The Complete Guitarist is THE place for Rock/Metal/Shred Guitarists to improve their skills and make continuous improvement! Includes Daily Practice Plan! bit.ly/3Jq8jmf
Hey I tried commenting on the video on TH-cam but it won't let me. You're absolutely right falcaro manipulates his students. I use to be one of them. He is very fake, and so is his teacher.
I ended up in the hospital trying one of his techniques, I was better off just fighting the way I know how. I also tried his techniques against fully resisting NYPD officer's (my cousin and his partner) and they did not work. I mean they allowed me to put them in the move and they were able to get out of most of them.
Hi everybody - thanks for all the views & comments! It's an old vid now and I wish I'd said at the time that the method I demonstrate in it is not the only way to pick but it is just one example of how you can observe your body's natural movements and use it to your advantage. Ultimately, the hand angle influences the direction that the pick approaches the strings, which Troy Grady calls pick slanting... we both use different terminology but the idea is the same. The other hand position I refer to, where I say it's "crap" for crossing strings - it's not crap at all. I've since understood its advantages and disadvantages. It depends on whether you change strings after an upstroke or downstroke. It also depends whether you're playing an ascending or descending lick. The same goes for the relaxed, downward pick slanting position I demonstrate. They essentially work best when coupled with the pick strokes that suit the hand position. With a bit of experimentation you'll figure out by changing what pick strokes licks start / end on you will change how comfortable it is to cross strings due to the direction the pick faces when you go to move to the next string.
Great video. I haven't started playing as an adult, yet, but recognize this as among the techniques that apply to the kind of playing I'm after. Great logic, including, it seems, wrist motion that should avoid causing Carpal-Tunnel Syndrome. What I was hoping to hear around 08:00-08:30 was fitness advice around fast-twitch muscular development, toward combining control with endurance. Possibly of interest: www.mensfitness.com/training/build-muscle/muscle-fiber-test?page=2 ... Just one of the first pages I came across. Bodybuilding.com has a lot of quality info on developing the muscles a performing guitarist would, it seems to me, want to target: forearm adduction and abduction muscle groups, focusing on fast-twitch (type-II) muscle. If one can make it past the bicep-kissing douchebaggery to the quality, specific technical instruction in there, or elsewhere on the Web, well, Bob's your uncle. Stretching & flexibility techniques, plus nutrition, could also, with my greatest respect, admiration and thanks, contribute to rounding out the end of this "Aha!" video of yours lol www.stretching-exercises-guide.com/forearm-stretches.html Anyway! Hope this contributes meaningfully. Regards from Alberta, Canada.
drazapatos How long have you been playing guitar? I would recommend that you give it time and get used to using a heavier pick, anything around 1.14mm and above to 1.5mm or even 2mm. It will give you a clearer tone and you will get used to it. In the interest of balance, one of my friends, Darius Wave from Poland uses soft picks and is an incredible picker - much better than me. th-cam.com/video/RhJx5vfZLxo/w-d-xo.html
thanks for the help. Question, which bands inspired you to start playing? and im not a big reader of books but i like cthulhus mitus and i love a book that i found thanks to a video game ( in my opinion best of all time) the book of MYST.
“Your wrist is connected to your arm your arm is corrected to your body “ with your wonderful accent was for me a real “Spinal Tap” moment. Awesome....Thank you for this lesson. Peace
Thanks to everyone for their awesome comments. Sometimes I'm unable to reply to some - I think it's because of Google+ f*cking with everything but please know that I do see them all and appreciate them :)
I'm Jeff, and I am from Michigan, USA I appreciate the way that you put things. I seem to get it and I am gaining ground. I am a writer, so I love a lot of writers. I guess that Robert Jordan tops my list right now(RIP) I am close to my degree in writing and that is in Historical Fiction, though I am working on a short story in SF right now. Pleased to meet you.
Hi Jeff, that's good to hear. Historical Fiction is one of my favourite genres so hope you carry it on.. I might be seeing your stories on amazon one day ?
BenHigginsOfficial I'd be careful playing with that technique. Proper ergonomics dictates a straight wrist. Playing with your wrist at a downward angle like that could have some drastic effects later in life. I guess if Marty Friedman doesn't have super arthritis or tendinitis or anything like that in the next decade then this technique is probably safe enough. But it's something to be aware of at least.
I did that exercise where you shake your hand as fast as you can. I went faster and faster until my hand became a blur and I could see through it, then it just disappeared. My hand is gone. I theorize that it traveled into time either into the future or the past. What is your theory on this matter?
Hmm, yes that could be awkward. You'd have to arrange some sort of joint custody where one hand gets you for part of the week and the other hand for the rest of the week.
BenHigginsOfficial I have a theory about what happened to my hand and where it went. I theorize that it went back into time and got an acting job on television. I believe that it was my missing hand that played the part of thing on the Addams family. I am certain of it.
Thanks for the tips, Ben. I live in Tucson, Arizona, USA. The great Gypsy jazz guitarists often use a totally free floating right hand. They reach amazing speeds, working through very complex lines. The point is, I guess, that there really is no right wrong way to do things. You have said it perfectly: you have to find what works for you. You have given me some great food for thought. I will experiment with you ideas.
You just gave me the best advice I've heard about picking: concentrate on the tip of the pick more than anything else. That really makes a lot of difference, I think!
Great video. Steve from LA here. Yeah big reader couldn't live without it. Guitar has been important since I was a kid. But not seriously. At 56 I've been playing seriously for about 3 years. I stumbled upon this trying to learn "one". The part I have problems with is the rapid strumming. This helped. Thanks
a very informative and well thought out instructional vid. another tip i wish i knew years ago was to keep your wrists warm. good blood flow is so important to a musician.
Great video. I don't understand how some people may dislike this. I've been playing guitar for many years now in a metal band and I still found this video very thoughtful. Great job. Thank you.
+Agony In Suffering Thanks :) I've been focusing on scales lately, working up and down the neck and trying to incorporate my pinky finger too because it doesn't like to cooperate:p
Holy crap, I have the IDENTICAL guitar, same color and everything! It's odd because I have never seen anyone else have one in the 11 years I have owned it.
this is the most informative information I've ever seen. I've been playing (goofing) for 15+ years. I've never been able to get my picking hand to cooperate while trying to learn faster licks and solos, so I've stuck with just rythym. I've never once considered how I hold my pick, the angle of my hand, etc. Kudos to you for making this video.
Best picking advice ever...I had this insight a few years ago, and I thought I was alone, you sir hit the nail on the head; this video is better for developing picking than 90% of the famous instructional videos you see from the greats...good job :)
Very insightful! I have been struggling with a lot of tension and muscle burning in my picking forearm which slows me way the hell down and it's not long before I have to stop for a minute. I've always wondered why Marty Friedman picked like that, but it all makes sense now, thank you! Greetings from the USA!
hey ben, i am 50 years old, i play now for more than 30 years. i am happy with everything, besides i am very lazy with learning songs. i rather play my own stuff. and one thing i couldn't achieve in these 30 years. playing fast. i think i ve tried a lot of things, but always gave up. yes, now the point ;) thanks for your video, i'll start all over again and will try the things you talk about. thanks ben ( i am from austria )
I'm from bury, Manchester, great video man. I was a born classical fingerstyle player and I've been playing guitar for 9 years on my 18th birthday in 8 months ish I will have been playing guitar for 10 years, every day for the last week I've been using a pick and I've been trying these techniques I'm going to keep it up, I come back to your videos to keep refreshing myself to make sure I'm following your guidance. By my 18th birthday I'm going to be able to do both! Thank you kind sir!
Great video! Thanks for sharing what you have learned. While each of us may learn and implement differently; sharing how we each came to our own playing style can help significantly. Thanks again.
You are an absolutely fantastic and articulate teacher, you have just literally overnight solved my 10 year guitar achilles heel of not being able to tremolo pick by applying your advice of almost imagining the guitar pick is resting on the string at all times. I did it almost immediately and was so excited i recorded myself doing a fast continuous tremolo pick for the first time ever! Thank you
When he started demonstrating why locked wrist is bad and to loosen it up. The first thing I thought was "oh, so that's why Marty Friedman's picking hand is almost backwards." This video made a lot of sense. Thanks.
Ive been playing for 20 years and the single most important aspect for speed is practice with a metronome and practice practice practice practice practice. this is the single most important secret or advice anyone can give you. Get a metronome and go at it slowly but steadily speed will follow!
i fully agree. Many guitarists have skipped this thinking the counting is natural in their body. Metronome is a must to build speed and improving playing in tempo.
Here's how to tremble pick in some steps: 1: it's all in the picking hand. No fretboard involved. 2: be comfortable. If u aren't comfortable, then you aren't able to do it for very long. 3: start slow. Very slow. Once you got the technique just speed it up. 4: there is no specific technique. Just find your own technique. Whatever works for you is what you should use.
priceless. so obvious and yet years not realising it. less effort and more efficiency after a few tries already. feeling humbled. thanks m8 you made my day.
To Ben: Your video has helped me a lot. I was on that barrier of comfortability locking me down. I would tense up to much because I was holding my hand in a way that I couldn't control the speed....With this video, I think I've finally found where I can go with speed picking now. It's been such a great help. Thank you for posting this.
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hi there, just discovered your channel, really great advice and tips..thank u for sharing this..very generous... and your playin is fantastic.. cheers from a cold Sweden
Yes and no. Troy Grady is awesome. Hes done a great job of illustrating picking biomechanics. Studying the greats and showing their techniques, sure. BUT... if you are just starting out, you dont need that level of detail. Those solutions are for certain problems that you may not have. I think, and this is just my humble personal opinion, that as a beginner, you need simple clarity. I think Ben Higgins does a great job of showing the way to get started. Once you have the wheels turning, by all means, study the greats and get a deeper understanding of advanced mechanics.
Ben Eller covers a lot of what Troy talks about in Cracking The Code but is great about putting it in a much more digestible fashion. Troy's stuff is great but he throws a lot of info that can be overwhelming for some.
Thank you, I've experimented for years trying to improve my picking. I must say this is probably the best advice anyone can give to someone struggling with this. Thanks again!!!
That's great to hear, Mark! Did you see the other vid called Speed Picking - Everybody Can Do This?' th-cam.com/video/8XPezIRYnpA/w-d-xo.html&t= I've also started a new series called 'How to Play Guitar Faster' so there's going to be tons more coming your way
DUDE! I have been playing for 20 years and know I have a bad habit while speed picking. I was always out of position on my right hand when changing strings. You nailed it! I have been keeping my hand too close to the guitar, its great for one string speed but not when you have to jump. I tend to play that way with my Warlock. I am now working on that technique you showed and I can already feel the difference. Cheers!
Well I am not really shredder, I have some short trips into it, but I always return to classic rock/blues which I just enjoy most (ala Gilmour, Page, Knophler, Clapton, Hendrix, Tony Iommy style) . This is very interesting its fact that those players have some different "code" you may call it "nature" than typical shredders--like they are more of heart and feelings type of people and shredders-speed addicts, seems to be basically more technical, logic type of character. I was also some period of life in illusion that faster I play more it will be cool and appreciated.. Actually I really dont know how much, but lets say there are at least 50% of audience that will not care at all bout ur speed but more whether they feel something or not.. So I am not mainly shredder but I do like to include certain interesting licks like tapping (which I love) , alternate picking, Sweep pickin (which Im still learning actually) hammer on, pull offs.. But this is more like spices, not main meal. Thanks for advices, they are very good :) Of course truth is not linear- with begining and end, concepts of right and wrong, but more like Yin/Yang simbol ..powerful, speed playin is more yang (Steve Vai -Now We Run typical yang song) and emotional slow blues (Still Got Blues) more yin, but it can be also mixed , like speed with slow emotional elements and slow with quick parts.. If you can develop both speed and feel its good. I also experience that Meditation seems to have very good influence on playin --when you are relaxed, with clear mind your potential increase much more, and more deeply you are able to relax more energetic you can be,..that seems contradictory but its actually complementary. To know yourself and be true to yourself its the best and you will feel very good with unlimited enthusiasm like this. All the Best and keep on with your HQ lessons ! :)
Well,you got speed picking down I would say,your damn fast! My teacher was Randy Rhoads,so I grew up in Burbank Ca. ,just a few streets away from him ,so we were friends before he even gave me any lessons ,and no,you couldn't tell by my playing! Actually I was very good ,but I was in a car accident and for the past few years have taught myself to play without any feeling in my left hand,I'm getting better! Anyway ,I was thinking about what he taught me ,and the way to hold the pick,and I would watch him and playing exactly like him,with my fingers out ,pinky sticking out and playing holding the pick kinda (he did this as a way to play fast and hit harmonics). So he would hold it sideways and always fingers out,for style and to cover the pick up to prevent feedback. Anyway,as I progressed I started to close my picking hand a little more so I could increase my speed,I love shredding so.....! I have to think back as he was a 70s hard rock guitarist that completely changing his style to come up with and not just compete but blow away the competition ,and he did,I could not believe when I heard the first album ,and then the second ,just a whole new player emerged .Sorry,I'm getting off track,so I did change what I what he taught me to try and play faster,I ended up going back to what he taught me ,just faster,not close to your speed though ,but it works,plus he wat I hold my pick! So,as far as books,all I read is history ,a lot of WWII ,and world history ,plus books on all the worlds religions ,I do read a lot of religion/history and of course music autobiography ! So there you go.Right now I live in California and Utah! Keep up the good work! -Michael
War Zone I've just got one too! That's what made me click on the vid. Mine hasn't got the locking nut but comes back to pitch fine after bending, and I agree, lovely neck.
New York City here old chap. My son is the guitarist but he gave me an electric guitar for Christmas. Best preset I ever got. Well I gave it to him 4 years ago but it was nice to get it back. Oh i have 81 youtubes but you might not find them of interest.
Yes man, you found the best way to do the picking and there isn't many best ways but the best. I can play very long time fast doing the "floppy wrist".
Your humility is refreshing with regards to your teaching approach. Most speed enthusiasts express themselves with a nervous egotistical energy, but yours is sound. Keep it up.
Hi Ben, I know this is an older video of yours, but I just wanted to say how much I appreciate your having emphasized that everyone is slightly different and there’s no single technique that suits all. No rules, just principles. That said, you explain what works for you clearly and humbly and I can tell that lots of people find that very helpful.
Ted Cabana Haha I can't answer the alcoholic question but it does relax us physically, which I think can be fine for practising and jam sessions. Having a beer and a jam / practise can sometimes lead to good discoveries. Drinking and live work has only ever made me a worse player though - so I think it's different things for different people.
Cool Video Ben. As I age, and recover from several injuries to my wrist, I'm left with scar tissue which hinders my ability to play for long hours and multiple shows per week. I always favored the thumb/index rotation method, but to keep from exhausting my hand I try to change up my techniques after a while. I find the wrist rotation method saves me by the end of the night. And a good shot or two of Jameson helps to keep those muscles relaxed. Though I'm not condoning the use of alcohol, I only use for strict therapeutic purposes in a strictly professional manner. Keep rockin Ben!
Ted Cabana I've always been a beer man myself! ;) For me, alcohol just throws off my hearing perception and motor reflexes but some people are fine on it.. it really is personal but yeah, nowt wrong with a bit of medication!
I've been playing for 17 years now and I've come to the personal opinion that videos like this are practically useless... You either understand through the feedback of your own experience and experimentation or you don't... I think the real reason videos like this exist, and that people watch them, is because people are always looking for the easy way out, and there's always money to be made because of that. Well, with technique it's a matter of time and focused effort. Sadly, most people don't really want to apply themselves. I understand looking for advice, but I think many are looking for the shortcut that doesn't exist.
+Francisco D'anconia There are also those of us who have been playing a long time (30 years ) LOL .. whoenjoy seeing how others have accomplished objectives and put little bits in our bag of tricks...I think if TH-cam was available when I was a kid I might have saved myself from some life long bad habits,and who knows how it would have changed my playing??
By the way, I noticed one thing that Ben didn't specifically call out that was useful to me: as he goes through the scale across the strings, he slides his right forearm down the body of the guitar. That is, he doesn't put a lot of weight on his right arm and doesn't fix it to the guitar body. Allowing the arm to float a little seems to let him move to higher strings and maintain speed and wrist fluidity. It sounds obvious, but I was anchoring my arm to the guitar body, and I bet others have this issue as well. Thanks Ben.
Too much shredding isn't good. 99 percent of studio players can NOT shred above average speed. Think about all of the best solos. Hendrix, Slash, SRV, John Mayer, Brad Paisley, Brent Mason, Jimmi Page. Those guys weren't shredders. They can play fast licks, but they don't ever shred really. It's nice to be able to turn heads, but honestly it's better to have good feel, and tone. I'm not saying that you shouldn't shred, or that shredding isn't AWESOME. What I am saying is that Shredding doesn't make you better than the guitar player next to you. This guy can play faster than Brent Mason, but he is nowhere near being better.
+Rob Williams Hi Rob. I hear what you're saying and if you watch some of my other videos you may be surprised to know I say the same kind of thing. This video is to help guitarists ( whether they be rock, blues, jazz or R&B players ) to find out how to improve a particular aspect that is crucial to playing the instrument. It doesn't matter if it helps someone achieve 20 more bpm or 100. Whatever genre you play, there will be different tempos and some occasions may call for one to be able to play a line that requires some picking at a pace other than slow. It's just a tool to be used in music - it doesn't dictate what kind of music. That's down to the player, whatever floats their boat. But just like a pianist would need to know how to use their fingers whether they play Mozart or Nursery Rhymes, it really doesn't hurt guitarists to be able to get a handle on how to use their hands to their full potential.
+Kim Jong-Un Look up animal behavior outro live at slims theatre (praxis), or soothsayer (buckethead), interworld and the new innocence live versions,... I've been addicted to buckethead for 3 years because of his emotion. Emotion and shredding are completely loose from each other, i'm sick of people saying shredding equals no feeling.
BenHigginsOfficial I understand. My comment wasn't for this video as much as it was for the people commenting. Many are frustrated with their speed, and I was just reminding them that speed is a secondary goal. But every paler is different, and thus their style will be different.
tGhIeNrGmEiRte This debate is futile since music is relative. If shredding is everything to you then that's ok. It's not for me. I won't say that my style is superior. It's all opinion.
Hey Ben, hardly rubbish pseudo science. I used to read books constantly, I'm just getting lazy and what effort and concentration I can summons I try and allocate to guitar study. I did read Dostoevsky Crime and Punishment and it lives up to it's reputation. King's dark tower series are truly time stopping and lastly I like all the Dan Brown stuff. Cheers man
I wrote a book, a science thriller called Death's Grip. And now I'm trying to improve my guitar, which I've played sporadically through the years. Great video. Thanks!
Different Types of anchoring points are also another one of the many variances in a picking hand positioning. Some people anchor fingers of picking hand, some don't. Even fingers curled into a fist or out when picking. It is so great to have these videos to see just how many variances there can be in a picking hand. Thank You for sharing your insights. I love experimenting and learning ideas in music, whether it be in techniques or theory. I am from Connecticut, USA.
That was a very mindblowing truth to me LOL because I SUCK so much at alternate picking, and I have practiced it with my wrist being flat all this time. Now I'll practice it as you've shown and hope for Odin or Osiris that it works. Thanks a lot!!
This is the first of your tutorials I've seen and I'm an instant fan-it made complete sense. The thing is that everyone "gets it" in a different way , unless you're a tiny subset of a guitarists whom were born with it-(after all the work- insert your guitar hero here- had to do too). Thanks for the eye opener! Bruce (Gainesville Florida)
Yep love to read, and I moved here to New Zealand 7 years ago. I hope these little advices you give will let me one day become as good as my hero guitarist Gustavo Cerati
I´m from Sweden, Linköping (125 miles south of Stockolm), Swedens fifth greatest city. Play alot of different styles. I dont want to put myself in a music category. Like Guthrie says; theres only two sorts of music. The good and the bad. Have a great wknd, m8. All the best.
I'm a 50 yr old guitar player from the state of Illinois in the USA. Recently, I decided I wanted to try to get really fast at picking. I used to play professionally, but set the guitar down for many years. I had problems with my elbow hurting from picking wrong all those years. Thank you for the video and the advice on right hand positioning and reduced movement. I will put your advice into action.
also, you've got economy picking if you are going to be shredding on more than one string....down, up, down, down....good lessons man, you explain it well. (houston, tx)
I kinda analysed Marty Friedman's picking because it seemed quite weird and unnatural, but at the end it seemed like the best option for speed picking for me. Plus this lesson helped a lot in "diagnosing" my hands friction and lowering the tensity so my hand could be more relaxed and precise... Thanks a lot man this changed a lot in my playing
Your alternate picking is quite commendable. I liked those tremolo-picked single-note riffs you played on the low E string. I would definitely like to see more shred videos from you that emphasize alternate speed picking across 2 or more strings.
WOW ! Ok so I had bounced around just looking for some good info and this absolutely is working ! In literally 5 minutes I've made more steps than the last 30 minutes! The wrist thing 👌🏻🎸👏🏻
Hi man, thanks ever so much for this. Very clear, I have been overworking it. "keep the tip of the pick as close and efficient as possible". Obvious now. Brilliant, concise, simple, helpful.
Thank you so much for this video. "THEY" didn't tell us! It's either assumed as logical, or too pedantic to deal with. I'm "re-learning" the guitar, & I'll be putting this to use. Best of luck with all your musical endeavours :)
Big Ben...thank you so much......exponentially increased my speed in just a few days...At 62 ....who says you cant teach an old dog new tricks?...thanks again
This is a great video. That's an understatement! Your fashion of explaining everything made much more sense than the manner in which most would explain it. Thank you kindly, for sharing your knowledge! Ciao, from Denver!
I'm from helena montana and I'm not a huge reader but when I do, I read hunting novels and the author I turn to is cj box. He's from Wyoming. and understands the same mountains and other terrain like montana. When I read his books it makes me feel like I'm out hunting sometimes. Your method of picking technique has been working for me. I couldn't keep consistent speeds of picking and my hand/arm got really tired quickly, this video has been more helpful for picking technique than most and I'm glad I found it, thank you!
Ben,I'm living in New Zealand and in 1990 , after playing in bands and jams since the early 70's, I chatted with a young guitarist at a music shop who told me he would give me a few lessons to improve my right hand picking techniques.He was a bit of a metal head but despite this he played with some taste and sensitivity.I spent an hour or two with him over a few weeks and he showed me some exercises.I asked him how Long he had been playing and he said 5 years.As of this year, I still have not improved much at the things he showed me nearly 30 years ago!I'm a patient and hard working guitarist but spending 2 hours a day for two years during the last decades, I still suck! I've never been that good with my hands but love guitar so much I thought hard work could replace lack of natural ability- but I was wrong.I have a very good musical ear and mind intuitively but can never seem to pull off a swift lick or two, even though it isn't my main priority,I can't understand why this is so hard when others seem to find it so easy. my question to you is "what am I missing here?I've tried every way and still get annoyed that I fail consistently.
Hello Ben, I just recently got back into guitar after not touching it for probably over a year. I recently got an amazing deal on an Ibanez Iron Label 7 and this video has really helped me understand my picking hand much better, I luckily found that I was already doing the floppy wrist thing pretty much like you do. But I'm glad that I understand it now. I hope you're still making videos. Thanks again.
I've never thought about how holding your hand straight constricts picking speed. But that makes total sense. Question #1: Scaling Up by Verne Harnish. Question #2: San Diego CA, U.S.
Yes people to tell you where they're from I live in the USA. I just watched this video I enjoyed it very much I agree with you I've been playing on 52 for about 40 years and I play in the same way you do for Speed as far as my wrist and everything it just came natural to me I didn't learn it from anyone. But I have noticed I've watched a lot of videos and searched out videos and how to play faster and they had all kinds of methods and I agree with you that everyone should experiment with the way they play see if it works for them. But for me I found that what you were talking about works very well. Good job I think this video is great I subscribed I'm going to be watching and waiting for videos I think you're a talented musician.
Ben....I'm from NYC and can appreciate your advice...I picked up a guitar extremely late in life to keep me off the motorcycles....had a bad accident and almost lost complete use of my left arm, with major surgery, I have about 65% use of it....plus my kids ask me to stay off the motorcycles as well....anyways been playing a few years....completely self taught and with the help of TH-cam......I have my strong points and weak ones as well due to the left arm injury......but!...I'm always willing to learn, and love learning as well...and always trying to better myself and learn it all....acoustic and electric....I will be chasing this till I die, but I don't mind, I truly enjoy it...I even taught myself how to set up guitars, acoustic's, electrics and even Floyd roses....like they say " better late than never"....cheers!...just subscribed!
I wasn't going to comment until you made the remark about how you are going to feel tension in your right arm... just so you know, this is coming from someone who largely taught himself starting back in the seventies, and had terrible practice habits and nothing like the info available now. But by the nineties I'd actually sorted out a lot of stuff to the point I was able to turn pro and work on cruise ships, which was fantastic. We played every day, but only for two hours: and apart from occasional rehearsals, my time was my own. There was a lot to see and do, but I had huge motivation to practise. Plus I met and learned from an amazing variety of incredible musicians. My point in this is that one of the things that really helped me was also practising t'ai chi, which actually fed directly into my playing in lots of different ways. First, I realised an important thing: muscles (and tendons, in the hand) almost always - sphincters being an exception - work in pairs. And they can ONLY contract. So to bend your forearm, you contract your bicep. Any residual tension will work against that resulting in a loss of speed. This is why t'ai chi players practice REALLY SLOWLY. They're relaxing as much of their body as possible. This also helps your time. At one point I took a month's holiday, and didn't pick up the guitar, bar one time I sat in at a very cool club in Toronto. But the whole time I was away I was paying particular attention to dissolving the tension in my hands for at least an hour a day. When I got back, I settled into playing a regular tune we had to do, "The Auctioneer", a pretty hideous country number that goes from an almost funereal pace to a balls-to-the-wall gallop, slowly ratcheting up over several verses. Hitherto I'd had to simplify my picking pattern a little over half way through: but on my return, and from then on, my hand stayed relaxed and didn't lock up even over prolonged ferocious pace. Likewise one posture of the t'ai chi form I was learning gradually stretched the tendons in my wrists to the poin that my wrist got much floppier, to the extent my rhythm playing on some tunes got a huge boost. I was able to lock in with certain things the (superb) drummer was doing on his hi-hat to most pleasing effect. My point is that that whole burning, tension thing is your enemy. That's how you get injured and, ultimately, tension slows you down. I've never put that much time into picking technique, but my trem picking bucked up a bit after I had to play "Somewhere My Love" (the theme from the film "Love Story") as fake trem picked mandolin for a few months. Getting it smooth and having to play a long lyrical melody with it, then having it reinforced every week was fantastic. Just in case anyone is ROFLMAO at the tunes I mentioned... I also got to play country, jazz (bop, swing, big band, fusion), blues, soul and funk. I got to play with people who'd played with Frank Sinatra and Parliament. I could sit in with a guitar player/singer playing pop hits, a country band, a funk band, a jazz trio... I was in an environment where if there was something you couldn't do, you had four hours to make sure you could, or at least fake it well enough to fit in. I learned to organise my pedalboard to cope with a variety of situations. I learned to read more than chord charts. I learned to write arrangements for whole bands and horn sections. Plus I learned to scuba, and saw a reasonable chunk of the world (the Med, Carribbean, the Azores, Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico). Plus I got exposed to lots of music that most of the kids watching this will disdain. Their loss, entirely. Thanks for the video, Ben. Nice one, but for that one thing. All the best.
I love this vid. I am a 66 year old woman who is beginning to learn guitar. I play a little bluegrass fiddle. I'm at time in my life when I can do the things I love to do. I live in North Carolina, USA. There is access to a lot of music in this area of the country. We have a lot of blues festivals in the summer. There are old time (traditional) and bluegrass festivals almost every week end in the summer, and open jams at the coffee shops and restaurants all year round. This video is very helpful. As a beginner I want to form good habits from the beginning. Reading is cool, don't kid yourself. You might like the "Outlander" series by Diana Gabaldon. Or Joanna Bourne's "Black Hawk". Best of success to you.
The way I handle my alternate picking is pretty much opposite of what is accepted to be "correct". I never took any lessons, and by the time I started seeing stuff like this, I already developed my technique. My hand placement is very closed, like what he demonstrated, and I barely angle the pick at all. It works well for me. The point being, if something feels comfortable, and you can do what you want with it, there really isn't a wrong way to do this. Personally, I think not angling the pick gives me a sharper, more defined sound when I alt pick, and keeping that closed placement allows for really comfortable (and quick) switches between palm muted, and open notes.
Damn! I'm trying this out and everything feels so much smoother! I used to normally play without a pick (Kind of like Chris Zoupa, guitar teacher on youtube) but I wanted a more cleaner sound and when I was using a pick like you did before where switching strings is a bitch it was equally as gross, but after this it feels so much more natural and smoother
I've noticed that the thing that helps is to use your pinky and ring fingers to rest below the pickups so it stabilizes the hand and allows your hand to pivot to different positions more easily and helps mute the strings much better. Everyone I have seen play fast have all done this. I think the only exception is Marty Friedman but he is weird anyway. You have gotta do this first so when you adjust your pick angle the person will learn it in its final playing position. You are very right on pick angle good video dude.
Hi from Houston tx. I liked your video, I'm over 50 and have dabbled on the guitar since I was 15. I took guitar lessons from a professional musician way back and he always had me focus on proper hand posture, running scales and different picking styles ofcourse their really wasn't too much shredding yet,except van halen and Randy Rhoads perhaps but we always focused on learning proper technique slowly and then progressively faster with experience comes speed it takes time, thanks again great video!
I love reading, ham radio and my guitar, I'm from Muscle Shoals, Alabama at on time it was the music recording capital of the world, the Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart and many others recorded here.
On the Carpal Tunnel: I had a Specialist tell me that I needed to perform stretching exercises of the tendons. Very simple, just bend your hand up as far as it will go with the other hand, and hold it there a while. Both hands, daily... It made a huge difference for me. The tendons get too big, and constrict. You stretch them, they thin out. I do this really a couple times a week, or whenever my hands start falling asleep, and it fixes them. It really is that simple. Mark
The Complete Guitarist is THE place for Rock/Metal/Shred Guitarists to improve their skills and make continuous improvement! Includes Daily Practice Plan! bit.ly/3Jq8jmf
BenHigginsOfficial Do you by any chance know what model your Jackson is? because I just got a metallic silver one and am not sure what model it is.
Yes it's a PS4 - Performer series
BenHigginsOfficial Thanks man. 🤘🤘🤘
@@harleymapley2841 use
Thank you British guitar Jesus
Henry we have been blessed
Praise GAWWWD
** someone tries to sweep pick but they just crusify it **
*forgive them father for they know not what they do*
GUNMATH we'll forgive you for your spelling!
GUNMATH
You just crucified crucify
Dude, don't apologize for reading books! Are you kidding? People should apologize for *not* reading. Cheers from Mexico City.
absolutely!
I agree!
Óscar Palacios Ruiz
As he explained it could be seen as geeky and not very METAL⚡ 😂 😁 😎✌️😬
Agreed!
💯
This was the best instruction on speed picking I've ever watched... and I've watched a lot!
Hey I tried commenting on the video on TH-cam but it won't let me. You're absolutely right falcaro manipulates his students. I use to be one of them. He is very fake, and so is his teacher.
Yeah he takes real techniques that he learned a while ago and throws in his own bs
David Blue Too bad. He's really doing a great disservice to his students if any of them ever needs to defend themselves :(
I ended up in the hospital trying one of his techniques, I was better off just fighting the way I know how. I also tried his techniques against fully resisting NYPD officer's (my cousin and his partner) and they did not work. I mean they allowed me to put them in the move and they were able to get out of most of them.
David Blue Who is this Falcaro guy ? Is he one of those BS martial arts instructors ?
Hi everybody - thanks for all the views & comments! It's an old vid now and I wish I'd said at the time that the method I demonstrate in it is not the only way to pick but it is just one example of how you can observe your body's natural movements and use it to your advantage. Ultimately, the hand angle influences the direction that the pick approaches the strings, which Troy Grady calls pick slanting... we both use different terminology but the idea is the same.
The other hand position I refer to, where I say it's "crap" for crossing strings - it's not crap at all. I've since understood its advantages and disadvantages. It depends on whether you change strings after an upstroke or downstroke. It also depends whether you're playing an ascending or descending lick. The same goes for the relaxed, downward pick slanting position I demonstrate. They essentially work best when coupled with the pick strokes that suit the hand position. With a bit of experimentation you'll figure out by changing what pick strokes licks start / end on you will change how comfortable it is to cross strings due to the direction the pick faces when you go to move to the next string.
Great video. I haven't started playing as an adult, yet, but recognize this as among the techniques that apply to the kind of playing I'm after.
Great logic, including, it seems, wrist motion that should avoid causing Carpal-Tunnel Syndrome.
What I was hoping to hear around 08:00-08:30 was fitness advice around fast-twitch muscular development, toward combining control with endurance.
Possibly of interest:
www.mensfitness.com/training/build-muscle/muscle-fiber-test?page=2
... Just one of the first pages I came across.
Bodybuilding.com has a lot of quality info on developing the muscles a performing guitarist would, it seems to me, want to target: forearm adduction and abduction muscle groups, focusing on fast-twitch (type-II) muscle. If one can make it past the bicep-kissing douchebaggery to the quality, specific technical instruction in there, or elsewhere on the Web, well, Bob's your uncle.
Stretching & flexibility techniques, plus nutrition, could also, with my greatest respect, admiration and thanks, contribute to rounding out the end of this "Aha!" video of yours lol
www.stretching-exercises-guide.com/forearm-stretches.html
Anyway! Hope this contributes meaningfully. Regards from Alberta, Canada.
Thanks, this really made sense to me!
From New Zealand btw.
drazapatos How long have you been playing guitar? I would recommend that you give it time and get used to using a heavier pick, anything around 1.14mm and above to 1.5mm or even 2mm. It will give you a clearer tone and you will get used to it. In the interest of balance, one of my friends, Darius Wave from Poland uses soft picks and is an incredible picker - much better than me. th-cam.com/video/RhJx5vfZLxo/w-d-xo.html
thanks for the help. Question, which bands inspired you to start playing? and im not a big reader of books but i like cthulhus mitus and i love a book that i found thanks to a video game ( in my opinion best of all time) the book of MYST.
Omar Rodriguez Iron Maiden, Guns and Van Halen were some of the earliest rock / metal bands I was exposed to but Maiden were the ones for me
“Your wrist is connected to your arm your arm is corrected to your body “ with your wonderful accent was for me a real “Spinal Tap” moment. Awesome....Thank you for this lesson. Peace
Thanks to everyone for their awesome comments. Sometimes I'm unable to reply to some - I think it's because of Google+ f*cking with everything but please know that I do see them all and appreciate them :)
thanks man ! I 'm from Indonesia !
I'm Jeff, and I am from Michigan, USA I appreciate the way that you put things. I seem to get it and I am gaining ground. I am a writer, so I love a lot of writers. I guess that Robert Jordan tops my list right now(RIP) I am close to my degree in writing and that is in Historical Fiction, though I am working on a short story in SF right now. Pleased to meet you.
Hi Jeff, that's good to hear. Historical Fiction is one of my favourite genres so hope you carry it on.. I might be seeing your stories on amazon one day ?
Dude u would look so slick with shorter hair
BenHigginsOfficial I'd be careful playing with that technique. Proper ergonomics dictates a straight wrist. Playing with your wrist at a downward angle like that could have some drastic effects later in life. I guess if Marty Friedman doesn't have super arthritis or tendinitis or anything like that in the next decade then this technique is probably safe enough. But it's something to be aware of at least.
I did that exercise where you shake your hand as fast as you can.
I went faster and faster until my hand became a blur and I could see through it, then it just disappeared.
My hand is gone.
I theorize that it traveled into time either into the future or the past.
What is your theory on this matter?
Klatu Baradanikto My theory is that you need a new hand!
BenHigginsOfficial
Sounds reasonable, but what if my old hand returns?
Wouldn't it be a bit awkward and embarrassing?
Hmm, yes that could be awkward. You'd have to arrange some sort of joint custody where one hand gets you for part of the week and the other hand for the rest of the week.
BenHigginsOfficial
I have a theory about what happened to my hand and where it went.
I theorize that it went back into time and got an acting job on television.
I believe that it was my missing hand that played the part of thing on the Addams family.
I am certain of it.
Klatu Baradanikto Well in that case it's brilliant to see your hand getting some success.
Thanks for the tips, Ben. I live in Tucson, Arizona, USA. The great Gypsy jazz guitarists often use a totally free floating right hand. They reach amazing speeds, working through very complex lines. The point is, I guess, that there really is no right wrong way to do things. You have said it perfectly: you have to find what works for you. You have given me some great food for thought. I will experiment with you ideas.
You just gave me the best advice I've heard about picking: concentrate on the tip of the pick more than anything else. That really makes a lot of difference, I think!
Great video. Steve from LA here. Yeah big reader couldn't live without it. Guitar has been important since I was a kid. But not seriously. At 56 I've been playing seriously for about 3 years. I stumbled upon this trying to learn "one". The part I have problems with is the rapid strumming. This helped. Thanks
a very informative and well thought out instructional vid. another tip i wish i knew years ago was to keep your wrists warm. good blood flow is so important to a musician.
Absolutely !
Great video. I don't understand how some people may dislike this. I've been playing guitar for many years now in a metal band and I still found this video very thoughtful. Great job. Thank you.
'So it's up here'
*amazing guitar playing*
'rather than down here'
I can't wait to get gud
scale runs - use a metronome - get used to each pattern of any scale you want to learn. then you can shred.
+Agony In Suffering Yeah h
kinda...
look me up Georgia. Are you still playing guitar ??!
Wanna smash?
+Agony In Suffering Thanks :) I've been focusing on scales lately, working up and down the neck and trying to incorporate my pinky finger too because it doesn't like to cooperate:p
Holy crap, I have the IDENTICAL guitar, same color and everything! It's odd because I have never seen anyone else have one in the 11 years I have owned it.
I have a similar Jackson :v
QUAZAR Wow 2 people now, where were you all hiding the last 11 years? lol
+95TurboSol xD
+95TurboSol 3 people now jaja
daniel Hernandez My world has been turned upside down lol
this is the most informative information I've ever seen. I've been playing (goofing) for 15+ years. I've never been able to get my picking hand to cooperate while trying to learn faster licks and solos, so I've stuck with just rythym. I've never once considered how I hold my pick, the angle of my hand, etc. Kudos to you for making this video.
+Jeremy Morris Thanks Jeremy, that's definitely my intention with this vid.
Best picking advice ever...I had this insight a few years ago, and I thought I was alone, you sir hit the nail on the head; this video is better for developing picking than 90% of the famous instructional videos you see from the greats...good job :)
Very insightful! I have been struggling with a lot of tension and muscle burning in my picking forearm which slows me way the hell down and it's not long before I have to stop for a minute. I've always wondered why Marty Friedman picked like that, but it all makes sense now, thank you! Greetings from the USA!
Now that someone else is saying it, it seems obvious, but this is all stuff that I'd never thought about. Awesome.
hey ben, i am 50 years old, i play now for more than 30 years. i am happy with everything, besides i am very lazy with learning songs. i rather play my own stuff. and one thing i couldn't achieve in these 30 years. playing fast. i think i ve tried a lot of things, but always gave up. yes, now the point ;) thanks for your video, i'll start all over again and will try the things you talk about. thanks ben ( i am from austria )
I'm from bury, Manchester, great video man. I was a born classical fingerstyle player and I've been playing guitar for 9 years on my 18th birthday in 8 months ish I will have been playing guitar for 10 years, every day for the last week I've been using a pick and I've been trying these techniques I'm going to keep it up, I come back to your videos to keep refreshing myself to make sure I'm following your guidance. By my 18th birthday I'm going to be able to do both! Thank you kind sir!
Great video! Thanks for sharing what you have learned. While each of us may learn and implement differently; sharing how we each came to our own playing style can help significantly. Thanks again.
absolute clarity!
nicely done, sir!
Thanks for the video! It's one of the best videos on this topic really! (I've seen hundreds)
Roman Styx (music production, mixing, mastering) Thanks Roman
You are an absolutely fantastic and articulate teacher, you have just literally overnight solved my 10 year guitar achilles heel of not being able to tremolo pick by applying your advice of almost imagining the guitar pick is resting on the string at all times.
I did it almost immediately and was so excited i recorded myself doing a fast continuous tremolo pick for the first time
ever! Thank you
Wow - excellent!!!
When he started demonstrating why locked wrist is bad and to loosen it up. The first thing I thought was "oh, so that's why Marty Friedman's picking hand is almost backwards." This video made a lot of sense. Thanks.
Hey! Dude!, I'm From India. Cool vid, loved it and am a huge guitar enthuziast. Awsome vid. Looking forward to more!
Tzankz
Ive been playing for 20 years and the single most important aspect for speed is practice with a metronome and practice practice practice practice practice. this is the single most important secret or advice anyone can give you. Get a metronome and go at it slowly but steadily speed will follow!
i fully agree. Many guitarists have skipped this thinking the counting is natural in their body. Metronome is a must to build speed and improving playing in tempo.
Here's how to tremble pick in some steps:
1: it's all in the picking hand. No fretboard involved.
2: be comfortable. If u aren't comfortable, then you aren't able to do it for very long.
3: start slow. Very slow. Once you got the technique just speed it up.
4: there is no specific technique. Just find your own technique. Whatever works for you is what you should use.
priceless. so obvious and yet years not realising it. less effort and more efficiency after a few tries already. feeling humbled. thanks m8 you made my day.
To Ben: Your video has helped me a lot. I was on that barrier of comfortability locking me down. I would tense up to much because I was holding my hand in a way that I couldn't control the speed....With this video, I think I've finally found where I can go with speed picking now. It's been such a great help. Thank you for posting this.
hi there, just discovered your channel, really great advice and tips..thank u
for sharing this..very generous... and your playin is fantastic.. cheers from a cold Sweden
Just check out Troy Grady. Everything you need to know about picking!
Yes and no. Troy Grady is awesome. Hes done a great job of illustrating picking biomechanics. Studying the greats and showing their techniques, sure. BUT... if you are just starting out, you dont need that level of detail. Those solutions are for certain problems that you may not have.
I think, and this is just my humble personal opinion, that as a beginner, you need simple clarity. I think Ben Higgins does a great job of showing the way to get started. Once you have the wheels turning, by all means, study the greats and get a deeper understanding of advanced mechanics.
Ben Eller covers a lot of what Troy talks about in Cracking The Code but is great about putting it in a much more digestible fashion. Troy's stuff is great but he throws a lot of info that can be overwhelming for some.
@@saadshah7857 I started learning guitar 2 weeks ago. Troy's videos are really really helping me. So yeah. As a beginner I vouch for Troy.
@@invadercivic2774 If its helping, then that's great!
Thank you, I've experimented for years trying to improve my picking. I must say this is probably the best advice anyone can give to someone struggling with this. Thanks again!!!
That's great to hear, Mark! Did you see the other vid called Speed Picking - Everybody Can Do This?' th-cam.com/video/8XPezIRYnpA/w-d-xo.html&t= I've also started a new series called 'How to Play Guitar Faster' so there's going to be tons more coming your way
DUDE! I have been playing for 20 years and know I have a bad habit while speed picking. I was always out of position on my right hand when changing strings. You nailed it! I have been keeping my hand too close to the guitar, its great for one string speed but not when you have to jump. I tend to play that way with my Warlock. I am now working on that technique you showed and I can already feel the difference. Cheers!
Well I am not really shredder, I have some short trips into it, but I always return to classic rock/blues which I just enjoy most (ala Gilmour, Page, Knophler, Clapton, Hendrix, Tony Iommy style) . This is very interesting its fact that those players have some different "code" you may call it "nature" than typical shredders--like they are more of heart and feelings type of people and shredders-speed addicts, seems to be basically more technical, logic type of character. I was also some period of life in illusion that faster I play more it will be cool and appreciated.. Actually I really dont know how much, but lets say there are at least 50% of audience that will not care at all bout ur speed but more whether they feel something or not.. So I am not mainly shredder but I do like to include certain interesting licks like tapping (which I love) , alternate picking, Sweep pickin (which Im still learning actually) hammer on, pull offs.. But this is more like spices, not main meal. Thanks for advices, they are very good :)
Of course truth is not linear- with begining and end, concepts of right and wrong, but more like Yin/Yang simbol ..powerful, speed playin is more yang (Steve Vai -Now We Run typical yang song) and emotional slow blues (Still Got Blues) more yin, but it can be also mixed , like speed with slow emotional elements and slow with quick parts..
If you can develop both speed and feel its good.
I also experience that Meditation seems to have very good influence on playin --when you are relaxed, with clear mind your potential increase much more, and more deeply you are able to relax more energetic you can be,..that seems contradictory but its actually complementary.
To know yourself and be true to yourself its the best and you will feel very good with unlimited enthusiasm like this. All the Best and keep on with your HQ lessons ! :)
Well,you got speed picking down I would say,your damn fast! My teacher was Randy Rhoads,so I grew up in Burbank Ca. ,just a few streets away from him ,so we were friends before he even gave me any lessons ,and no,you couldn't tell by my playing! Actually I was very good ,but I was in a car accident and for the past few years have taught myself to play without any feeling in my left hand,I'm getting better! Anyway ,I was thinking about what he taught me ,and the way to hold the pick,and I would watch him and playing exactly like him,with my fingers out ,pinky sticking out and playing holding the pick kinda (he did this as a way to play fast and hit harmonics). So he would hold it sideways and always fingers out,for style and to cover the pick up to prevent feedback. Anyway,as I progressed I started to close my picking hand a little more so I could increase my speed,I love shredding so.....! I have to think back as he was a 70s hard rock guitarist that completely changing his style to come up with and not just compete but blow away the competition ,and he did,I could not believe when I heard the first album ,and then the second ,just a whole new player emerged .Sorry,I'm getting off track,so I did change what I what he taught me to try and play faster,I ended up going back to what he taught me ,just faster,not close to your speed though ,but it works,plus he wat I hold my pick! So,as far as books,all I read is history ,a lot of WWII ,and world history ,plus books on all the worlds religions ,I do read a lot of religion/history and of course music autobiography ! So there you go.Right now I live in California and Utah! Keep up the good work! -Michael
That's awesome, man - Randy was epic!
I know what a secret of speed - it is a Jackson! :D
War Zone
I've just got one too! That's what made me click on the vid.
Mine hasn't got the locking nut but comes back to pitch fine after bending, and I agree, lovely neck.
Deividaxxx I just got a soloist sl2q it's the best neck shape ever!
New York City here old chap. My son is the guitarist but he gave me an electric guitar for Christmas. Best preset I ever got. Well I gave it to him 4 years ago but it was nice to get it back. Oh i have 81 youtubes but you might not find them of interest.
Yes man, you found the best way to do the picking and there isn't many best ways but the best. I can play very long time fast doing the "floppy wrist".
I'm faster at picking my nose than the guitar
:D
465marko LOOOOL! XD
Do you alternate pick with your thumb and pinky?
🤯🤢🤮
Good video. Anything to help keep from ruining one's tendons helps. By the way you look like Sawyer from Lost lol.
+Helium Road Haha, quite a few people have said the Sawyer thing but I can't see it. He was the best character, though :D
you slightly resemble the drummer of opeth lol or maybe im just drunk
Maybe both! :)
Krookiemonster Imagine my surprise, I was thinking the same thing and then read your comment ! lol
Daniel Tarsitana buckethead is god btw
Krookiemonster, reminded me of Bill steer from carcass, just bearded.
its fucking Axe I knew it!
Your humility is refreshing with regards to your teaching approach. Most speed enthusiasts express themselves with a nervous egotistical energy, but yours is sound. Keep it up.
Hi Ben, I know this is an older video of yours, but I just wanted to say how much I appreciate your having emphasized that everyone is slightly different and there’s no single technique that suits all. No rules, just principles. That said, you explain what works for you clearly and humbly and I can tell that lots of people find that very helpful.
Thanks Steve
Do ya think a few drinks before a live show helps to loosen up the hand a bit? I do! Or am I just an freak'en alcoholic?
Ted Cabana Haha I can't answer the alcoholic question but it does relax us physically, which I think can be fine for practising and jam sessions. Having a beer and a jam / practise can sometimes lead to good discoveries. Drinking and live work has only ever made me a worse player though - so I think it's different things for different people.
Cool Video Ben. As I age, and recover from several injuries to my wrist, I'm left with scar tissue which hinders my ability to play for long hours and multiple shows per week. I always favored the thumb/index rotation method, but to keep from exhausting my hand I try to change up my techniques after a while. I find the wrist rotation method saves me by the end of the night. And a good shot or two of Jameson helps to keep those muscles relaxed. Though I'm not condoning the use of alcohol, I only use for strict therapeutic purposes in a strictly professional manner. Keep rockin Ben!
Ted Cabana I've always been a beer man myself! ;) For me, alcohol just throws off my hearing perception and motor reflexes but some people are fine on it.. it really is personal but yeah, nowt wrong with a bit of medication!
It takes a lot of practice to get used to.
Honestly maybe a shot of anything is ok, but more effectively, smoke a joint. But this is just advise
Books are good: sci fi.
New Zealand.
water is wet
Norway
fire burns.
Italy
Humans have hands
U.K.
Nobody cares about Poland
Poland
Not true!! Poland ROCKS!
I've been playing for 17 years now and I've come to the personal opinion that videos like this are practically useless... You either understand through the feedback of your own experience and experimentation or you don't... I think the real reason videos like this exist, and that people watch them, is because people are always looking for the easy way out, and there's always money to be made because of that. Well, with technique it's a matter of time and focused effort. Sadly, most people don't really want to apply themselves. I understand looking for advice, but I think many are looking for the shortcut that doesn't exist.
Totally agree with you
+Francisco D'anconia There are also those of us who have been playing a long time (30 years ) LOL .. whoenjoy seeing how others have accomplished objectives and put little bits in our bag of tricks...I think if TH-cam was available when I was a kid I might have saved myself from some life long bad habits,and who knows how it would have changed my playing??
Horizon2142 Valid point for sure :)
This is probably the best explanation of stuff you have to figure out yourself. Great input.
By the way, I noticed one thing that Ben didn't specifically call out that was useful to me: as he goes through the scale across the strings, he slides his right forearm down the body of the guitar. That is, he doesn't put a lot of weight on his right arm and doesn't fix it to the guitar body. Allowing the arm to float a little seems to let him move to higher strings and maintain speed and wrist fluidity. It sounds obvious, but I was anchoring my arm to the guitar body, and I bet others have this issue as well. Thanks Ben.
sexy hair brother
Ashish Bindu RIP hair
Too much shredding isn't good. 99 percent of studio players can NOT shred above average speed. Think about all of the best solos. Hendrix, Slash, SRV, John Mayer, Brad Paisley, Brent Mason, Jimmi Page. Those guys weren't shredders. They can play fast licks, but they don't ever shred really. It's nice to be able to turn heads, but honestly it's better to have good feel, and tone. I'm not saying that you shouldn't shred, or that shredding isn't AWESOME. What I am saying is that Shredding doesn't make you better than the guitar player next to you. This guy can play faster than Brent Mason, but he is nowhere near being better.
+Rob Williams Hi Rob. I hear what you're saying and if you watch some of my other videos you may be surprised to know I say the same kind of thing. This video is to help guitarists ( whether they be rock, blues, jazz or R&B players ) to find out how to improve a particular aspect that is crucial to playing the instrument. It doesn't matter if it helps someone achieve 20 more bpm or 100.
Whatever genre you play, there will be different tempos and some occasions may call for one to be able to play a line that requires some picking at a pace other than slow. It's just a tool to be used in music - it doesn't dictate what kind of music. That's down to the player, whatever floats their boat. But just like a pianist would need to know how to use their fingers whether they play Mozart or Nursery Rhymes, it really doesn't hurt guitarists to be able to get a handle on how to use their hands to their full potential.
+Rob Williams I think of the best solo's, i don't think of slash, hendrix, page,...
+Kim Jong-Un Look up animal behavior outro live at slims theatre (praxis), or soothsayer (buckethead), interworld and the new innocence live versions,...
I've been addicted to buckethead for 3 years because of his emotion. Emotion and shredding are completely loose from each other, i'm sick of people saying shredding equals no feeling.
BenHigginsOfficial I understand. My comment wasn't for this video as much as it was for the people commenting. Many are frustrated with their speed, and I was just reminding them that speed is a secondary goal. But every paler is different, and thus their style will be different.
tGhIeNrGmEiRte This debate is futile since music is relative. If shredding is everything to you then that's ok. It's not for me. I won't say that my style is superior. It's all opinion.
finally someone who knows/understands that its what feels right to you when picking..great video man. \m/!!
one of the most intelligent speed picking lesson I've seen.... :)
thank you !!! it DOES make a lot of sense !!!
time to start practicing.....
barcelona - eivissa here
I noticed my picking and strumming is much faster with the wrist angle technique you suggested. Thank's for the tip! :) Rock On!
Glad to help, Michael
this guy is intelligent, eloquent and talented. not a waisted word. impressive chops to boot! KUDOS!!! coming from a guitar player of 38 years. :)
Hey Ben, hardly rubbish pseudo science. I used to read books constantly, I'm just getting lazy and what effort and concentration I can summons I try and allocate to guitar study. I did read Dostoevsky Crime and Punishment and it lives up to it's reputation. King's dark tower series are truly time stopping and lastly I like all the Dan Brown stuff. Cheers man
I wrote a book, a science thriller called Death's Grip. And now I'm trying to improve my guitar, which I've played sporadically through the years. Great video. Thanks!
I've been playing for 35 years and believe me the hardest thing is to play slowly imo...just a thought and twist on this excellent vid.
+andy owen Yes it definitely can be
Different Types of anchoring points are also another one of the many variances in a picking hand positioning. Some people anchor fingers of picking hand, some don't. Even fingers curled into a fist or out when picking. It is so great to have these videos to see just how many variances there can be in a picking hand. Thank You for sharing your insights. I love experimenting and learning ideas in music, whether it be in techniques or theory. I am from
Connecticut, USA.
That was a very mindblowing truth to me LOL because I SUCK so much at alternate picking, and I have practiced it with my wrist being flat all this time. Now I'll practice it as you've shown and hope for Odin or Osiris that it works. Thanks a lot!!
Go for it... and maybe throw Zeus in there as well for good measure, just to cover more bases!
This is the first of your tutorials I've seen and I'm an instant fan-it made complete sense. The thing is that everyone "gets it" in a different way , unless you're a tiny subset of a guitarists whom were born with it-(after all the work- insert your guitar hero here- had to do too). Thanks for the eye opener! Bruce (Gainesville Florida)
Yep love to read, and I moved here to New Zealand 7 years ago. I hope these little advices you give will let me one day become as good as my hero guitarist Gustavo Cerati
I´m from Sweden, Linköping (125 miles south of Stockolm), Swedens fifth greatest city. Play alot of different styles. I dont want to put myself in a music category. Like Guthrie says; theres only two sorts of music. The good and the bad. Have a great wknd, m8. All the best.
This was the video, the lesson, I've been looking for all my life. Bless you sir!
lol this almost has 1M views and I completely see why. Can't thank you enough for helping me find the missing link
Thanks, I'm glad to have been of service ;)
Great point on thinking about just the pick moving....
I'm a 50 yr old guitar player from the state of Illinois in the USA. Recently, I decided I wanted to try to get really fast at picking. I used to play professionally, but set the guitar down for many years. I had problems with my elbow hurting from picking wrong all those years. Thank you for the video and the advice on right hand positioning and reduced movement. I will put your advice into action.
also, you've got economy picking if you are going to be shredding on more than one string....down, up, down, down....good lessons man, you explain it well. (houston, tx)
I've been playing for almost forty years and still learn something new every time I pick up the guitar
I kinda analysed Marty Friedman's picking because it seemed quite weird and unnatural, but at the end it seemed like the best option for speed picking for me. Plus this lesson helped a lot in "diagnosing" my hands friction and lowering the tensity so my hand could be more relaxed and precise... Thanks a lot man this changed a lot in my playing
Your alternate picking is quite commendable. I liked those tremolo-picked single-note riffs you played on the low E string. I would definitely like to see more shred videos from you that emphasize alternate speed picking across 2 or more strings.
Hi, thanks for the video. Like you said, building picking speed takes time, effort, and the need to push one's self.
I'm from South Africa by the way
WOW ! Ok so I had bounced around just looking for some good info and this absolutely is working !
In literally 5 minutes I've made more steps than the last 30 minutes!
The wrist thing 👌🏻🎸👏🏻
In my humble opinion, you'd make a very good and patient teacher ;) Cheers, man. Very good pieces of advice. Greetings from Poland.
That loose hanging wrist thing was priceless mate! Thanks!
thank you for the lesson, makes sense. Im from Philippines but I migrated and living here in Canada.
👍👍🍩🍩
Hi man, thanks ever so much for this. Very clear, I have been overworking it. "keep the tip of the pick as close and efficient as possible". Obvious now. Brilliant, concise, simple, helpful.
Glad to help!
Thank you so much for this video. "THEY" didn't tell us! It's either assumed as logical, or too pedantic to deal with. I'm "re-learning" the guitar, & I'll be putting this to use.
Best of luck with all your musical endeavours :)
Big Ben...thank you so much......exponentially increased my speed in just a few days...At 62 ....who says you cant teach an old dog new tricks?...thanks again
That's brilliant man!
No...just following your lead.....its you thats brilliant
This is a great video. That's an understatement! Your fashion of explaining everything made much more sense than the manner in which most would explain it. Thank you kindly, for sharing your knowledge! Ciao, from Denver!
I'm from helena montana and I'm not a huge reader but when I do, I read hunting novels and the author I turn to is cj box. He's from Wyoming. and understands the same mountains and other terrain like montana. When I read his books it makes me feel like I'm out hunting sometimes. Your method of picking technique has been working for me. I couldn't keep consistent speeds of picking and my hand/arm got really tired quickly, this video has been more helpful for picking technique than most and I'm glad I found it, thank you!
Great Lesson Connecticut U.S.A. here!
Ben,I'm living in New Zealand and in 1990 , after playing in bands and jams since the early 70's, I chatted with a young guitarist at a music shop who told me he would give me a few lessons to improve my right hand picking techniques.He was a bit of a metal head but despite this he played with some taste and sensitivity.I spent an hour or two with him over a few weeks and he showed me some exercises.I asked him how Long he had been playing and he said 5 years.As of this year, I still have not improved much at the things he showed me nearly 30 years ago!I'm a patient and hard working guitarist but spending 2 hours a day for two years during the last decades, I still suck! I've never been that good with my hands but love guitar so much I thought hard work could replace lack of natural ability- but I was wrong.I have a very good musical ear and mind intuitively but can never seem to pull off a swift lick or two, even though it isn't my main priority,I can't understand why this is so hard when others seem to find it so easy. my question to you is "what am I missing here?I've tried every way and still get annoyed that I fail consistently.
I'm a guitarist/songwriter from Detroit Michigan. I think your videos are great to the point and well articulated. Your playing is also stellar!
Hello Ben, I just recently got back into guitar after not touching it for probably over a year. I recently got an amazing deal on an Ibanez Iron Label 7 and this video has really helped me understand my picking hand much better, I luckily found that I was already doing the floppy wrist thing pretty much like you do. But I'm glad that I understand it now. I hope you're still making videos. Thanks again.
I've never thought about how holding your hand straight constricts picking speed. But that makes total sense. Question #1: Scaling Up by Verne Harnish. Question #2: San Diego CA, U.S.
Yes people to tell you where they're from I live in the USA. I just watched this video I enjoyed it very much I agree with you I've been playing on 52 for about 40 years and I play in the same way you do for Speed as far as my wrist and everything it just came natural to me I didn't learn it from anyone. But I have noticed I've watched a lot of videos and searched out videos and how to play faster and they had all kinds of methods and I agree with you that everyone should experiment with the way they play see if it works for them. But for me I found that what you were talking about works very well. Good job I think this video is great I subscribed I'm going to be watching and waiting for videos I think you're a talented musician.
Ben....I'm from NYC and can appreciate your advice...I picked up a guitar extremely late in life to keep me off the motorcycles....had a bad accident and almost lost complete use of my left arm, with major surgery, I have about 65% use of it....plus my kids ask me to stay off the motorcycles as well....anyways been playing a few years....completely self taught and with the help of TH-cam......I have my strong points and weak ones as well due to the left arm injury......but!...I'm always willing to learn, and love learning as well...and always trying to better myself and learn it all....acoustic and electric....I will be chasing this till I die, but I don't mind, I truly enjoy it...I even taught myself how to set up guitars, acoustic's, electrics and even Floyd roses....like they say " better late than never"....cheers!...just subscribed!
Thanks for the comments. It's good that you're still here with us and able to enjoy the guitar :)
I wasn't going to comment until you made the remark about how you are going to feel tension in your right arm... just so you know, this is coming from someone who largely taught himself starting back in the seventies, and had terrible practice habits and nothing like the info available now. But by the nineties I'd actually sorted out a lot of stuff to the point I was able to turn pro and work on cruise ships, which was fantastic. We played every day, but only for two hours: and apart from occasional rehearsals, my time was my own. There was a lot to see and do, but I had huge motivation to practise. Plus I met and learned from an amazing variety of incredible musicians.
My point in this is that one of the things that really helped me was also practising t'ai chi, which actually fed directly into my playing in lots of different ways. First, I realised an important thing: muscles (and tendons, in the hand) almost always - sphincters being an exception - work in pairs. And they can ONLY contract. So to bend your forearm, you contract your bicep. Any residual tension will work against that resulting in a loss of speed. This is why t'ai chi players practice REALLY SLOWLY. They're relaxing as much of their body as possible. This also helps your time.
At one point I took a month's holiday, and didn't pick up the guitar, bar one time I sat in at a very cool club in Toronto. But the whole time I was away I was paying particular attention to dissolving the tension in my hands for at least an hour a day. When I got back, I settled into playing a regular tune we had to do, "The Auctioneer", a pretty hideous country number that goes from an almost funereal pace to a balls-to-the-wall gallop, slowly ratcheting up over several verses. Hitherto I'd had to simplify my picking pattern a little over half way through: but on my return, and from then on, my hand stayed relaxed and didn't lock up even over prolonged ferocious pace.
Likewise one posture of the t'ai chi form I was learning gradually stretched the tendons in my wrists to the poin that my wrist got much floppier, to the extent my rhythm playing on some tunes got a huge boost. I was able to lock in with certain things the (superb) drummer was doing on his hi-hat to most pleasing effect.
My point is that that whole burning, tension thing is your enemy. That's how you get injured and, ultimately, tension slows you down. I've never put that much time into picking technique, but my trem picking bucked up a bit after I had to play "Somewhere My Love" (the theme from the film "Love Story") as fake trem picked mandolin for a few months. Getting it smooth and having to play a long lyrical melody with it, then having it reinforced every week was fantastic.
Just in case anyone is ROFLMAO at the tunes I mentioned... I also got to play country, jazz (bop, swing, big band, fusion), blues, soul and funk. I got to play with people who'd played with Frank Sinatra and Parliament. I could sit in with a guitar player/singer playing pop hits, a country band, a funk band, a jazz trio... I was in an environment where if there was something you couldn't do, you had four hours to make sure you could, or at least fake it well enough to fit in. I learned to organise my pedalboard to cope with a variety of situations. I learned to read more than chord charts. I learned to write arrangements for whole bands and horn sections. Plus I learned to scuba, and saw a reasonable chunk of the world (the Med, Carribbean, the Azores, Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico). Plus I got exposed to lots of music that most of the kids watching this will disdain. Their loss, entirely.
Thanks for the video, Ben. Nice one, but for that one thing. All the best.
I love this vid. I am a 66 year old woman who is beginning to learn guitar. I play a little bluegrass fiddle. I'm at time in my life when I can do the things I love to do. I live in North Carolina, USA. There is access to a lot of music in this area of the country. We have a lot of blues festivals in the summer. There are old time (traditional) and bluegrass festivals almost every week end in the summer, and open jams at the coffee shops and restaurants all year round.
This video is very helpful. As a beginner I want to form good habits from the beginning.
Reading is cool, don't kid yourself. You might like the "Outlander" series by Diana Gabaldon. Or Joanna Bourne's "Black Hawk".
Best of success to you.
Thanks Evelyn, glad you're picking up the guitar! :)
The way I handle my alternate picking is pretty much opposite of what is accepted to be "correct". I never took any lessons, and by the time I started seeing stuff like this, I already developed my technique.
My hand placement is very closed, like what he demonstrated, and I barely angle the pick at all. It works well for me. The point being, if something feels comfortable, and you can do what you want with it, there really isn't a wrong way to do this. Personally, I think not angling the pick gives me a sharper, more defined sound when I alt pick, and keeping that closed placement allows for really comfortable (and quick) switches between palm muted, and open notes.
Damn! I'm trying this out and everything feels so much smoother! I used to normally play without a pick (Kind of like Chris Zoupa, guitar teacher on youtube) but I wanted a more cleaner sound and when I was using a pick like you did before where switching strings is a bitch it was equally as gross, but after this it feels so much more natural and smoother
I've noticed that the thing that helps is to use your pinky and ring fingers to rest below the pickups so it stabilizes the hand and allows your hand to pivot to different positions more easily and helps mute the strings much better.
Everyone I have seen play fast have all done this. I think the only exception is Marty Friedman but he is weird anyway.
You have gotta do this first so when you adjust your pick angle the person will learn it in its final playing position.
You are very right on pick angle good video dude.
Hi from Houston tx. I liked your video, I'm over 50 and have dabbled on the guitar since I was 15. I took guitar lessons from a professional musician way back and he always had me focus on proper hand posture, running scales and different picking styles ofcourse their really wasn't too much shredding yet,except van halen and Randy Rhoads perhaps but we always focused on learning proper technique slowly and then progressively faster with experience comes speed it takes time, thanks again great video!
Love how I'm finding new perspectives and new insights on how to play, it's really helped! Thanks for sharing this.
I am always reading, mostly history, old wars, thanks man appreciate your videos it's all great, as you are a good teacher
+John XXX Cheers!
I love reading, ham radio and my guitar, I'm from Muscle Shoals, Alabama at on time it was the music recording capital of the world, the Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart and many others recorded here.
This is the most important video for what I'm trying to do....Play Faster! Thanks
On the Carpal Tunnel:
I had a Specialist tell me that I needed to perform stretching exercises of the tendons.
Very simple, just bend your hand up as far as it will go with the other hand, and hold it there a while. Both hands, daily...
It made a huge difference for me.
The tendons get too big, and constrict.
You stretch them, they thin out.
I do this really a couple times a week, or whenever my hands start falling asleep, and it fixes them.
It really is that simple.
Mark