# Speed Picking Trainer



## Devon8822 (Mar 20, 2007)

Do you guys now where I can find a trainer for improving you picking speed? I know theres gotta be one around somewhere, online or downloadable or something?


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## Hamm Guitars (Jan 12, 2007)

I don't really play that fast anymore, but when I was younger I did.

Try turning your pick perpendicular to the strings, not quite 90 degrees, more like say 70 - 75 degrees. There is allot less friction when you pick like that.

I kind of automatically do this as I speed up and I turn the pick gradually without even thinking about it. It works for strumming as well, it gives you a different sound than playing flat down on the strings (I don't always strum that way, just when I need that sound).

I don't know if anyone else does this, but it works for me.


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## violation (Aug 20, 2006)

Metronome + picking fast licks you want to play + years of practice.

Whatever you do, don't sit and do chromatics for hours and hours no matter what someone tells you. They're good for finger independence but that's about it. Here's some I started with:

------------------------------------------------------------5-6-8-5-6-8
------------------------------------------------5-6-8-5-6-8------------
------------------------------------5-6-8-5-6-8------------------------
------------------------5-6-8-5-6-8------------------------------------
------------5-6-8-5-6-8------------------------------------------------
5-6-8-5-6-8------------------------------------------------------------


------------------------------------------------------------8-6-5-8-6-5
------------------------------------------------8-6-5-8-6-5------------
------------------------------------8-6-5-8-6-5------------------------
------------------------8-6-5-8-6-5------------------------------------
------------8-6-5-8-6-5------------------------------------------------
8-6-5-8-6-5------------------------------------------------------------


------------------------------------------------------------5-7-8-5-7-8
------------------------------------------------5-7-8-5-7-8------------
------------------------------------5-7-8-5-7-8------------------------
------------------------5-7-8-5-7-8------------------------------------
------------5-7-8-5-7-8------------------------------------------------
5-7-8-5-7-8------------------------------------------------------------


------------------------------------------------------------8-7-5-8-7-5
------------------------------------------------8-7-5-8-7-5------------
------------------------------------8-7-5-8-7-5------------------------
------------------------8-7-5-8-7-5------------------------------------
------------8-7-5-8-7-5------------------------------------------------
8-7-5-8-7-5------------------------------------------------------------ 

16th note triplets of course, basically just works the 1st, 2nd and 4th finger then takes it in reverse, goes to 1st, 3rd and 4th finger then takes it in reverse. Add some finger spacing to the first pattern, move it down to the 11th fret and you've got the first run from the CFH solo:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------11-12-15-11-12-15
------------------------------------------------------------------------11-12-15-11-12-15------------------
------------------------------------------------------11-12-15-11-12-15------------------------------------
------------------------------------11-12-15-11-12-15------------------------------------------------------
------------------11-12-15-11-12-15------------------------------------------------------------------------
11-12-15-11-12-15------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

I've found those to be the most helpful exercises... unless you want to go crazy with pentatonics ala Zakk Wylde:

8-5-8-5-----8-5-8-5----
--------8-5---------8-5
-----------------------
-----------------------
-----------------------
-----------------------

16th note triplets, then I start goin' higher up just following the A minor pent or move it to whatever key you're in... another common one:

8-5--------------------------------------------
----8-5-----8-5--------------------------------
--------7-5-----7-5-----7-5--------------------
--------------------7-5-----7-5-----7-5--------
--------------------------------7-5-----7-5----
--------------------------------------------8-5

16th note triplets again... those help me out anyway. Pick some that _you_ like, no point learning it if you're never going to use it again IMO. The reason I chose those is 'cause they're pretty common patterns so they came in handy later down the road.


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## Devon8822 (Mar 20, 2007)

Thanks for the replies guys, although I wasn't really asking how to pick fast as i already can play quite well. Im looking for a trainer that I had in the past, It was basically a metronome that sped up after a certain amount of clicks, so I would play a scale or something and gradually get faster and than gradually get slower. Anyone else, no of any program like this? thanks again, I guess I could use some new excersizes too, thanks for those man!


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## violation (Aug 20, 2006)

Oh I getcha' now... Guitar Pro has one built in to use with their tabs. Don't know of any other apps that have it, will keep my eyes open.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

i'unno about anyone else, but that sounds risky to me.

the way it's supposed to be done is you learn said lick at 40BPM. once you have it PERFECT, you step it up to 50. etc. no "speeds up after x number of clicks" business.

just grab a metronome and have at it


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## violation (Aug 20, 2006)

It'd be handy for warming up... that's about it IMO. Even then, it only saves you a few seconds from pushing buttons on the metronome, lol.


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