is tweeked, so that his over all sound can sit nice and pretty with gates and level's just in perfect alignment the real trade secret of the GIT and other like places. and years of natural musical ability will obviously give him an extreme edge and all the while he keeps that keen thirsting for perfection to be alive in the room to be plugged inside and connected and everyone in (T)his circle are just that same way hunters, perfectionists of the vibration.
Another epic vid....much gratitude guys! I’ve studied Frank’s system for years.....so awesome to see this and get your amazing insights. One thing I’ve always wondered is how hard he’s really picking?? Is that covered in a future vid?
I try not think of what's "natural". There are motions you've learned, and others you haven't. And what the pick looks like, i.e. "uwps", is really the least important aspect of that, it's just a function of your grip. Instead, you probably learned a certain wrist motion or elbow motion, since those are the most common DSX motions. But you can learn any other if you like! And often, if it's wrist, the differences are so tiny as to be like, why didn't I know this before.
Hi Troy - I started studying Frank's speed picking when his first book came out in 1985 (still have the cassette!). If you think about it, I bet his alternate picking (Upward and Downward pick-slanting or "2-way pick-slanting") is a direct consequence of playing arpeggios in the Gambale fashion. I notice that my own right hand does that (never noticed it before until I started some concentrated work that goes back to your video of that Paul Gilbert, two-string exercise. The right hand, doing those sweeping exercises, becomes habituated to that 2-way pick-slanting technique (seems only natural). Now my question is this, and I may have to go back to Gambale's book to learn it for myself: when copying piano solos ala Oscar Peterson, is there a fundamental way of thinking that doing 2-notes, or 3-notes, or other notes per string on the guitar is "naturally" easier, if you are using, and eventually mastering, 2-way pick slanting? Thanks and your vids are fantastic Troy.
I actually used the big triangle Dunlop tortex picks myself for a while haha... still use it for bass tracking but I can't see myself using anything other than a Jazz III for electric guitar these days (although I do flick through using the ultex, black nylon, red, white tortex, green tortex, and purple tortex ones all the time trying to figure out which one works best for me... I think it's the reds, but the ultex does have a nice tone to it).
Frank is the GOAT in my opinion, but he is much more than his technique, he is a complete musician, he knows exactly when to shred and when not to, and he is a master at soloing with target notes, one of the tastiest improvisors I ever heard. Pat Metheny is another super tasty player.
I've been struggling to try and find something that would shed light on whether or not I should keep my hand straight or slant to be more efficient in my sweeps.
Edge picking and pickslanting are two different aspects of pick attack and you control them separately for different reasons. You should always be able to control edge picking because it related to many other aspects of your technique, like which pick you use. For example, if you use more edge picking you generally need a pointier pick. When you use a rounder pick you may want to use less edge picking, like in bluegrass. So the ability to control your edge picking through your grip and also your arm position is important. Pickslanting is also controlled to some extent by your arm position and grip so there is overlap in how you control them. Experimentation is the name of the game!
I remember when Frank was young, he was learning all of the stuff that he knows today through my tutelage. It looks like he’s done his homework and I’m very proud of him. He was an amazing student, although he is a bit sloppy on is up strokes
it would be nice to know if he came up with this efficient system all on his own or if he got ideas from other players/teachers and combined them together
We discussed this. He stumbled on this stuff on his own. And we know this is true because certain aspects of it, he's never really spoken about, and from what I can tell most likely does semi-consciously. That's the thing with the greats. It's not just that they play awesome stuff, but that they figured out ways of doing it without anybody teaching them, and often, without even being overtly aware of it.
I've been following your videos for quite a long time, and watching Frank mechanics I have an observation. On the videos I hardly seen him use downward pickslanting for alternating picking from low to high notes. Instead he uses sweeps. When it comes to alternate picking, he mainly uses it with upward pick slanting for runs from high to low. When I was experimenting with pickslanting had a disturbing sensation: for alternate picking, upward pickslanting was more natural for runs from low to high, as well from high to low. Downwards pickslanting was harder and more unnatural and I was certain it was the main way to do it since so many players do it. This odd phenomena is evident at really high speed in my experience (between 180 to 200 bpm 4 notes per string pattern) . Can you elaborate on this, am I missing something? Muting, gliding and ease of escape is more comfortable with upwards pick slanting? Rotation motion of the wrist seem to be quite different also (downward pickslanting seems to involve more wrist rotation than upwards pick slanting, since it feels like transfering a lot of the wrist motion to the elbow). Trying to solve, let's say steve vai version of paganini capricce from crossroads movie, is quite challenging for the right hand since is so awkward to change from upwards to downwards pick slanting that fast. On petruccis words, do we must become "ambipixtrous"? (by the way, please do an analysis of petruccis alternate picking sometime. That would be amazing).
You are correct that Frank prefers DSX for alternate picking. But there’s nothing else to that. There are tons of players who are the reverse, from Eric Johnson to George Benson to Yngwie to all Gypsy players. USX is the more common style overall for one way economy. Just keep in mind it’s not about the “pickslant”. Alternate picking is a motion. What joint motion are you using for USX? Maybe you just haven’t learned it.
@@troygrady thanks for your answer Troy. I realized downwards pickslanting feels so different form upwards to me cause I involve rotation of the wrist (rotation of the forearm) . While on upx, rotation decreases dramatically and makes the pick stroke more even and precise. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I internalized the idea that upward and downwards pickslanting is not the exact opposite... from your experience, is a realistic and desirable goal strive for a dsx and usx equally well developed to enter the elite technique player group?. Thanx in advance...
@@psycofdo Same issue here. I believe that upward runs (to lower notes) are more clumsy because most of us were clueless about taking picking mechanics seriously, from the day we no longer had to watch it. Consequently, we tend to evolve an up slant and ascending scales because they feel both smoother and easier, more conducive to muscle memory and repetition. When we try to focus and switch technique on descending runs, the awkwardness is merely unfamiliarity, made familiar by practice and diligence. But once the up slant, and reversal of thinking that accompanies that becomes familiar, along with other techniques, alternating between these becomes organic. Just like DWPS and odd even notes picked per string, with the occasional hammer offs and slides to new positions ala Yngwie, automatically raising the pick up above the strings on upstrokes. No thinking required after that materializes. My upward picking to lower tone strings at speed was extremely weak. Now they're getting easier and stronger because of practice. I can blaze through to higher tone strings really fast and with variety and some semblance of melody. That's just now, after a year, starting to become organic and new doors are opening that I never knew existed before. Troy's mentioned the "weird feeling" of trying new techniques, like MAB's machine like two way slanting and straight vertical path thru the strings. His slanting is barely measurable, much less discernable. Bottom line for me is... Over 40 years of playing "lead", it was Troy Grady who slapped my face and kicked me in the ass on realizing... My picking hand matters as much if not more than my fretting hand *and...* had I known all this 40 years ago? I'd have never become a journeyman precision sheetmetal mechanic. I'd be a well known musician...just like the rest of us who discovered "Cracking the Code". I point every young or aspiring guitar player (and a few older ones...;) straight at Troy! Have a great day.
@@TheScmtnrider I totally agree. After digging a little bit more looking for 2 way pick slanting I decided to forget for a couple of months that I've been playing for over 25 years and see my pick hand with the eyes of a newcomer. Always been able to reach the speed I needed for lead guitar, playing heavy metal or instrumental music, but always felt my technique was missing a push to get to the next level. I decided to relearn 2 way pick slanting and get into other ways of thinking the pick. For start I'm studying fuzz universe from Paul Gilbert, re-watching frank gambale instructional videos (this time really seeing the right hand as troy showed us), and of course the infamous and unforgiving alternate picking of john petrucci. I totally agree with you that this may take a year, but I'm determined to invest time on this endeavour thanks to Troy's videos and his detailed breakdown of mechanics. Frank's technique explanation was a massive eye opener/epic slap in the face, and I'm quite humbled from both your comments and Troy. Thanks both of you.
Its called "The Magnet" find out more here : troygrady.com/magnet/ Unfortunately they are not currently available. the expected price will be $20 according to KickStarter. In the meantime you can try making your own.
DSX, or "downstroke escape", is a type of picking motion where downstrokes go up in the air. UWPS, or "upward pickslanting" is when the pick appears to have an angled orientation. It can be super helpful to know the difference. For example, if you were to try and do something with your fingers to make the pick "look like UWPS", that wouldn't affect the motion at all, because that's done with the wrist joint - at least the way Frank does it. So to perform the DSX motion the way Frank does, you have to learn to position your arm the way he has it here, and then to move your wrist along the diagonal path that Frank uses. Hopefully, this will help players who get confused who are looking at the slant of the pick and not understanding why it's not moving they way they think it should.
@@troygrady wow thanks Troy...I m a natural upward pickslanter and this video resonates with me a lot... Over time I ve found dwps difficult to master that I couldn't digest it's hand position and path ...So I decided to go with uwps and exploit it's merits to max ,kind of like what Andy James did ... I built some of my lines for pure UWPS and I found upward economy picking more easier than downward sweeps...I guess I just need to work on my strengths than on weaknesses...Kudos to you by the way...♥️
@@troygrady Is UWPS then just a requirement for DSX? That is my conclusion, UWPS is just the way to get to DSX and DWPS to USX. After reading your explanation I still have some doubts, am I right?
Variable! Allowing more “flop” lets you play more softly. If you grip very rigid you’ll get much louder note for the same amount of picking force. Most great players do some amount of modulating this to get the desired attack. The default force shouldn’t be super rigid though, you’ll get tired. Also, more pick exposure allows more flip control. Less exposure gives you fewer options because the pick can’t move as much. Somewhere in the middle of all of this is a good starting point.
@@troygrady Ha, ha. I totally understand that! Unfortunately, I have psoriatic arthritis, that my biologic "Taltz" shots keep at bay for the most part. However, I have bad days, at least a couple of days a week and I can't do anything with my hands for too long without agonizing pain. Absolutely, I take every shortcut available.
i don't even try to play like franck gambale lol ! pfou he's too high for me ! one of the greatest on our planet but useless to want to play like him !
You can buy the shield style, by Ernie Ball they are called Prodigy picks: style is Shield. I bought a bag a few months ago from Amazon and now I dont even want to play unless I have one in my hand. They make a huge difference.
Economy picking is such a strange technique to implement when you’re primarily an alternate picker. You can economy pick faster than you can alternate picking, but you lack the coordination to do it well. Your alternate picking speed becomes brute force you have to learn to control.
When Alex Lifeson plays fast on La Villa to all my friends were like he can sound like Gilmour and play like Malmsteen. Then i went to music school and the shredders were like thats not playing fast and Alex Lifeson is a hack lol. So i hear how Gambale is a little more precise but i think Lifeson sounds cooler. So when we come to the part of the solo tho play fast to build into it would if be better to sound really good at a slower speed and have good bends then just go fast like Lifeson. I think so because shredders dont have mastery in phrasing EVER like Gilmour. You shredders might think so but ear can hear you practice shredding all the time and not feel. You will say my precise playing needs work and my ear will tell your vibrato and bends suck. Its the same reason why NFL quarterbacks usually arent really fast runners and great at everything else. Ive never hear great slow solos from shredders but its not just that their songs arent good because they spent a lifetime on being admired by other shredders. Shredders tend to think they are so advanced and have everything figured out but Paul Gilbert was honest and said he doesnt have great phrasing and tone compared to guitar players that are the best at that. Would love to do all this but my other playing still needs to be better. I notice most shredders started out loving shred and you tell they skipped a lot of stuff. Its a very small part of what guitar is. Shredders arent well rounded musicians..
Please go listen to Tony Macalpine in particular, but also Shawn Lane (one of the fastest players ever), Vinnie Moore and George Lynch to name but a few. Yngwie also has absolutely wonderful playing at slower speeds. Allan Holdsworth is one of the most frightening players ever and he has more 'feel' than almost any boring pentatonic blues player. All of these guys have 'slow' solos that are full of phrasing, feeling and nuance. Shredders aren't well rounded? Are blues players then, just because they play slower? I don't think so. You also have no videos up yourself to showcase your superior vibrato and bending. I highly doubt you have better vibrato or bending ability than Yngwie for instance
@@IbanezFan550 i hear your point but the average listener and 99 percent of people in general dont care about slightly sloppy faster playing. It doesnt ruin the experience because they are not trained to hear things that fast. I play for the listener more than the .01 percent of shredders. Why is it that listeners dont like shred and its a catagory for musicians. Its simple shredders lack what say Gilmour can do to people. Its not about well rounded its about what moves people and most peoplle dont play guitar or hear things you hear or care about. You tend to think about if the shred community respects you i dont and i can play fast when needed and the average listener doesnt care or even can tell how precise my faster technique is. THEY DONT CARE. But they do care at Steve Vais annoying bends. Yes Malmsteen has some ok bends hes tolerable but i would sugeest all shredders use a strat. Its a much better sounding guitar in general especially for bends.
@@IbanezFan550 Dude you know what shred sollo gets me off The Cult of Personality which shredders call crap. ITS NOT ABOUT SOUNDING LIKE A ROBOT LIKE YOU THINK HAHAHAHA. I cant stand Tony Mc i dont feel him at all like nothing no emotion. You have to remember some people cant stand brocolli and some llove it. You do you ill do me.
@@IbanezFan550 i often call the shredders left brain musicians meaning music is like a math problem lol. Music is a creative things and sometimes losing control is part of life and its artistic expression in the Cult of Personality solo by Vernon that called for him to go off the rails because it was expressed in the song. Ever hear a Satch solo on Songsterr yeah its sterile just like guys whos technique is better than it needs to be. For instance Gilmour makes one note sound better than 100 of Vais notes and has more impact. So i spend time on that and the faster playing is what 5 seconds of a whole fn song. Just play fast the listener doesnt give a shit. You can become the best typist or actually make music people love.
I dont understand all this playing sounds the same and it really doesnt sound very good. Its like a bunch of cooks who specialize in cooking roaches and spiders to perfection. But nobody especially girl are interested in knowing or especially enjoying. I just realized when i stopped writing songs that when i went to music school people cared then when i got out of school nobody cared. Its for a very small percent of the pop but i admire your drive if this is what turns you on.
I feel sorry for you man.... Not being able to hear all those differences and enjoy this outstanding playing of a true master of the instrument really sucks.
@@Andreorsel Yes i dont understand playing thats too technical but i respect it but listening to it as a listener is annoying. Fast typing is amamzing too but try listening to it for an hour. Go ahead feel sorry for me i still have the pulse comfortably numb solo. No technician has ever played with that kind of feel imho
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Amazingly, when it comes to alternate picking, the purpose of pickslanting is... to have no slant! There is no spoon, people.
This is awesome! Thank you!
Truly awesome! Thank you!
you should do a study on plini! that guy is amazing. Love this view of Gambale's inhuman picking. keep it up Troy!
Troy is this part of the actual crack the code lessons?
It’s the timing that even after 6 years makes the technique sloppy for me.
This channel and your documentation is one of the greatest achievements on RUclips. No better record or explanation exists on how the greatest pickers get things done.
Troy Grady is the ultimate guitar scientist, thanks for everything
Yeah, but what about the left hand? We need a left hand scientist asap.
The most intellectual way to teach a guitar. Love your channel
This channel is a literal gold mine of knowledge, and this is my favorite segment thus far. I didn't realize I was applying most of FG's principles til now (albeit poorly), and this series just laid bare some of the things I've always had trouble with -- which hopefully results in me being able to overcome them. Thanks Troy and team!
@Ron Gillespie for sure! Signed up to the site as well, really great stuff!
When Frank first came out with "Speedpicking and Monster lick" instructional video, I knew right away there was a huge part of this tutorial that was unseen.....and probably little understood by Frank himself. In many cases, Geniuses do not fully understand the mechanics of their art form. (that said, Frank's video was ground breaking). Troy....your presentation is first class. I wish it could have been a part of Frank's first video on sweeping. I was a very proficient alternate picker (Di Miola school), but, like you had a hell of a time trying to put the two techniques together. Thank you.
To his credit, Frank is more aware than most about what he is doing. But the fact that he uses this diagonal type of alternate picking motion, and the way it requires even numbers of notes per string, and how that connects to sweeping, is maybe the aspect that has remained somewhat mysterious all these years. We didn't really address this in the interview just because there was so much other ground to cover. But it's always amazing to see what gifted players are doing up close, and just how much they were able to figure out with no prior teaching to go on.
Thank you so much! I've been studying Gambale's technique for several years. This is the final piece that I was missing.
His fluidity is out of this world!
Happy Easter everyone!
Stay strong and healthy!
The harmonic chirps he gets on the reverse sweeps is one of the coolest things you'll ever hear. Frank is the boss. Fantastic work Troy. 🎸
You should be able to always get those harmonic chirps.
Getting those at will, with upstrokes and downstrokes, tells me I’m gripping the pick properly.
i am already finding so much relief in changing strings with an Up in two days !! unbelievable !! this was hidden for years and years ! u are a genius'
Roshan dai ❤
Your videos are like a high production documentary with all the bells and wistles of the top notch you would see on TV.
As a fingerstyle player my whole life, this was absolutely mind-blowing. I finally, FINALLY have a full picture understanding of how all this works, and how to practice it. Thank you!!
Aerodynamics and Guitars in the same phraseology.
Amazing!
Thank you so much Troy! Your video's and unique breakdowns of technique has taken my playing ability to a whole new level. I sincerely cannot thank you enough, for your video's and your more in depth website. Also, thank you for discussing about how Frank has avoided repetitive stress injury with his technique. I currently have epicondylitis, and I still manage to be able to play by adjusting the way I hold the guitar : (Now at a 45 degree angle) Plus, I am also using a larger pick, I bought a bag of the shield style, Ernie Ball Prodigy picks, combined with your advice it has made a world of difference.
Tao Tuhao I gotta check out his website. This is one of the most helpful channels of RUclips. Thanks Troy!
@@forprogress999 You definitely should, and if you do join he has tools that breaks down these videos into small segments called clips. The clips contain each pattern that allow you to break down everything to ever smaller slices: basically whatever you want and you can even slow it down to your preferred BPM, it even has tablature with indicators for up and downstrokes. I have never seen instructions that makes things so easy. Too bad I didn't have access to this system when I started playing guitar almost 30 years ago. I can play things now, that I once thought I would never be able to play. For the record, I do not know Troy, I just firmly believe that he offers something special and nothing else comes close
Troy, love your stuff! Great info.
A couple of guys with interesting right-hand approaches:
Steve Kaufman, guitar.
He uses a thin pick and seems to just push through each string in some manner. Very unique technique.
Chris Thile, mandolin player extradinaire!
Buddy Wachter, plectrum banjo king!
Thanks!
Your doing it again Troy, this time its planes! seriously though love all of your vids. This is one of your clearest yet!! The effect your tutorials have had on me is to be able to see it done quite plainly with your amazing camera technique and has had the effect of enabling and empowering me to do it too, it is a fantastic feeling to move up a gear and know that their are many more gears to go. Frank is the best sweeper in my opinion. Thank You for all of these. Stay Safe
Your vids have been invaluable in my learning, thankyou,the quality and production level surpasses many documentaries 👌
I commented on a previous video because it wasn't still clear to me, but this does it. Thank you for all you do.
Thanks for watching!
Whether you like/dislike, agree/disagree, Troy’s graphics are consistently amazing!
This is that good stuff. I pick Gypsy jazz style and there’s a little bit of sweeping involved so this illuminated some mechanical questions I had
This is absolutely amazing, I loved it.
Could you also please make videos like these on Shawn Lane?
another interesting thing about his picking - look at Frank's hand grip. He tucks in his ring finger the most, but leaves his pinky and middle finger more loose, the middle finger supporting the index, which is supporting the pick. It's unconventional but I think gives you a good mix of free range of loose, easy rotational motion and control.
After going through speed picking I noticed my hand naturally sweeping effortlessly. This video explains why!!
This is like Kahn Academy for guitar players . Freaking love it
Franks Book Speed Picking was one of the best instructional books to come out of the '80s. Still have the cassette that came with the book RS
Thank you so much, mr. troy, the right hand technique can be a difficult mystery to solve, this deep analysis with this amazing graphics are so useful and help clar doubts about playing with the righ hand. Thank you so much!!!
Informative & fascinating, I've been intrigued with how this works being that I've issues with upward pick slanting for sweep picking but this clarifies what is need to me to improve, Frank much thanks big time for this which what I needed.
Parabéns, depois de 20 anos tocando guitarra aprendi muito com o vídeo
I notice with the slow motion Frank rolls the pick back and forth to achieve a coupled motion to get the easy transition from up to down slanting. He does this by having a pick grip where the tip of the index and thumb run parallel to one another in opposite directions. You can clearly watch this at the 7:30 mark. Watch his thumb and index finger roll the pick. Cool vid Troy!
A relaxed grip on the pick facilitates the lean on the pick, a gentle pinch that allows the pick to shift angle naturally
Once again amazing. Thank you so much Troy. You always provide the most helpful videos
When I was first getting into guitar i was always breaking strings while alternate picking. So I would slant the pick up and down like this as a way to stop breaking strings... I love how I discovered two way pick slanting on my own
Amazing!!Thanks Troy for this!!!You are a genius!!
I believe that upward runs (to lower notes) are more clumsy because most of us were clueless about taking picking mechanics seriously, from the day we no longer had to watch it.
Consequently, we tend to evolve an up slant and ascending scales because they feel both smoother and easier, more conducive to muscle memory and repetition.
When we try to focus and switch technique on descending runs, the awkwardness is merely unfamiliarity, made familiar by practice and diligence.
But once the up slant, and reversal of thinking that accompanies that becomes familiar, along with other techniques, alternating between these becomes organic. Just like DWPS and odd even notes picked per string, with the occasional hammer offs and slides to new positions ala Yngwie, automatically raising the pick up above the strings on upstrokes.
No thinking required after that materializes. My upward direction picking runs to lower tone strings at speed was extremely weak!
Now they're getting easier and stronger because of practice. I can blaze through to higher tone strings really fast and with variety and some semblance of melody.
That's just now, after a year, starting to become organic and new doors are opening that I never knew existed before. Like this one.
Troy's mentioned the "weird feeling" of trying new techniques, like MAB's machine like two way slanting and straight vertical path thru the strings, many times.
MAB's slanting is barely measurable, much less discernable.
Only practice, lots of it, can bring that kinda speed.
Bottom line for me is...
Over 40 years of playing "lead", it was Troy Grady who slapped my face and kicked me in the ass on realizing...
My picking hand matters as much if not more than my fretting hand *and...* had I known all this 40 years ago?
I'd have never become a journeyman precision sheetmetal mechanic.
I'd be a well known musician...just like the rest of us who discovered "Cracking the Code" and got over that wall.
I point every young or aspiring guitar player (and a few older ones...;) straight at Troy!
Have a great day.
Honestly, as far as we can tell, moving to a lower string isn't inherently clumsy. At this point, we've seen hundreds and hundreds of videos of players who have posted to our forum seeking advice, and there really isn't any pattern that we've noticed. Everyone who was self taught has gaps. Some people learned certain motions and find certain phrases easy. Others learned other ones. Moving to a lower string after playing an upstroke on a higher string requires a different motion than moving to a lower string after playing a downstroke on the higher string, as Frank often does. And that's if you're using wrist motion. If you're using elbow, it can only do downstroke, not upstroke, because it's a more rudimentary joint. Lots of variables. Knowing how the joints and motions work can clear up a lot of the superstitious stuff about certain types of lines being harder or easier. So we hope!
@@troygrady
Agreed.
My perception is from my stage period experiences, and they're very 70s.
✌
Thanks for these videos Troy. Even though I am a cracking the code subscriber and have watched the Gambale interview the breakdown added commentary on these youtube videos are really helpful. LOVE the Frank G/David G side by side! Wow!
This is so detailed and so much work, well done.
Awesome job Troy, thank you very much for sharing!
Great analysis bro!🎸
Great little mini-series! I'm gonna have to go away and try to learn some Gamable licks, some really tasty ideas here!
Yep, you can steal and steal from Frank and never run out of still more cool stuff to steal from him!
@@troygrady Awesome, cheers for the tip- both amazing and terrifying at the same time, a lot like his playing!
Amazing! Secrets of Guitar legends! 🇧🇷
thanks for the very detailed explanation 🤟
This series is just amazing. Thanks!! 🙏
Thanks so much for this .. amazing explanation !
this is a really good visualization, thanks
This video answers my question in that escape motion (DSX, USX) and Pickslant (UWPS, DWPS) are two different components/techniques and could in theory exist separately although most of the times they are combined for better smoothness.
its a lot more than just his pick work... it's the whole set up of the guitar then the amp tone and mic placement
dry amp and wet amp mix then peddle board each efx is tweeked, so that his over all sound can sit nice and pretty with gates and level's just in perfect alignment the real trade secret of the GIT and other like places.
and years of natural musical ability will obviously give him an extreme edge and all the while he keeps
that keen thirsting for perfection to be alive in the room to be plugged inside and connected and
everyone in (T)his circle are just that same way hunters, perfectionists of the vibration.
Fantastic video!
Thanks!!!!
Fantastic video bro!!!!
Troy you beautiful beautiful man. Thank you for the amazing work you do.
Another epic vid....much gratitude guys! I’ve studied Frank’s system for years.....so awesome to see this and get your amazing insights. One thing I’ve always wondered is how hard he’s really picking?? Is that covered in a future vid?
being a natural UPWS, this is the video I've been waiting for. thank you.
I try not think of what's "natural". There are motions you've learned, and others you haven't. And what the pick looks like, i.e. "uwps", is really the least important aspect of that, it's just a function of your grip. Instead, you probably learned a certain wrist motion or elbow motion, since those are the most common DSX motions. But you can learn any other if you like! And often, if it's wrist, the differences are so tiny as to be like, why didn't I know this before.
Amazing!
Hi Troy - I started studying Frank's speed picking when his first book came out in 1985 (still have the cassette!). If you think about it, I bet his alternate picking (Upward and Downward pick-slanting or "2-way pick-slanting") is a direct consequence of playing arpeggios in the Gambale fashion. I notice that my own right hand does that (never noticed it before until I started some concentrated work that goes back to your video of that Paul Gilbert, two-string exercise. The right hand, doing those sweeping exercises, becomes habituated to that 2-way pick-slanting technique (seems only natural). Now my question is this, and I may have to go back to Gambale's book to learn it for myself: when copying piano solos ala Oscar Peterson, is there a fundamental way of thinking that doing 2-notes, or 3-notes, or other notes per string on the guitar is "naturally" easier, if you are using, and eventually mastering, 2-way pick slanting? Thanks and your vids are fantastic Troy.
I actually used the big triangle Dunlop tortex picks myself for a while haha... still use it for bass tracking but I can't see myself using anything other than a Jazz III for electric guitar these days (although I do flick through using the ultex, black nylon, red, white tortex, green tortex, and purple tortex ones all the time trying to figure out which one works best for me... I think it's the reds, but the ultex does have a nice tone to it).
Savage stuff as always Troy ya dinger
so happy to see Mike Ehrmantrout picked up a hobby post breaking bad
Wooow amazing❤
Amazing 🎉😮
This was amazing
Frank is the GOAT in my opinion, but he is much more than his technique, he is a complete musician, he knows exactly when to shred and when not to, and he is a master at soloing with target notes, one of the tastiest improvisors I ever heard. Pat Metheny is another super tasty player.
It also appears that during alternate picking he lets the pick rock a little in his grip and during the sweeps he firms things up a little.
UWPS actually has more syllables than saying "Upwards pick slant"
But far fewer keystrokes. And we live in a comments and forums kind of world!
because this is alternate talking
Same as "Oscar Mike" has the same amount of letter as saying "on the move".
muito bom parabens
I've been struggling to try and find something that would shed light on whether or not I should keep my hand straight or slant to be more efficient in my sweeps.
Hey troy i have a question, should i have to edge my pick when doing pickslanting?
Edge picking and pickslanting are two different aspects of pick attack and you control them separately for different reasons. You should always be able to control edge picking because it related to many other aspects of your technique, like which pick you use. For example, if you use more edge picking you generally need a pointier pick. When you use a rounder pick you may want to use less edge picking, like in bluegrass. So the ability to control your edge picking through your grip and also your arm position is important. Pickslanting is also controlled to some extent by your arm position and grip so there is overlap in how you control them. Experimentation is the name of the game!
Thanks troy
I remember when Frank was young, he was learning all of the stuff that he knows today through my tutelage. It looks like he’s done his homework and I’m very proud of him. He was an amazing student, although he is a bit sloppy on is up strokes
So.. how much was it for the ring? And does it work right away or have to "adapt"?
So do you pick with the actual edge of the pick or the tip
This man must be guitar scientist
it would be nice to know if he came up with this efficient system all on his own or if he got ideas from other players/teachers and combined them together
We discussed this. He stumbled on this stuff on his own. And we know this is true because certain aspects of it, he's never really spoken about, and from what I can tell most likely does semi-consciously. That's the thing with the greats. It's not just that they play awesome stuff, but that they figured out ways of doing it without anybody teaching them, and often, without even being overtly aware of it.
I've been following your videos for quite a long time, and watching Frank mechanics I have an observation. On the videos I hardly seen him use downward pickslanting for alternating picking from low to high notes. Instead he uses sweeps. When it comes to alternate picking, he mainly uses it with upward pick slanting for runs from high to low.
When I was experimenting with pickslanting had a disturbing sensation: for alternate picking, upward pickslanting was more natural for runs from low to high, as well from high to low. Downwards pickslanting was harder and more unnatural and I was certain it was the main way to do it since so many players do it. This odd phenomena is evident at really high speed in my experience (between 180 to 200 bpm 4 notes per string pattern) . Can you elaborate on this, am I missing something? Muting, gliding and ease of escape is more comfortable with upwards pick slanting? Rotation motion of the wrist seem to be quite different also (downward pickslanting seems to involve more wrist rotation than upwards pick slanting, since it feels like transfering a lot of the wrist motion to the elbow). Trying to solve, let's say steve vai version of paganini capricce from crossroads movie, is quite challenging for the right hand since is so awkward to change from upwards to downwards pick slanting that fast. On petruccis words, do we must become "ambipixtrous"? (by the way, please do an analysis of petruccis alternate picking sometime. That would be amazing).
You are correct that Frank prefers DSX for alternate picking. But there’s nothing else to that. There are tons of players who are the reverse, from Eric Johnson to George Benson to Yngwie to all Gypsy players. USX is the more common style overall for one way economy. Just keep in mind it’s not about the “pickslant”. Alternate picking is a motion. What joint motion are you using for USX? Maybe you just haven’t learned it.
@@troygrady thanks for your answer Troy. I realized downwards pickslanting feels so different form upwards to me cause I involve rotation of the wrist (rotation of the forearm) . While on upx, rotation decreases dramatically and makes the pick stroke more even and precise. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I internalized the idea that upward and downwards pickslanting is not the exact opposite... from your experience, is a realistic and desirable goal strive for a dsx and usx equally well developed to enter the elite technique player group?. Thanx in advance...
@@psycofdo
Same issue here.
I believe that upward runs (to lower notes) are more clumsy because most of us were clueless about taking picking mechanics seriously, from the day we no longer had to watch it.
Consequently, we tend to evolve an up slant and ascending scales because they feel both smoother and easier, more conducive to muscle memory and repetition.
When we try to focus and switch technique on descending runs, the awkwardness is merely unfamiliarity, made familiar by practice and diligence.
But once the up slant, and reversal of thinking that accompanies that becomes familiar, along with other techniques, alternating between these becomes organic. Just like DWPS and odd even notes picked per string, with the occasional hammer offs and slides to new positions ala Yngwie, automatically raising the pick up above the strings on upstrokes.
No thinking required after that materializes. My upward picking to lower tone strings at speed was extremely weak. Now they're getting easier and stronger because of practice. I can blaze through to higher tone strings really fast and with variety and some semblance of melody.
That's just now, after a year, starting to become organic and new doors are opening that I never knew existed before.
Troy's mentioned the "weird feeling" of trying new techniques, like MAB's machine like two way slanting and straight vertical path thru the strings.
His slanting is barely measurable, much less discernable.
Bottom line for me is...
Over 40 years of playing "lead", it was Troy Grady who slapped my face and kicked me in the ass on realizing...
My picking hand matters as much if not more than my fretting hand *and...* had I known all this 40 years ago?
I'd have never become a journeyman precision sheetmetal mechanic.
I'd be a well known musician...just like the rest of us who discovered "Cracking the Code".
I point every young or aspiring guitar player (and a few older ones...;) straight at Troy!
Have a great day.
@@TheScmtnrider I totally agree. After digging a little bit more looking for 2 way pick slanting I decided to forget for a couple of months that I've been playing for over 25 years and see my pick hand with the eyes of a newcomer. Always been able to reach the speed I needed for lead guitar, playing heavy metal or instrumental music, but always felt my technique was missing a push to get to the next level. I decided to relearn 2 way pick slanting and get into other ways of thinking the pick. For start I'm studying fuzz universe from Paul Gilbert, re-watching frank gambale instructional videos (this time really seeing the right hand as troy showed us), and of course the infamous and unforgiving alternate picking of john petrucci. I totally agree with you that this may take a year, but I'm determined to invest time on this endeavour thanks to Troy's videos and his detailed breakdown of mechanics. Frank's technique explanation was a massive eye opener/epic slap in the face, and I'm quite humbled from both your comments and Troy. Thanks both of you.
Is he using a celluloid pick or a duralin one from planet waves by d'addario?
Sa main droite est extraordinaire, et sa main gauche aussi.
Il est hors du commun
Franks trademarked method?
i suck but only rock Dugaine Buffalo Bone and Coconut Shell picks, tone is incredible
He uses those big pics for the same reason I use the butt end of a regular pick.
I like UWPS a lot
What is that holding the phone, I would like to try that to analyze my picking
Its called "The Magnet" find out more here : troygrady.com/magnet/ Unfortunately they are not currently available. the expected price will be $20 according to KickStarter. In the meantime you can try making your own.
Paul Gilbert, please.
日本語版欲しいなぁ
What's the difference btwn dsx and upward pickslanting
DSX, or "downstroke escape", is a type of picking motion where downstrokes go up in the air. UWPS, or "upward pickslanting" is when the pick appears to have an angled orientation. It can be super helpful to know the difference. For example, if you were to try and do something with your fingers to make the pick "look like UWPS", that wouldn't affect the motion at all, because that's done with the wrist joint - at least the way Frank does it. So to perform the DSX motion the way Frank does, you have to learn to position your arm the way he has it here, and then to move your wrist along the diagonal path that Frank uses. Hopefully, this will help players who get confused who are looking at the slant of the pick and not understanding why it's not moving they way they think it should.
@@troygrady wow thanks Troy...I m a natural upward pickslanter and this video resonates with me a lot...
Over time I ve found dwps difficult to master that I couldn't digest it's hand position and path ...So I decided to go with uwps and exploit it's merits to max ,kind of like what Andy James did ...
I built some of my lines for pure UWPS and I found upward economy picking more easier than downward sweeps...I guess I just need to work on my strengths than on weaknesses...Kudos to you by the way...♥️
@@troygrady Is UWPS then just a requirement for DSX? That is my conclusion, UWPS is just the way to get to DSX and DWPS to USX. After reading your explanation I still have some doubts, am I right?
How hard should one hold the pick?
@@interestingthings8598 thank you I will try that suggestion
Variable! Allowing more “flop” lets you play more softly. If you grip very rigid you’ll get much louder note for the same amount of picking force. Most great players do some amount of modulating this to get the desired attack. The default force shouldn’t be super rigid though, you’ll get tired. Also, more pick exposure allows more flip control. Less exposure gives you fewer options because the pick can’t move as much. Somewhere in the middle of all of this is a good starting point.
@@troygrady Thank you for responding. Alot to experiment with!
Cosmic coincidence. 😱
Frank s tutorial 350 400 dollar..ask him if he is the only guitar teacher ?
"It's a 4 syllable word, or this 5 syllable acronym for short"
Hahahaha
It's the typing. Try typing "upward pickslanting" fifty times a day on our forum, and you'll be begging for UWPS. And DWPS. And 2WPS.
Troy Grady it’s still funny though 😄
@@troygrady Ha, ha. I totally understand that! Unfortunately, I have psoriatic arthritis, that my biologic "Taltz" shots keep at bay for the most part. However, I have bad days, at least a couple of days a week and I can't do anything with my hands for too long without agonizing pain. Absolutely, I take every shortcut available.
And you just slowly counted syllables instead of practicing your UWPS. We know you surf the comments.
All good but 7:30 point SPLOOGE!
Invite bryan satton pls
How does one master this picking technique or skill !!?? Or does musical phrasing play a part in his fretting hand etc !?? 😨😰🤦🏻♂️
i don't even try to play like franck gambale lol ! pfou he's too high for me ! one of the greatest on our planet but useless to want to play like him !
(but i can play) !
Wich pick is that?
He said it is bass pick.
You can buy the shield style, by Ernie Ball they are called Prodigy picks: style is Shield. I bought a bag a few months ago from Amazon and now I dont even want to play unless I have one in my hand. They make a huge difference.
What he uses is just a cheap planet waves one. I asked for his personal pick in a clinic and got super surprised by it
@@taotuhao5969 they're rock like hard,i want to know wich pick Frank uses not a similar type
@@harimauvortex yes but those don't exist anymore... Any alternatives?
да интересно , но ни хуя не понимаю по английски
Like #666
Economy picking is such a strange technique to implement when you’re primarily an alternate picker. You can economy pick faster than you can alternate picking, but you lack the coordination to do it well. Your alternate picking speed becomes brute force you have to learn to control.
When Alex Lifeson plays fast on La Villa to all my friends were like he can sound like Gilmour and play like Malmsteen. Then i went to music school and the shredders were like thats not playing fast and Alex Lifeson is a hack lol. So i hear how Gambale is a little more precise but i think Lifeson sounds cooler. So when we come to the part of the solo tho play fast to build into it would if be better to sound really good at a slower speed and have good bends then just go fast like Lifeson. I think so because shredders dont have mastery in phrasing EVER like Gilmour. You shredders might think so but ear can hear you practice shredding all the time and not feel. You will say my precise playing needs work and my ear will tell your vibrato and bends suck. Its the same reason why NFL quarterbacks usually arent really fast runners and great at everything else. Ive never hear great slow solos from shredders but its not just that their songs arent good because they spent a lifetime on being admired by other shredders. Shredders tend to think they are so advanced and have everything figured out but Paul Gilbert was honest and said he doesnt have great phrasing and tone compared to guitar players that are the best at that. Would love to do all this but my other playing still needs to be better. I notice most shredders started out loving shred and you tell they skipped a lot of stuff. Its a very small part of what guitar is. Shredders arent well rounded musicians..
Please go listen to Tony Macalpine in particular, but also Shawn Lane (one of the fastest players ever), Vinnie Moore and George Lynch to name but a few. Yngwie also has absolutely wonderful playing at slower speeds. Allan Holdsworth is one of the most frightening players ever and he has more 'feel' than almost any boring pentatonic blues player.
All of these guys have 'slow' solos that are full of phrasing, feeling and nuance. Shredders aren't well rounded? Are blues players then, just because they play slower? I don't think so. You also have no videos up yourself to showcase your superior vibrato and bending. I highly doubt you have better vibrato or bending ability than Yngwie for instance
@@IbanezFan550 i hear your point but the average listener and 99 percent of people in general dont care about slightly sloppy faster playing. It doesnt ruin the experience because they are not trained to hear things that fast. I play for the listener more than the .01 percent of shredders. Why is it that listeners dont like shred and its a catagory for musicians. Its simple shredders lack what say Gilmour can do to people. Its not about well rounded its about what moves people and most peoplle dont play guitar or hear things you hear or care about. You tend to think about if the shred community respects you i dont and i can play fast when needed and the average listener doesnt care or even can tell how precise my faster technique is. THEY DONT CARE. But they do care at Steve Vais annoying bends. Yes Malmsteen has some ok bends hes tolerable but i would sugeest all shredders use a strat. Its a much better sounding guitar in general especially for bends.
@@IbanezFan550 Dude you know what shred sollo gets me off The Cult of Personality which shredders call crap. ITS NOT ABOUT SOUNDING LIKE A ROBOT LIKE YOU THINK HAHAHAHA. I cant stand Tony Mc i dont feel him at all like nothing no emotion. You have to remember some people cant stand brocolli and some llove it. You do you ill do me.
@@IbanezFan550 i often call the shredders left brain musicians meaning music is like a math problem lol. Music is a creative things and sometimes losing control is part of life and its artistic expression in the Cult of Personality solo by Vernon that called for him to go off the rails because it was expressed in the song. Ever hear a Satch solo on Songsterr yeah its sterile just like guys whos technique is better than it needs to be. For instance Gilmour makes one note sound better than 100 of Vais notes and has more impact. So i spend time on that and the faster playing is what 5 seconds of a whole fn song. Just play fast the listener doesnt give a shit. You can become the best typist or actually make music people love.
I dont understand all this playing sounds the same and it really doesnt sound very good. Its like a bunch of cooks who specialize in cooking roaches and spiders to perfection. But nobody especially girl are interested in knowing or especially enjoying. I just realized when i stopped writing songs that when i went to music school people cared then when i got out of school nobody cared. Its for a very small percent of the pop but i admire your drive if this is what turns you on.
I feel sorry for you man.... Not being able to hear all those differences and enjoy this outstanding playing of a true master of the instrument really sucks.
@@Andreorsel Yes i dont understand playing thats too technical but i respect it but listening to it as a listener is annoying. Fast typing is amamzing too but try listening to it for an hour. Go ahead feel sorry for me i still have the pulse comfortably numb solo. No technician has ever played with that kind of feel imho
@@Andreorsel i feel sorry for you that you dont hear whats important in guitar playing that i do. lol
You're a clown