Scale Shredding Technique (detailed question)

[Mai Zure]

I have never had any formal teaching in playing guitar, which i've been doing for over a year now, because I'm in a country that no one speaks English good enough to be able to teach me well. So I have a detailed question about Shredding up an down a scale. For those of you that are proficient at this, what is the most efficient technique. Lets limit it to 3 note/string alternate picking, NO Sweeping or Legato. Is it better to keep your fingers perpendicular to the neck at all times, or have them facing towards the body at times (which you have to do at frets 20+ anyway) If you're going from low to high, after you hit the first note on a string does that figure move to the first note of the next string immediately after the next finger is down and the 2nd note is played, or do you wait until the 3rd note of the string sounds before you move your first finger? Does your thumb curve around the to top of the fretboard, or does it rest under/parallel with the neck facing the guitar head..OR is the thumb perpendicular to the neck pointing at your head (approx)? Should I practice with a Metronome? Answering these questions would be a big help to me since I cant seem to attain real speed even with obcessive practice. Thanks!

[BluesShredder]

you may have heard it many times but its the truth,
you are the only one who can figur out how to do it,
do it any way you feel it right, personally when the 3rd finger hits down i move the 1st on the next string,
the only (and its the best) advice you can have is to play with metronome always and play SLOW!!! too damn slow,
forget speed, try practise at 52 its the only way you will get focused and you will get rid of all the bad habits that dont allow you to play faster,
Remember practising doesnt mean playing as fast as you can,
practise is when you realize what you do wrong and correct it,
the only reason you dont play faster is because while you play you make mistakes, and to correct the mistakes you must play SLOWLY!!!!

Blues Shredder

[MarlonB]

I've been through that phase of relentlessly practicing monotonous alternate picking staccato exercises. At the lower frets (1-7), I think it is better to keep your fingers perpendicular to the fretboard since the frets on this part are far apart from each other. It is also easier to play clean legato with the fingers perpendicular to the fret-board. But as you go to the higher frets, it is easier( for me) when the fingers are slanted toward the body. To do this the thumb would naturally curl around the neck for a better grip.