Forum The Cracking the Code Forum

NTC: I think you’re playing with far too much attack Definitely too much attack. You probably need a combination of less pick depth, more angle of the pick, or softer grip.

ShadowoftheSun: I prefer to use a leading edge grip because I prefer the tone I get from it. What pick were you using for trailing edge? I felt pretty much the same, until I tried out a jazz pick instead of 1.14mm tortex.

Only just started watching this so I don’t as yet know anything about the content other than it features a Q & A, which might be of interest here - and if not, then there is at least his amazing music to behold. Guthrie Govan Guitar Clinic | Fast Picking, Tapping, Improvisation & Technique | 2005

When i get the smooth tremolo on a string - should i then play with the same attack as the tremolo on one string then on two strings?

I think you’re playing with far too much attack so the dullness is happening as you try to push through far too much of the string, which I have done many times. You need to try to get a smooth tremolo on a single string which is no where near as loud as you’re getting from an unamped guitar single string before trying to move from string to string. Then try moving an even number of notes on each string only across two strings. Anything else is too much for the mind and hands to cope with.

How do i get rid of dull sound?

It doesn’t sound scratchy or harsh, it sounds dull if anything. It’s quite hard to tell as we’re just hearing the unplugged/acoustic sound. I think you are potentially conflating a lack of speed and fluidity with a sound issue. Don’t be disocuraged, this sounds promosing to me, and everyone has to start somewhere! Just keep at it and try some different speeds

YouTube Dsx motion technique critique Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. I’ve been struggling with a harsh tone when picking, even when I try to play lightly. I’d really appreciate some brutally honest feedback on this. Could you tell me how my DSX picking actually sounds in this Aldemirov/Aldeshiro-style phrase? I’m especially interested in the pick attack, harshness, evenness, and overall sound — not just whether I’m playing the notes correctly. If the tone sounds bad, scratchy, harsh, or overly aggressive, please tell me directly. I don’t need encouragement; I’d rather know exactly what sounds wrong so I can work on it.

Jacklr: I’m trying to morph it into a version where I can do DBX for my Bluegrass playing as I don’t really listen to shred much these days but the movement is just so capable it has been fun going back to some of that repertoire. I mostly use my RDT form (902 movement) for DBX, or more recently rotator cuff and RDT on acoustic guitar guitar (like Billy Strings). I was surprised to find after learning the Shane Lane style dart-thrower movement that I could do the Molly Tuttle or David Grier style of DBX almost immediately, despite having failed to learn that movement on several previous attempts. For me, the key for DBX (as opposed to leading edge USX) was actually to pronate more than the Shan Lane form with the leading edge grip to achieve a upward slant, and then accepting some deflection from the string when playing downstrokes. So, the upstroke “slides” along the string, and the downstroke deflects away from it. Jacklr: Yep that has been my experience as well, I can do 140bpm 16th note triplets with it easily and 160bpm 16th note triplets with a little more focus but it feels like it has the potential to go faster which is blowing my mind. For context, my old FW motion would max out in the 130s but with more effort involved. Yeah, the difference is incredible. I could maybe get the RDT form I used for USX and mixed-escape to about 16ths at 225 or sextuplets at 150 on a good day, but 16ths at 210 or sextuplets at 140 was probably more representative of the capability of t

Yeah I agree regarding what I suspect to be Jimmy Herring’s motion. And yeah, the last time I saw John was with Shakti in 2023 and it was wonderful.

I saw him on tour with Jimmy Herring a few years back, in what at the time he was saying was his last tour (and maybe it was and he’s just doing one offs like this now). It was awesome show for a couple reasons, and part of them were non-guitar (I went with a former colleague/mentor who’s since retired), but it was a HELL of a night of music. Both players are awesome. John’s we’ve looked at but I’d be curious fora deeper dive on Herring’s, his picking has this odd sort of forearm rotation to it that makes me wonder if it’s some sort of double escape movement.

Only tangentally related, and I’ll try to watch tonight… But while there was a lot more to Rock Dicipline than this, I remember a lot of 1-2-3-4 chromatics in there, and an arpeggio workout with string skipping which was two notes on the low E, two notes on the octave on the D, two notes on the 5th on the A, two notes on the 3rd on the G, etc etc etc. And, on one hand if these are Petrucci’s picking exercises, the escaped upstrokes make a LOT of sense… but more broadly I don’t know if there are many technically focused rock guitarists who HAVEN’T practiced those 4nps chromatics, and if that drill isn’t responsible for the prevalence of USX in rock/metal. Or, if maybe I’m putting the cart before the horse and the real culprit is downpicking and palm muting making some sort of USX orientation more of a default, if that isn’t why the 1-2-3-4 drill got so widespread.