picking...triplet style, metal like lamb of god for ex.

Hi mate

I've been playing for a couple of years and I've just approached triplets. I've found out that I've got no problem to play them with downstrums only or with thumb and fingers (like in bossa nova style), it is a lot more difficult to play them with alternate picking which, I guess, is the only way to play them at fast tempos..anyway I'm slowly improving and I hope to get the grasp of it quite soon.

Anyway, from my little experience, I've found out that the most important thing to do when learning a new rhythm, is to learn how it should sound: only if you've got the correct sound in your head you'll slowly learn how to play it (the sound of triplets is similar to a waltz one, only a lot faster since you play 12 notes in the same time you played 3 with a waltz!). Also it is very important to learn how to correctly sincronize your hand with your foot (it is strongly advised to tap your foot while playing in order to keep a steady rhythm): in this case you must check to play a costant flow of three notes checking that you play a downstrum the first time you tap the foot and an upstrum the second one and so on...last thing: try to play the rhythm muting your string with your left hand: this way it is easier to concentrate on the rhythm itself

cheers

Matteo

I've got the exact same problem at the moment. I want to learn Metallica's "Battery" which is built on really fast triplets. I practice this a lot at the moment but I don't seem to get anywhere with it. I've tried other easier triplet patterns and I'm having problems with them too. I can play them slowly but as soon I try to increase the speed a little I mess up.

I can alternate pick when playing solos but the tricky thing here is to keep the palm muted notes even. I just realized it becomes a little easier when I place the pick nearer the neck, almost over the neck pickup.

Well, I guess it's just more practice with the metronome that is needed.

"battery" was the song that taught that made me a faster picker. i dont really know how to explain how to o it, but i think the main thing you need to do is hold your pick at a certain angle. when i figure out how to expain it, ill tell you guys.

"battery" was the song that taught that made me a faster picker. i dont really know how to explain how to o it, but i think the main thing you need to do is hold your pick at a certain angle. when i figure out how to expain it, ill tell you guys.

That would be great because I'm really struggling with this song. I've tried different angles holding the pick but havn't found the "right" angle you're talking about.

I am no speed demon for sure, but I can play sixteenth notes up to around 160 BPM which is pretty fast.

I have heard it said that you will never be any faster than you are on one string. So that's how you learn to play fast to begin with, on one string. Then you practice to smoothly change to another string. It takes lots and lots of practice.

I think the most important thing is simply relax. You can't be all tight which is very easy to fall into when you are trying to play super fast. You get all tight and tense. Pay attention to this and learn to relax.

I also try to anchor my picking hand somewhere. Some say this is good, others say it is not. But for me it really helps. I will very lightly rest the side of my picking hand on the bridge, or I will rest my pinky on the pickguard. But what I am trying to do is keep my hand in a steady postion, not moving up and down toward and away from the strings. Then you want to use just the very tip of your pick. And I mean just the smallest amount possible. If you get too much pick it is going to slow you down. At the same time, you don't want to "brush" the strings. Some do this and it sounds terrible, almost like a pick slide. So you want to actually pick the string, but use the smallest amount of pick possible. This is why I feel it is important to steady your picking hand on the bridge or use the pinky. This is not some invention of mine, I got this speed picking tip from watching a Micheal Angelo video. He might just be the fastest picker ever.

http://www.angelo.com/

Michael Angelo gave the advice to anchor the pinky on the pickguard to keep you hand in a steady position. Works for me well.

Many players give the advice to hold your pick at an angle. I am just so used to holding my pick the way I learned I have trouble changing this. But I hold the pick at a very slight angle. When I pick the rear of the pick tip strikes first, the front (toward the headstock) strikes on the upstroke. I don't know if this is good or not, just my way of doing it.

Some say use heavy picks, but for me a slightly flexible medium pick works better. I choke way up on the pick with just the tip (maybe 1/8") showing below my thumb.

I find the bass E string the most difficult string to play super fast on. The others seem far easier to me personally. But you just have to hold your hand steady and use the smallest amount of pick possible, but actually picking, not brushing the string. It just takes lot of practice.

Practice to play steady. Keep good time. Start slow, maybe 80 BPM and play a phrase until you have it down. Then speed up maybe 4 BPM at a time. Keep increasing speed until you cannot keep up with the metronome. Then slow down maybe 10 BPM and work your way back up again. But practice to play well, don't be sloppy. In a few short months you will see your speed improve dramatically, just got to be a little patient. It takes time to play guitar well. :D

But pay attention and always relax.

Use alternate picking at all times. There is another method for triplets that is supposed to be faster, but gives me a little difficulty. It is called economy picking. Here is an example:


e--------------------------------5-7-8-
b--------------------------5-7-8-------
g--------------------5-6-7-------------
d--------------5-6-7-------------------
a--------5-6-7-------------------------
e--5-7-8-------------------------------
d u d d u d d u d d u d d u d d u d

e--8-7-5-------------------------------
b--------8-7-5-------------------------
g--------------7-6-5-------------------
d--------------------7-6-5-------------
a--------------------------7-6-5-------
e--------------------------------8-7-5-
u d u u d u u d u u d u u d u u d u


This is sort of like combining alternate picking and sweep picking. When going from a low string to a high string you start each triplet with a downstoke. But when coming down from a higher string to a lower string you start each triplet with an upstroke. This is called economy picking. I have not been working with this long, but it does seem quicker. You can feel the pick sweeping across the strings. The triplets starting with downstokes are pretty easy for me, the triplets starting with upstokes are a little more difficult. Just takes practice, but try this method.

So, hope that helped a little. Funny thing, if you saw me play you would think I am slow. I have always been more of a slow bender like David Gilmore, but when I want to, I can play pretty fast. :twisted: