Arpeggio speed with pick

[__redruM]

I'm trying to play a song with simple chord based arpeggios. The song is 84 quarter beats per minute with notes at 16ths. This means I have to individually pluck 5.6 strings each second. I'm about 80% there, but I think my technique may be holding me back. What are some tips for this sort of song (Everloving from the album Play by Moby).

[HHP]

Originally Posted by __redruM

I'm trying to play a song with simple chord based arpeggios. The song is 84 quarter beats per minute with notes at 16ths. This means I have to individually pluck 5.6 strings each second. I'm about 80% there, but I think my technique may be holding me back. What are some tips for this sort of song (Everloving from the album Play by Moby).

How are you doing it now?

[__redruM]

Originally Posted by HHP

How are you doing it now?

Holding the pick flat between thumb and side of index finger. With the pick at a right angle to the face of the guitar. It seems to help me feel my place if I turn the pick into each string as I pluck it. For example if the neck were 12 o'clock, I turn the pick to 2 o'clock for a down stroke, and 10 o'clock for up-pick. I did try puting my pinkie on the pick guard as a reference point, but it felt awkward.

[HHP]

Originally Posted by __redruM

Holding the pick flat between thumb and side of index finger. With the pick at a right angle to the face of the guitar. It seems to help me feel my place if I turn the pick into each string as I pluck it. For example if the neck were 12 o'clock, I turn the pick to 2 o'clock for a down stroke, and 10 o'clock for up-pick. I did try puting my pinkie on the pick guard as a reference point, but it felt awkward.

Are you alternating up-down strokes or sweeping?

[__redruM]

Originally Posted by HHP

Are you alternating up-down strokes or sweeping?

v=up n=down

Em| . : . | . : . | . : . | . : . |Em| . : . | . : . | . : . | . : . |
|---------------------------------||---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------||---------------------------------|
|-----------0-------0-------0-----||---0-------0-------0-------0-----|
|-----2-------2-------2-------2---||-----2-------2-------2-------2---|
|-------2-------2-------2-------2-||-------2-------2-------2-------2-|
|-0-------0-------0-------0-------||-0-------0-------0-------0-------|
  n   n v n n n v n n n v n n n v    n n n v n n n v n n n v n n n v

C | . : . | . : . | . : . | . : . |G | . : . | . : . | . : . | . : . |
|---------------------------------||---------------------------------|
|-----1-----1-------1-------1-----||---0-------0-----------------0---|
|-------0-----0-------0-------0---||-----0-------0-----0-------0---0-|
|---------------2-------2-------2-||-------0-------0-----0-----------|
|-3-------3-------3-------3-------||-----------------------2---------|
|---------------------------------||-3-------3-------3-------3-------|
  n   n v n n n v n n n v n n n v    n n n v n n n v n n n v n n n v

[Bryan T]

I'd work with a metronome, starting at about half the tempo. Once you can do it at a slower tempo, gradual increase the bpm.

Doing this in front of a mirror will also help, as you'll be able to see if you are wasting much effort with your picking hand.

Finally, record yourself to hear your progress and to critique your playing while you aren't distracted by actually playing the part.

Bryan

[HHP]

Originally Posted by __redruM

v=up n=down

Em| . : . | . : . | . : . | . : . |Em| . : . | . : . | . : . | . : . |
|---------------------------------||---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------||---------------------------------|
|-----------0-------0-------0-----||---0-------0-------0-------0-----|
|-----2-------2-------2-------2---||-----2-------2-------2-------2---|
|-------2-------2-------2-------2-||-------2-------2-------2-------2-|
|-0-------0-------0-------0-------||-0-------0-------0-------0-------|
  n   n v n n n v n n n v n n n v    n n n v n n n v n n n v n n n v

C | . : . | . : . | . : . | . : . |G | . : . | . : . | . : . | . : . |
|---------------------------------||---------------------------------|
|-----1-----1-------1-------1-----||---0-------0-----------------0---|
|-------0-----0-------0-------0---||-----0-------0-----0-------0---0-|
|---------------2-------2-------2-||-------0-------0-----0-----------|
|-3-------3-------3-------3-------||-----------------------2---------|
|---------------------------------||-3-------3-------3-------3-------|
  n   n v n n n v n n n v n n n v    n n n v n n n v n n n v n n n v

The picking directions they give don't make much sense. Consecutive down strokes as you move up the strings? I would try alternating up-down or down on the lowest bass note and then sweep up to the low bass note.

[Wolf]

When i'm trying to play fast i don't use up and down strokes. I do a cirkel motion (VERY small cirkles). Read about it in an GP intervue with Roy Buckanan in the 70es.

[kjskipper]

Originally Posted by __redruM

It seems to help me feel my place if I turn the pick into each string as I pluck it. For example if the neck were 12 o'clock, I turn the pick to 2 o'clock for a down stroke, and 10 o'clock for up-pick.

This sounds like excessive motion. In order to play fast and cleanly, movement efficiency is critical. If you are altering pick angle with each stroke, I'm betting that will hold you back as you try to play faster.

Try to come up with one angle for the pick, and really examine your pick stroke to find the least amount of movement necessary. Once you have that down, turn your metronome on at a slow setting, practice the patterns you want, gradually bump the tempo up, and I think you'll be on your way to doing what you want to do.

Ken Skipper