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How have you used the "Speed Mechanics" book?

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(@aleholder)
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Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 52
Topic starter  

Hi All,

I've had a copy of Troy Stetina's "Speed Mechanics" book around and I've been wanting to put it to good use. However, there are so many different exercises in it that I really don't have a good idea on how to put it into daily practice.

For those who have used it do you just pick and choose which exercises to do or start at the beginning and play each one until you get up to speed.

My flatpicking speed is really not where I'd like it to be but that book is kind of intimidating. :shock:

Thanks for any help.
-Aleholder


   
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(@wes-inman)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5582
 

Aleholder

I own that book. I actually owned it twice. I had it about 5 years ago and let another guitarist borrow it. Goodbye book. :D

About 2 years ago I bought it again. I use it quite often, but like you said, it has so many exercises that it can be a little overwhelming. But I went through the first few chapters and felt this was extremely helpful to me. I have been playing over 35 years, and can play pretty darn fast, but I could never really rip on guitar. I have never been into shred type Metal guitar, I am a Blues type player, I try to be expressive and use lots of bends. I play like Hendrix, Clapton, Page and guys like that, they were my early influences.

But sometimes you hear a super-fast run in your head, and I couldn't do it. So that is why I got the book.

And it has helped alot. I have a lot more control over my picking hand now. I am more precise and make fewer mistakes. And I am pretty fast now. I can play sixteenth notes at 160 BPM on one string, I can play sixteenth notes changing strings just above 120 BPM now, pretty soon I hope to be up to about 140 BPM changing strings. That is fast and takes very precise picking.

I use the early picking exercises in the book and apply it to the way I've always played which is mostly the Minor and Major Pentatonic scales.

What I do now is just pick one exercise and work on it for awhile. I will start it out around 80 BPM and practice it everyday. I will speed it up, slow it back down.... What I have come to realize is that you get better at these exercises without really noticing it. There was one exercise I played for weeks, it was very difficult and I could never get it up above 100 BPM without getting sloppy. So, I laid off that exercise for a few weeks and practiced some others. Then one night I went back to that difficult exercise and found I could easily play it well up to about 110 BPM. I was thrilled. I think laying off awhile, plus practicing other exercises improved my playing.

So what I am saying is that I find it is one of those books you practice forever. I really can't see anybody just going through the book in 6 months. It is too difficult and takes too much time to develop the skill for some of those exercises. But if you take your time and just work on one exercise per week, or even two weeks, I think you will notice a big and noticeable improvement in your playing. I know it has really helped me.

Hope that helps.

If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis


   
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(@jackss565)
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Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 233
 

I'm just starting with this book, one or two weeks, and i'm still on the first exercise. Start slowly, take your time and you will see a big change.

Jack


   
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(@aleholder)
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Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 52
Topic starter  

Thanks for the help guys. I'll just focus in on one excercise at a time and not worry about the whole book.


   
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(@jackss565)
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Joined: 16 years ago
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Let us know how you get on with it


   
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(@garlandpool)
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Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 31
 

I just wanted to comment on how true it is, what Wes Inman said about laying off an exercise and actually getting better at it after taking a break from it. I have marvelled over and over about this trippy phenomenon. I think it's like your mind actually works on understanding it while you're not looking. I mean, who knows, even when you sleep, you might be working it over here and there. And I think the biggest part to playing something very fast is actually BELIEVING that you can. So, I think the first time you try something, you are naturally intimidated by it simply because you've never tried it before. Then, you take a break, and when you come back, you come back knowing it's not the first time.

I talk a lot with my students about playing fast...what it means to me, what it does for them. I think, aside from the fact that everyone seems to just automatically respect someone who plays fast, I try to focus on this concept: I want to be able to push my speed limit in practice, so I can actually play much much slower with so much greater control. And, of course, from time to time, it's great to convey the kind of intensity that comes with a speedy passage. I think people also like to hear and see others push their abilities.

rSoGuitar ~ Learn to "see" the music ~ visual music theory for guitar.
http://www.rosettastoneofguitar.com


   
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(@kroikey)
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Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 232
 

I just got this book yesterday, along with the Fretboard Roadmaps. I've only had my guitar 3 months, and I'm really into it. I had a flick through the book yesterday and it is intimidating. Hammer on exercises for all 4 fingers is difficult for me, three is easy though. Quick question on this, when hammering on across the first 4 frets, should my little finger be able to manage hammering on right behind the fret? ie. perfect position? It seems unattainable now, I can barely reach the fourth fret with my pinky when all my other fingers are on their respective frets.

I think the best way to approach the lessons is slowly lol. Its not a practise once and go onto something else, the book looks like a molehill but feels like a mountain :D For a laugh I put Flight of the Bumblebee on because I couldn't remember the tune, WOW... That is shredding! If I can play that song at half that speed I'll be a demon to my peers lol.

The combination of Fretboard Roadmaps and Speed Mechanics will keep me going for a LONG LONG time. But I'm already learning a lot and feel I'm leaving my noob plateau behind. 8)


   
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