Lesson 3: Speed Part 1
Developing Speed – Part 1. Let’s set up a good tone for this picking madness guitar lesson. This is purely subjective of course, but here’s how I would tweak the dials. Bass at 6 or 7, midrange around 3, and the treble around 7. Removing the mids gives you a bit smoother tone which I find eliminates a lot of the noise that can occur when you get going at a good pace. I realize a lot of amps nowadays give you a lot more tonal flexibility such as contour, presence, and resonance, so for these controls, just “ear” them out. You will want to use a metronome to build these up to speed. This will help to develop your sense of rhythm so that later when you attempt to use this stuff, you will be able to lock in rhythmically with the rest of the band (otherwise it will sound like a big mess)!
Example 1: This is a tremolo picking exercise in e Minor. It is 32nd notes and 140 bpm (8 notes per click). Use alternate picking starting with a down pick and if you have a neck pick up, use it – it will sound a lot smoother.
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Example 2: This is another good exercise in E minor. It is a little trickier, especially if you are in the habit of using your arm at all when you pick. You should be using only your wrist. I would recommend resting your palm on the bridge (if you do not already). This will allow you to mute the strings with your palm as you ascend. This is 16th note triplets (6 notes per click). Once you get the hang of it, try it descending. Use alternate picking for this exercise as well.
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