String skipping, hybrid picking and overall speed

Okay so I've been absorbing techniques left and right, and some interesting ones I'd like to grapple are string skipping and hybrid picking. Basically I'd like to know some excercises and tips concerning how to go about these. The advice would be greatly be appreciated.

Concerning speed, I have learned many different techniques and heard much advice and tips, but it seems it's all varied. I know in essence it's about what's comfortable for me, but I'd like to hear some of your tips and advice. Also, any tips on how to keep fretting clean during more speedy licks?

To get speed, first, you have to practice slow.

I use a technique often called "circular picking". I also use small, teardrop shaped picks. Whatever you use, try to only the very tip of the pick.

Attack the string at an angle, both up and down, instead of straight down/up. Make sure your shoulder, arm, wrist and hand are as relaxed as possible. Muscle tension will only tighten you up and your putting the brakes on.

If this kind of picking is new to you, exaggerate the circle, meaning big circles using your thumb and forfinger to control the pick (when I'm picking super fast, I notice my wrist often comes into play).

Over time, make the "circle" smaller and smaller, until the circle is shaped more like an ellipse (). The tighter it is, the more quickly you can return to the string, assuming you're doing a run on one string.

Economy picking: When you economy pick, you don't pick strictly up/down, up/down. So, say you're picking down and intend to go for the next string, instead of going over the next string only to come back up, simply continue down.

As far as fretting cleanly, again, practice scales and runs slowly. Very often fretting while picking fast gets sloppy because you're getting ahead of yourself, meaning your fretting and picking aren't in sync. You can "cheat" a bit by pulling off or hammering on, but I think you really should learn how to get both picking and fretting in sync.

If I get a chance, I'll comment on hybrid picking, but I'm hungry. :)

Oh, I like to practice picking on an acoustic. If you can get it down there, you'll be a speed demon on an electric.

Thanks for the advice man, I've honestly never heard of circular picking before now, I shall apply that immediately.

While you're practicing your speed you should also be paying attention to your muting techniques.
Playing fast is great, but if you keep leaving open strings ringing on it'll just sound sloppy.
Work slowly first and find out the cleanest and most efficient way to play the lick. When you have it down absolutely clean at a slow speed, then try gradually speeding it up over time.
The goal is to get to the point where you can play a lick subconsciously without even thinking about it .
Kinda like driving a car. When you first learn to drive all you can think about is what to do next....signal, brake, shift...
After a couple of years you can drive 20 miles past your own house and not even realize you were driving because you were thinking about something else.
Same thing with guitar. Get licks to the point where you can be thinking about what to have for lunch at the same time as you're playing.

When I said, "Over time, make the "circle" smaller and smaller, until the circle is shaped more like an ellipse (). The tighter it is, the more quickly you can return to the string, assuming you're doing a run on one string." I didn't mean that circular picking for speed is restricted to one string only. As Kevin pointed out, you need to pick as cleanly and efficiently as possible. So, say your doing a run on the A string, then hop over to the G, you don't want to lift the pick WAY OVER the D, you want to keep the pick as close to the strings as closely as possible without actually hitting the one(s) you don't want to hit, and this is where muting will come into play, as Kevin pointed out- just in case you strike a string you really don't want to ring, at least it will be dead. But the key is to start out slowly and work your way up. You have a lot going on- picking, fretting, muting (with either the left OR right hand), and getting everything in sync.

I also like to have very little of the pick sticking out because I feel I pick more cleanly, and it's also a good way to get artificial harmonics- if you kinda scrape the string you're picking with the edge of your thumb, you'll get those overtones. I googled circular picking for the first time yesterday and got lots of hits. On some other guitar forums, players complained that it was very difficult; maybe it is when it's new to you. I really don't remember. When I first read about circular picking about 30 yrs. ago, it just came kinda naturally to me- it was an "AHA!" moment for me, cuz straight up/down wasn't working for me. I also read that Petrucci circular picks, among many other speedsters.

I know lots of players here are into shredding, but I'm not into playing fast simply for the sake of playing fast. Far's I'm concerned speed picking is just mechanics most anyone can accomplish. I'll take a sweet, slow BB King bend over speeding any day. I just don't feel a lot of soul with most shredders. 'Cept for flamenco players- Paco de Lucia blows me away (and he doesn't use a pick), he plays a million miles/hr with a lot soul. Eh, it's late and I'm blathering as usual.

If you want to see hybrid picking in action, go to youtube and do a search for Steve Howe playing "Clap"- you'll see him using his pick and other fingers. It's a fun rag-time kinda tune- I've been trying to learn that tune ever since I first heard it, and still can't get it down. I meant to post my take on hybrid picking, but it got too late. Lemme know how you feel about circular picking so far. Just take it slooooow. But hybrid picking isn't only for ragtime stuff. Mark Knopfler is a hybrid picker (well, you really can't call him a hybrid picker, as he doesn't use a pick at all). Listen to the live version of Sultans of Swing- the solo he does near the end, he's really ripping. It took me forever to learn that solo until I found out he basically finger-picked picked that. Now, I hybrid pick that solo, so learning the use of my other fingers when using a pick really helped. I wouldn't call him a shredder, but he plays pretty damn fast, but he wouldn't have his unique sound and speed if he wasn't finger-picking. Hybrid picking is basically finger picking with a pick. Search for the live version on youtube. I'll try to post my take on hybrid when I get a chance, unless you get what I mean by now. Later.

Thanks for the info man. To tell you the truth, even though I'm an avid metalhead, my entire concern is not with shredding like most young people are. I'd just like to have it in my arsenal you know? Plus, I happen to have a nueromuscular disorder which causes extreme muscular tension in my legs, and only slightly in my hands. That tension is just enough to cause problems with speed picking, so my main focus is to learn as much as I can and become a highly technical metal musician rather than extremely fast. This circular picking is sort of challenging but I'm starting to get the hang of it. If you have anymore advice and tips, I'd be glad to hear them! Thanks for the help fellas.

Hi Hjorvard,

How's the picking going? Sorry I haven't posted on my take on hybrid picking- lots of bs stuff going on in my life right now, and I don't want to give a convoluted/confusing response.

But for now, for a hybrid picking exercise, try this: bar the B & E strings at the 12th fret with your forefinger. Put your pinky on the 15th fret of the high E.

Now, pick the B string, then pluck the fretted 15th fret on high E (G) with your middle finger, pull-off with your pinky to sound the high E, then pick the B string again. You're only picking the B with the pick. That's the the beginning of the Sultans of Swing solo I was talking about. Hope that's enough to get you started.

I remember your first post now- when you mentioned your neuromuscular disorder. I don't know how much this will help, but how conscious are you of how you breathe? Lots of players tend to hold their breath when they're ripping along, which causes more overall body tension. With your condition, I'd think the less overall body tension may help. Are you familiar with diaphragmatic breathing? It's a more effective way of breathing. You use your diaphragm to pull air in. Check out these google hits:http://www.google.com/search?q=diaphragmatic+breathing&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

It can help you achieve overall body relaxation (ideally). I have a back injury with some nerve damage, and sometimes my fretting hand goes into involuntary tremors. Plus I've broken my pinky numerous times so I can't fret certain chords cuz of the weird angle my pinky is curled at. I'm sure my "disabilities" aren't as serious as yours, but where there's a will, there's a way. I'll try to get a proper post down or maybe upload something on hybrid when I'm feeling better. Let me know how it goes.

PS to Kevin Taylor if you're reading this: hiccups are caused by spasms in your diaphragm. If you learn DB, you can learn how to relax your diaphragm, and poof, you can get rid of 'em in about 30 seconds. Well, at least I can.

That's an awesome excercise and great advice. I've tried everything from stretching to use of cannabis. One doctor suggestd blow fish toxin, but there's no way I'm going there haha..I shall definitely do some research into the breathing thing..you've been mega helpful man, thanks.

I forgot to mention it's probably a good idea to grow your nails a bit on your picking hand. At minimum, they should be just beyond the top of your fingertips. I've grown all my nails on my hand as I'm a straight finger-pinker also.

Get a good nail file, the kind made with diamonds, not a cheap metal one or an emory board. It'll last you forever. I have one that's about 30 yrs old an old gf gave me. File your nails to the contour of your fingertips, and make sure you get the underside smooth, otherwise you'll be snagging strings. If you have thin nails, I think in the woman's section of a store that sells nail polish they sell stuff to make your nails stronger. Don't sweat it, I know a number of players that use the stuff, especially some classical players. Luckily, my nails are really thick, and I rarely split them.

I should have mentioned in the exercise you should keep running the riff over and over (slowly at first of course), and slowly ramp up the speed.

Now to make the exercise interesting. After about 4 cycles of the riff, with your fretting hand, finger the C at the 13th fret on the B string with your middle finger. Can you still pull-off on the high E? That's what Knopfler does in his solo. This will help finger independence on both hands. Now, just mess around with hybrid picking. E.g, get into a pentatonic box, put on a slow blues tune, and see what you come up with. Attack the strings you're plucking in different ways to get different dynamics in sound. Sometimes I'll "snap" a string really hard just for effect. I often sit around and just noodle around while watching tv or something. Sometimes I come up with something interesting (not often enough.)

Sooner or later, I'll get to your ring and pinky fingers. Or you can experiment on your own. I'm in an anesthesia hangover- had 2 out-patient procedures this week, and after the anesthesia high, I get major headaches. So I hope I've made some sense here.

I know you're into metal, and I'm kinda playing around with it myself. I don't think hybrid will help in shredding, but I've been experimenting with sweeps. I've found so far, it's kinda cool to do simple sweeps while using my fingers. Like ya said, it's always good to have as many tools in your arsenal as possible.

How's the circular picking going? Any improvement in speed?

Man that hybrid picking excercise is awesome..it's simple but I'm addicted to it haha..I tried growing the nails out along time ago but it never worked out because they caught on the strings and broke..I didn't know there was such a process! Plus, despite the fact I am a metal musician, I am quite progressive in my thought process. Actually, I'm trying to make mid tempo to slow music that is highly technical..I also want to stay away from single note tremolo and blast beats.