I just found your channel and is awesome! it would be great if you also one day start to teach us more exercises or routines for a good tight metal right hand, I mean, all the stuff that made you achieve a killer right arm to play metal. Imo I feel rhythm guitar is kind of underrated. Excellent content and grettings from México!
Thanks Alexis! I appreciate the positive feedback and suggestions! I'm always busy with music projects so I'm a little slow with adding new content but I will definitely get more into rhythm guitar exercises. Rhythm guitar is 90% of the song at least so it has to be good and tight! :)
Hey man this exercise is really helping out a lot and super fast! Thank you so much!! You should make videos talking about how you got to tour with bands and how one would go about getting those kinds of gigs I think that would be awesome!
That’s awesome to hear! I’m really happy that you found the video helpful! I will work on some more videos soon. Your suggestions are great. Thanks! 🤘🏻😁🎸
great exercise! thanks man. i know there are tons of good examples here, but i think World Painted Blood by Slayer is also a great exercise for the picking hand. very fast alternate picking, most of it only on the e string
Master of Puppets, Disposable Heroes, Angel of Death, Chemical Warfare, Indians, Caught In A Mosh, The Toxic Waltz and Over the Wall serves a good picking warmup.
Hi Kragen, thank you for this video. In a future video, would it possible that you teach a few licks and riffs taken from Breaking the Silence's album? Thank you!
@@protokragen Yeah, thank you! Have you any video about lefthand warmup? I have started playing quitar half a year ago. I have been making videos of my progress every since. Can I give you any of my songs for you to check what should i improve? Have a great weekend!
@@dimitrijsprah926 I will have a video for the fretting hand up hopefully tomorrow. Then you’ll have exercises to warm up both hands. The best thing to do is practice slowly and build speed up over time. Be critical of your playing, find your strengths and weaknesses and then work more on the things that are causing you trouble. That way you will always be improving your playing. 🤘🏻😁🎸
@@protokragen Thanks,that would be great. Being self-critic is my virtue. 😄 Here is one of my songs. Heathen is the best! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-VX9nc-sLr08.html
Did you see the left hand warm-up video that I posted yesterday? Just wanted to make sure that you saw it since you asked before. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Uqvr0PAmrog.html
Thank you very much for this video, was very helpful. I agree that chemical warfare by slayer and disposable heroes by Metallica are the perfect songs to practice these picking techniques. Thats how I got it down as well. What guitar is that in the video? Super beautiful, cheers!
Well I’ve got a question! Long time listener, first time caller... I’m so new to guitar that I’m trying to understand why different people hold the pick the way that they do... do you have your thumb at that angle so the pick can slice through the strings efficiently, or is there another reason? Also, is that naturally how you held the pick the first time, or is that something that you developed on purpose for your particular technique? Any insight would help! Thanks! Huge Prototype fan! :)
Hello Mike Heller, longtime Prototype fan and drummer extraordinaire! It seems that you will be mixing those together in the near future! :) In answer to your question, there's no right or wrong way to hold the pick. For me personally, I've found that holding the pick with sort of a diagonal angle works best for fast picking. I have tried various techniques over the years (holding the pick flat, fingers in instead of out on the picking hand, etc.). I also use a Dunlop Tortex Sharp 1.5mm pick now (the thickest that they make). The idea is to have as little resistance as possible when picking the strings with less of the pick touching the strings and the smallest movements possible. The thick pick helps with this as well because it doesn't bend when touching the strings. The strings already move when we hit them with pick. When you take away the "flexing" of the pick there's less resistance. You'll also notice that when I change strings there is some subtle movement of the thumb and index finger holding the pick. This is to help cross the distance between strings more quickly. I don't really think about that at this point, it's just natural to me. Everyone does this just a little bit differently. Anyway, I hope that helps!
Hi! I've been playing guitar for 20 years, but I have never found a proper way to play fast alternate picking riffs. In the last two years I tried to develop this tecnique but with no progress. My problem is that I can't keep my fingers still (the two fingers that hold the pick move around the strings). Any suggestions? Another question: do you keep those two picking fingers stiff or a little soft? Thank you very much
Is the pick moving in your hand while playing? The most important thing is to have a firm grip on the pick but not so tight that you're tensing up. Make the smallest movement possible while picking so that you limit the movement of your hand. Your fingers shouldn't move much at all. If you can do this and be economical with the movement of your hand when picking then you should se some progress. Keep your wrist and forearm muscles loose as well so that your muscles don't lock up. If they do, that's ok. It's part of developing strength and stamina. I have experienced all of this myself over the years and it can be frustrating at times. Just be persistent and you will continue to make improvements in your playing. :)
@@protokragen yeah man, I was almost sure that it was the 1'5 mm, it's a great pick, Jeff Loomis and you couldn't be wrong hehe, and yes man the concert was amazing and you and all your bandmates were the best guys with the fans!! Thanks for all dudes!!
Is that the Ratt guitar? It’s so nice! I haven’t played in like 3 months 😔... still working 2 jobs. when the tax refund comes Id like to get a lesson or two from you!
About the last exercise: the low e and chord, do you recommend resting my pinky on the guitar (below the strings) when playing the chord or should it be on the air? Thank you.
I think it’s ok for your pinky to be on the guitar or in the air, whichever is most comfortable for you. The one thing that you want to be aware of is where your pinky and other fingers are when you lift the palm mute so that they don’t accidentally hit a string and make it ring out. Let me know if that helps. 🤘🏻
If you have one, yes. If not there are a few online metronomes available. Just make sure you set it at a speed where the down picking, gallops and alternate picking are all consistent when playing. If one of them isn't consistent, reduce the speed of the metronome until it is. Then build up the speed slowly focusing on the precision of the picking for the entire exercise. I hope that helps!
Would the goal be to play the Dow picking and gallops all the way through at a slow tempo and slowly increase the speed? And everyday try to speed up a little?
That’s exactly right. Start slowly and make sure that the down picking, gallops and alternate picking is all the same tempo. Slowly building up the speed so that all 3 picking techniques are consistent.
@@adraticofficial think of playing this kind of music in terms of a physical activity (running, lifting weights, etc). You have to build up the muscle endurance over time. Stay consistent with your practice routine and you will build up endurance. If I take a long break from playing I have the same issue. The muscles will atrophy a bit and I have to work to get back to the level of playing I had before. Just practice at least 30 minutes a day and I think you will achieve your goals. 🤘🏻😁
@@adraticofficial keep practicing the exercise until you reach muscle failure and your forearm can’t do it anymore. When this happens you are building muscle strength. Take a break after that and come back to the exercise the next day. Keep repeating it and you’ll see that you can play longer without stopping. If you have a day where you can’t play as long don’t get upset with yourself. Sometimes we use those muscles for another activity, don’t feel well, etc. Just stay consistent and the improvement will come with practice.
Thanks! This tone is the same one that I used on the Heathen "Empire of the Blind" album. It's my Mesa Boogie Mark IV amp that has been turned into a Kemper profile. It sounds crushing!!!
I have seen that model. It looks pretty sick! I have a black E-II Arrow and an SV (Europe only version) but the new colors they’ve had the last couple of years look killer.
I just wish all the ltd line arrows came with reverse headstocks, im trying to save for a ltd arrow BM so i can try to do some prototype covers with it because i don't have a guitar for d standard yet... also so many Add9 chords on your guys albums hurts to play with tiny hands lol
@@pounderpolizzo7269 yeah, those add 9 chords are a stretch, especially lower on the neck. But they sound awesome so we do it even if it’s uncomfortable! 😆
