Simon, this is a terrific follow-up to your tremolo picking tutorial. Dare I say this is the most accurate and clear guide to this technique on YT. You've probably saved us hundreds hours of futile exercises. Thanks and stay sharp!
I don't even play guitar, but love to watch all your videos. Especially the ones with black metal as topic. I think it's the best channel I'd subscribed in the last years on RU-vid. And of course, love your accent.
I dramatically picked up the progression of guitar thanks to your acoustic covers. Went from playing every other day to every day for hours. Also, thank you for this tutorial, I'm going to implement this into my everyday climb
Michael Angel Batio has a dvd called Speed Kills and in the first DVD he starts with the tremolo picking. He explains it clearly. I only can recommend it ^^
I really want to learn how to play a black metal song on guitar, and you are a very big help, I've been watching all your videos for the last 3 months. Thanks for everything Simon ^_^
the opening riff in The Underworld Domains by Old Man's Child is perfect to practice the 4 note-per-string tremolo thing :-), downward pickslanting and a slightly bent wrist are the key, great video and great tips!
Bent-wrist is the fastest method I've found. But one issue with the bent-wrist technique is that you run the risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome down the road. After 11 or 12 years of picking this way, it's come up for me, and I've had to adjust back to using my arm and the straight-wrist method to take the strain off of my wrist. 4:12 The carpal tunnel will feel weird (not really in your fingers per se)- not like muscle fatigue, but more like a pain that radiates from your wrist to your elbow. Some musicians have been affected, namely Demonaz and Kelly Shaefer of Atheist, but I don' t know for certain that they used this technique specifically.
I second your comment. Actually, due to improper picking technique I developed de Quervain syndrome, which is a sort of continuous inflammation in the area where the thumb joins the wrist. Hurts like hell, and it certainly doesn't help play better. Now I'm trying to develop an effortless technique that would almost eliminate any tension.
As far as i remember,if you don’t want to be doomed to suffer from such horrendous pain you need to warm up.Personally,i play some effortless songs and then make switch to more difficult one’s.Besides it,i revolve my wrists and spend 20-30 minutes playing and then i unwind
Will spare some time tomorrow to see this video because it is so useful, i need to get better at picking in general and tremolo is a good start/improvement
Hey Simon!! This is a very effective technique indeed!! These technique is also a very effective technique of playing gypsy jazz. now my lessons gonna come into work!! thanks for that insight.
I used to play with my fingers on the guitar but after seeing Bernth I changed my style. Now I hold my fingers in, and I slowly it is getting easier to play.
practicing without distortion will really help to be more consistent in attack and tempo.... you can easily hear ALL the mistakes that distortion can obscure...
Ben Higgins is a great teacher and top musician so no shame in learning from him,.. I'm sure Ben has picked up plenty of tips and advice from this excellent channel.
thanks for the tips, I dont know why tremolo picking is so hard for me, anything else doesnt really get to me but tryin to keep the wrist going an entire song man... im trying to branch out of just thrash/groove riffs
I've been practicing my tremolo for maybe about two weeks or so I've really improved a lot from before. I'm not even really to into black metal. I like it but it's not my main thing I just actually want to be good at guitar so I want some really good alternate picking.
Very interesting lesson. If I may dare to ask Mr Smith, were your other fingers a bit anchored to the guitar's body during the picking motion? I am eager to know if you allow such a strategy while playing the guitar...
Hi, thanks for all the helpful videos. I was just wondering... which of those Victory amps would you recommend the most for playing black metal? I prefer the more old school stuff like Burzum but play a variety of styles and also stuff like classic rock and NWOBHM. I noticed you playing on a Duchess with an overdrive on another video but I'm not sure how flexible that would be.
7:30 is exactly the kind of thing I'm completely unable to pick. I mostly pick with my arm and I am slowly trying to switch to using my wrist for stamina reasons, I really hope its gonna help!
Hey Simon? Please, at around 5 mn, do you scrum the strings 6 and 5 or only 6th string, please when you explain the picking technique with only 2 notes without moving the other fingers ?
Hi, been following your vids for a while and practising tremolo picking also for a while. When i use my wrist to pick with the arms straights and the wrist anchored to the bridge, it hurts like hell over the elbow. When i pick with the wrist slightly bent and the pick slanted my upstrokes sucks. I quite don't get where to anchor the wrist and how to hold the pick properly in my case. Thx for your work
So Ive learned a few things with these tutorials. However one of the sources I use to learn covers is Guitar Tab Pro app on my cell phone. But once I learn a song off of there, & I watch one on the one line tutorials, it's played completely different. I have been told that because one way of playing a song might be different from another way, doesn't make it necessarily incorrect. Because you can find the same note on different areas of the neck. Would anyone like to speak on this issue? I would hate to spend so much time learning something, only to find out I have it wrong.
great vid mate. one question. i usually use big stubby 2mm dunlop pick, because rounded edge, but maybe it could be a little hard for tremolo (E standard and 10-46 strings). do you think that would be more smooth ussing 1mm pick for tremolo picking through diferents strings?
Thanks for video Simon, I have to work on this. I've got problem with tremolo pick sound. It sounds like there is some sort of harmonics-ringing, and I dont know what I'm doing wrong. Any help?
Use a spectrum analyzer in your DAW to figure out which frequency sounds bad, then use a EQ to block them. It's probably your pickups or something vibrating somewhere on the guitar that's causing it
My advice for your left hand is to try to straighten the wrist, because the strain of tabbing with a bent wrist, especially barre chords, will eventually result in carpal tunnel. The best way to do it is to point the thumb towards the head. You lose some grip strength, but it's far more sustainable.
@@SimonSmithGuitar Finally made the video! It's horrible, but I hope it helps at least a little bit :) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-LxUBA7bTblI.html
I've watched the video a couple times now as well as numerous videos from Troy Grady. I understand downward and upward pickslanting and how they can be used to switch strings. I understand using the rotational movement (like turning a doorknob) that can be used for picking, as opposed to translational movement. However, after all of this and numerous sessions with a metronome, I still can't seem to get the motions down. I cap out at around 120 BPM sixteenth notes with this type of picking (compared to 180+ when using a more "locked" style -- but then string skipping and strumming becomes impossible). Is there any sort of exercises you can recommend for building up to being able to do this? Can you post an update to this video with some additional exercises? I'm a huge fan of the USBM band Ludicra and would like to build up to covering their songs. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-s4hlomShAbs.html
I went to a thumb pick, hard to drop, keeps wrist rigged somehow, can finger pick parts and can tap freely at will. When im done playin theres dust the color of the pick under the strings lol. Good tips though, should deffinately help some folks.
as a beginner I don't get how you palm mute with a bent wrist? I'm sure I tried every degree of freedom but don't touch the strings mit my palm. I think I need a augmented reality video from your Pickingstyle ;) or a few pictures from the ego-view. This would really help or someone can explain what I'm doing wrong/ I want to see. Thank a lot! Great Video
Hey Simon, have you ever played a fanned fret guitar? My girlfriend very kindly bought me a fanned fret 7 string for a 10 year anniversary gift! It's amazing, but I've only been playing normal guitars for 3.5 years! 😆 so I am very much a newbie... thing I'm struggling with is trying to palm mute with fanned frets... feels like I need to slant my hand more? Any advice? Be kind😂
Yes I've played a few and like them, but not purchased one yet. I will at some point though. Can't really give you muting tips as I've not got one and only played one for about 15 minutes. Keep experimenting though...
I think used your older video when I was just learning how to tremolo pick. Yes, Troy Grady has helped as well. I’m back to refining my picking. Also, I developed a magnetic pick that is acrylic and sticks where I put it. I can send you a couple to try out. Let me know where to ship? Or check SVPick.com.
I appreciate the teaching videos, Simon, but it surprises me how many metal guys use such thick picks. I cannot control tremolo picking with such thick picks, esp. on the E string. So, I'm at a .60 or .50 Dunlop pick Nylon or a tortex "flex" type and D'addario 10-46 strings tuned to either Eb, D, or C#. I imagine most people using 1.0 or greater picks are using thicker strings.
Todd Crawford I use Dunlop Stubby 2mm picks with Ernieball Hybrid Slinky on a 25.5” Schecter Hellraiser with FR tuned to D Standard, I can’t stand thinner or bigger picks! I have found that Dunlop Jazz thick picks are the best for tremolo picking, at least for me
Really fast tremolo picking is usually done with a lighter brush-like picking style, so using a floppy thin pick actually makes it harder to get an even sound. I think I that's why players use harder picks for trem picking.
I used to have the same trouble, I'd advice concentrating on keeping your next free finger hovering oven the next note and then when it comes to changing note all you need to do is press down and start playing that string. That way you will be able to play really fast and change note smoothly
i suppose you talk about the right hand? well... a possibility that might work for you is to really move your arm when you change a string. this way you have 2 completely different motions going on, i think it is easier to seperate then ;) and also it usually gives a better tone :p (and yes, works for alternate and economy picking)
Also how do I avoid my pick getting stuck on the strings. I remember that happening when I started playing with my fingers but never knew how I fixed it.
Although you are technically correct, I specifically chose to avoid such techniques, and focused purely on the down strum only technique. Although I usually have to replace my bottom e at the start of every song, I do somehow manage to endure the course of most songs as long as there isn't anything valuable or breakable in the room. On the plus side though, my dog just crouched in the corner of my room, looked me in the eye, and curled one out. So that's nice 😐
The lead guitarist (VJS) especially. However, both him and Ophis have rather unusual styles which are difficult to replicate. VJS picks with a totally stiff wrist and uses the motion of his elbow, while Ophis bends the hand in a peculiar angle which seems very awkward, yet works out for him. I have tried both approaches and couldn't make either of those work for me.
