The importance of hitting hard

[Techdeth]

Thanks for the advice!

I just can’t find slowed down versions in good quality. But yeah, gonna start doing them at 50%. Gotta learn to use metronome at last. Blackened is also good for that purpose I guess.

But when doing it slow, I sometimes loose the feel and when trying to get that feel back I automatically speed up.

Interesting thing is I do tire less when playing Creeping Death.

Anytime I learn a riff I play it in time in slow motion and let the speed come

 

[CrystalSky]

I found a badass right hand video. If you can do the fastest version, you are much better than me

I will try it tomorrow and report. I guess I can do it, but can’t guarantee I can do it for long time.

For short bursts I am able to match most of the things in speed department, but technique will be shit and stamina too hehe

 

[Smash]

The

I will try it tomorrow and report. I guess I can do it, but can’t guarantee I can do it for long time.

For short bursts I am able to match most of the things in speed department, but technique will be shit and stamina too hehe

The trick to stamina is to practice going all out. Then instead of stopping when you run out keep going at quarter speed just downstrokes. But hard as fuck. Then mix in bursts of trems so they surprise you in between some of the downstrokes at random. Do it til you arm feels like it will fall off. Then wait a minute and do it again. If you do that 3 times in a row, three times a week, you will be able to play homo sum by decapitated. I can play the riff. But goddamn not for the whole song.. yet.

 

[Smash]

What i will do is set up a metronome to match the fastest sustainable downstrokes i can do. And then do four times as fast trem oicking to metronome as long as i can. Before moving down to the downstrokes. But dont bitch pick. Remember the movie "finding forester"? Punch the keys,.dammit

 

[CrystalSky]

The

The trick to stamina is to practice going all out. Then instead of stopping when you run out keep going at quarter speed just downstrokes. But hard as fuck. Then mix in bursts of trems so they surprise you in between some of the downstrokes at random. Do it til you arm feels like it will fall off. Then wait a minute and do it again. If you do that 3 times in a row, three times a week, you will be able to play homo sum by decapitated. I can play the riff. But goddamn not for the whole song.. yet.

So literally play Blackened until arm fall off lol
I’ll try this approach too, but it seems I tense too much even at the elbow and the shoulder and gotta learn relaxing.

 

[Smash]

So literally play Blackened until arm fall off lol
I’ll try this approach too, but it seems I tense too much even at the elbow and the shoulder and gotta learn relaxing.

I wouldnt focus on the the tensing. You keep working on the trem/downpicking you will become stronger and gain endurance. Tensing will go away.

 

[watson503]

Reading through this thread and I was reminded of this video...funny thing is the woman filming and asking Jeff all of these questions has no clue who he is and just thought he was some nice man who kept answering her questions hahaha

 

[cobrahead1030]

I've played with so many guys who picked like little bitches.

It was painfully obvious the first time they plugged straight into an amp without an OD & the gain nearly maxed, take away their security blanket and their ego shrinks real quick. I'm glad I got my start trying to play metal on a tele, I had to get over that at a young age.

 

[SpiderWars]

I'm a lefty that plays righty and I injured my right hand so I have to work a ton on my right hand.
I totally agree with @Techdeth about playing things slowly and building up speed. That is a must.

But there is another side to practicing something slow in that if you practice bad technique slow, you WILL improve but just at playing slow. As soon as you speed up, that poor technique reveals itself and you hit a wall. So at some point you have to try to play fast to see if the technique works. And it HAS to be relaxed. You should be able to do it for long periods with no strain.

Regarding playing until your arm falls off, be careful with repetitive motion injuries and the like. But one benefit there is to it is that if you have bad technique that causes you to tire quickly...you tend to search for ways to play with less tension. You sort of have to find a better, less tense technique or stop playing because your arm is about to fall off.

 

[jabps]

This. Playing with great touch or feel is the most important thing…if you do that you’ll play knowing when to hit hard and when to back off with a lighter touch. When I’m playing fast hitting hard just doesn’t work. If I’m doing heavy rhythm work then yes, it’s better to hit harder. Imo.

Exactly. You and @MadAsAHatter are 100% on point. It's about Picking Dynamics.

 

[RevDrucifer]

I've played with so many guys who picked like little bitches.

It was painfully obvious the first time they plugged straight into an amp without an OD & the gain nearly maxed, take away their security blanket and their ego shrinks real quick. I'm glad I got my start trying to play metal on a tele, I had to get over that at a young age.

It’s almost as if….tone can be manipulated by the hands!

 

[cobrahead1030]

It’s almost as if….tone can be manipulated by the hands!

I should have made them all watch this

 

[RevDrucifer]

I should have made them all watch this

Your first example is one I use often; my best friend has had an on/off relationship with the guitar for decades now, he’s a bitch picker. The way I dial in tones requires that exact kind of right hand pressure to get everything played sounding full and consistent. It took me about 5 years to explain to him why it sounded different when he played through my rig than when I did. For a while we were both playing XXX half stacks when we played in a band together, he used to have me dial his in for him and then would ask why his settings were different than mine, despite using the same pickups in our guitars at the time. Everything was exaggerated on his amp to make up for what his right hand wasn’t doing, or the lack of sustain from not fretting notes with man pressure.

Also, I had no clue Josh was from across the pond but I got that same Sea Shepard shirt!

 

[SpiderWars]

I should have made them all watch this

Lots of good stuff in there. I severed the tendons in my right index finger so I had to switch to thumb/middle finger. I struggled with 'man sized' picks after the switch but then I heard about the Jazz III (this was early 90's when Cliffs of Dover came out and EJ became more well known). I tried one and instantly liked it. It's thick enough and pointy enough to get a solid connection without a bunch of extra unneeded pick. You just have to hold it like a man.

 

[cobrahead1030]

Lots of good stuff in there. I severed the tendons in my right index finger so I had to switch to thumb/middle finger. I struggled with 'man sized' picks after the switch but then I heard about the Jazz III (this was early 90's when Cliffs of Dover came out and EJ became more well known). I tried one and instantly liked it. It's thick enough and pointy enough to get a solid connection without a bunch of extra unneeded pick. You just have to hold it like a man.

I got turned onto the Jazz III's in high school, and quickly learned to love them. Then a few years later, they became hard to find at all of the little guitar shops in town (we didn't have a GC back then, and internet sales were in their infancy) so I switched to normal tortex out of necessity. There are some benefits to being able to play comfortably with a normal shaped pick, and I do like being able to easily play different gauges for different applications.

I still keep a few jazz III's around to noodle with though, and something about them still feels natural in a way that I can't quite get from standard picks.

 

[cobrahead1030]

Your first example is one I use often; my best friend has had an on/off relationship with the guitar for decades now, he’s a bitch picker. The way I dial in tones requires that exact kind of right hand pressure to get everything played sounding full and consistent. It took me about 5 years to explain to him why it sounded different when he played through my rig than when I did. For a while we were both playing XXX half stacks when we played in a band together, he used to have me dial his in for him and then would ask why his settings were different than mine, despite using the same pickups in our guitars at the time. Everything was exaggerated on his amp to make up for what his right hand wasn’t doing, or the lack of sustain from not fretting notes with man pressure.

Also, I had no clue Josh was from across the pond but I got that same Sea Shepard shirt!

I played with a guitar years ago who had this god awful crate rig, with a behringer multi-fx setup that he wouldn't play without...

He was a pretty talented player though, and above average riff writer. I had an ENGL Blackmore at the time that I let him use at a few band rehearsals, and even I couldn't believe how terrible he sounded through it. He just didn't have the patience to understand that his right hand technique was lacking that badly, or wrap his head around how much the kind of tones he was used to were a crutch. I never could get him up to speed. I never bothered to have him try the VHT I was using then.

Played with another guy who had a recto, but very similar habits. After a few months, he learned to dial the gain back and pick more assertively (not super heavy handed like I prefer, but not hiding behind the gain anymore) and it was a dramatic improvement to the overall sound of the band.

 

[CrystalSky]

I got turned onto the Jazz III's in high school, and quickly learned to love them. Then a few years later, they became hard to find at all of the little guitar shops in town (we didn't have a GC back then, and internet sales were in their infancy) so I switched to normal tortex out of necessity. There are some benefits to being able to play comfortably with a normal shaped pick, and I do like being able to easily play different gauges for different applications.

I still keep a few jazz III's around to noodle with though, and something about them still feels natural in a way that I can't quite get from standard picks.

Jazz III gives cool control for solo stuff. I like Tortex and Ultex ones more. Got to try them recently thanks to a forum member. Still I stay with standart sized Tortex, as they fit rhythm parts better for my style. Also tried Ultex Jazz III XL, which was very cool too. The only ones left to try are Flow and TIII. But I can’t decide which thickness to go. I can’t get em every day, or even every month, so gotta choose wisely.

 

[cobrahead1030]

im watching zz top now, billy gibbons is so "polite" to the thing playing his 7's and he gets these ripping tones. i would think he was really laying into it with authority but no lol. he must use a ton of gain

I've always enjoyed watching and hearing him play. He consistently sounds great, with his entire approach to tone being the polar opposite of what works for me.

 

[SpiderWars]

I think a lot of it has to do with what type of amp you came up with. I'm 59 and my right hand is just accustomed to having to dig in to get the goods and it doesn't feel right if I don't have to dig in. But if I play an amp like a 5150 with the gain up high...I feel like I have to 'pick on eggshells' or it has way too much unnecessary noise, mostly pick. And totally different feel. Some of those Scandi players sound tight af but are barely attacking the strings. It's a different horse.

 

[SpiderWars]

I've always enjoyed watching and hearing him play. He consistently sounds great, with his entire approach to tone being the polar opposite of what works for me.

His approach has always been "minimal effort" so he can focus on singing and performing night after night. I always thought Warren Haynes played a SLO because he wanted to be able to play double stops all night and focus on singing. SLOs sound super fat on double stops and he's a huge Billy G fan.

Lol, first time I heard this song I didn't know Billy played on it...until he started playing. Instantly recognizable. Love the Still Raining ref at the end.