right hand index finger

[plop]

hello its me again!

To all those who helped me with my right hand little finger. I want to say a big thank you once again. I have learnt to adopt both anchoring and non-anchoring methods now thank you very very much :wink:


now to my question: i take a more relaxed approach to anything i play now. However, fast runs are really difficult to play with my hands relaxed. i.e. main motif of baroque and roll. I can play it but my index tend to feel tired (once again!) because i think again i use too much force holding the pick and playing it. i have to massage my index frequently.

so is this bad? i think so. do i try to rest my picking hand by playing slower songs during break time?

thank you!

 

[ShredCow]

Think abt it.

Shred is all about economy of movement.

Correct? Agreed?

If so. Then.

Your fingers holding the pick get tired because you aren't relaxed enough or you don't have enough stamina.

Its all about using as little movement as possible, with as little force, to squeeze as much speed out of your playing.

That's shred.


However, too much economy and light picking can result in very stale, dynamic-less playing.

 

[plop]

so i have to find a balanced amount of force which

-> does not create a thin sound
-> with index still relaxed.

ahh. thanks!

what about metal?

 

[ShredCow]

Picking hard gives a thicker tone? Really?


Metal? You know how much gain is used in metal? Its so compressed you don't need to pick hard. Riffing yes, you need enough force to be percussive, but we are talking strictly shredding here no?

 

[plop]

Picking hard gives a thicker tone? Really?


Metal? You know how much gain is used in metal? Its so compressed you don't need to pick hard. Riffing yes, you need enough force to be percussive, but we are talking strictly shredding here no?

haha i meant we need to have a light but solid force on the strings to produce a good tone right. mmhmm but like most runs, my fingers start to grip the pick harder and harder as the runs goes on even though it's still the same speed. So i guess it's just keep the golden rule in head: relax relax relax rite?

ahh for metal, something like for instance angel of death. how to tackle that one. it's like force all the way...

 

[ShredCow]

uh... "solid" is a very subjective word.

I suspect your case is either stamina or the need to relax more.

You said you play the same run but as it goes along, you tense up right? Bingo, one of the 2 above.

Of course, technique and the amount of gain you play with all come into play but let's not go there .... not with words lah.


Angel of Death? Never heard of such a song.
Well, you CAN pick hard and get a very choppy kind of tone, but you can't go UBER FAST like that... and it takes more stamina.

Also, note, its also got to do with tone whether you have more pick attack or not. Listen to Paul Gilbert, he has a very strong, sharp pick attack, but he obviously picks quite lightly. Its the combination of his choice of guitar (wood and pups and all), pick (his signature pick is very bright, snappy sounding) and his gear (amp, eq settings etc) that contribute to that.

And nope, I never heard Angel of death, so I migh tbe wrong. hehehe.