Ok, indulge me for a moment, IM trying to get this right.

Ok ive heard many times to play fast you have practice slowly etc. I see that this applies more to fretting problems than picking though. Ive played this part many times slow, but it doesnt help me very much because i can already fret it super fast, the problem is my picking hand doesnt cooperate always, and picking this part out over and over slowly is not getting me any faster, in fact sometiems i play it worse when i go slow. So heres the big things that have helped me out, but its not enough, let me know if ive missed anything...

1) I make sure i have the notes fretted(lol, but this was really a problem before i wasnt getting there quick enough and it would cause me to F up)
2)I have the pick at the correct angle with the string(so its easier)
3)I play on the "top" of the strings.. i noticed one day that when i played quietly cause it was late, i was playing better, i attribute this to not digging into the strings with the pick so much but rather playing on the top of them(this keeps me from getting "stuck" on the strings)
4)I use more wrist, and less arm.

Anyways, im just looking for a bit of advice on the picking scenario, it happens most when its like fast notes on a single string, or something like x24xxx, where there is very few strings being strummed quickly. Im not sure what it is, I assume my wrist is just not good enough yet, but im not sure what the best way to work on it is. If I get more advice on slowing down then ill do that, but i just wanted to see wat people thought.

Unfortunately the only real way to improve your picking is by doing what you've been doing!

Practising with a metrononme, playing scales again and again but getting faster. You need to be trying to sync your right hand with your left hand, your picking with your fretting, and the only way is by repeating the sclaes you are doing.

The Rule is this:

If you can't do it slow, then you can't do it fast.

It might be that it's "easier" to do it fast but this is an illusion. It probably "sounds like" rather than the actual action. The reason for this is at faster tempos, there's less room for errors. It's important to play these speed building exercises slow with with the metronome. In fact, try doing it at an exaggeratedly low tempo. Go to a tempo where it feels slow and easy, then drop about 10-30 bpms. Hell, go right down to 30bpm on the metronome itself. Once it becomes clean and even at the slow tempo, stop. Start at a new, little faster tempo and repeat the exercise.

ty for advice, i will go slower. Is there any rules on speeding up? i know this is a loaded question, its just i was seeming to improve, ive been playing this part for weeks now, and it would seem that ive been getting better, maybe not as quickly as i should have though.

here is my question. lets say i start to speed up, and i F up, then i slow back down and try it again? the idea is to never make any mistakes when you start to speed up?

picture this, because this is really my problem. Lets say the part i cant play is just alot of 16th notes, the same notes! lets for the sake of argument say its x24xxx, and i need to play 16ths at a certain tempo. I get to that speed by slowing increasing speed, even if its the same stupid note over and over :/? So its safe to say my picking hand just dont have control?

This post was edited by blunderwonder2 on Sep 8 2011 03:22pm

also i should mention, my hand isnt exactly anchored, so much of the song is strummed, the only part of my arm that really touches the guitar is up at the corner of the guitar or whatever, i mean my hand and wrist are floating above the strings, so it makes for some difficulty picking fast, im going to keep playing it slowly :/ hope i dont die of super boredom lol.

should i just be practicing picking on a single string? or just practice this entire part? im only asking because as of now i can basically do 2 notes quickly.. but if i try to do another 2 it gets complicated. the first 2 i can do fast cuz im just snapping my wrist as soon as i hit the string, but to do more than 2 i actually have to have some control, and its difficult the way my hand is floating.

The rule for speeding up is to practice the part that gives you trouble slowly, (1 string, 2 strings, 4 strings whatever.) If you can do the first two notes fast but it's getting the next two notes that are trouble, then practice the four notes slowly. Do this with a metronome. Once you can do it with ease, stop. Speed up the metronome then start at the faster tempo and repeat. What you need to avoid is getting it slow and gradually speeding up.. This is a bad habit because what will happen is you'll get used to speeding up as you play. It's important to play at the tempo of the song, not to play ever increasingly fast.

last question i promise, please answer

ok, so when you play a part that you know is going to be quick, do you change anything in your picking style? I just mean to say that, the idea here is to start slow, and build speed, but the whole picking technique is not supposed to change? Im just saying if i know a part is goign to be quick, i dig a bit less into the strings, and i maybe loosen and snap my wrist instead of very deliberate strokes at something like 1/4 speed, maybe i even angle the pick more. this is bad? im only asking because maybe im not picking this correctly at slow speeds either, at least if i know i have to be speedy later on with the same part maybe i should alter my approach a little when picking slowly as well :P?

As long as what ever picking style/technique you're using is ergonomic and intentional, it's okay. Changing the picking technique will most likely change the tone. If this is undesired then yes it's a bad thing. If for the speedy notes you want to change the sound, than it's fine. Always go back to the basics if you're unsure about something. What you're doing is not executing a pattern or memorizing, (although, it is!!!!) what you are ultimately trying to achieve is: to make music. Is what you're doing musical and what you artistically intend? If not, find out where and why, (your changing of picking technique makes you sound inconsistent) and make the appropriate adjustment. This help?

It helps, (i think). to be honest though, i guess what im trying to do this early in my playing is just play the piece without errors and up to tempo. If i have to change the sound a bit to do this as easily and quickly as possible them im all for it. Im worried about getting the notes right now, and ill worry about fixing the sound later.

Meh im just posting to vent. My progress has become so slow, its making practicing a real burden :/ I may just hvae to put the song away, and find something new for the time being.