Re: How to shred?
Syris said:
So how do you work your way all the way from the first fret of the low E string to the 24th of the high E? Do you just use patterns?
Basically - they range from very simple (basic four-note-per-string patterns up to the top) to advanced stuff like sweeping:
Code:
|-------0-3p0-----3h7p3---------7p0h12p0h7----------12-15p12-------15h19p15-------------19-|
|-----0-------0/5-------5-----8------------------12----------12/17----------17-------20----|
|---0---------------------4/9-----------------12-------------------------------16/21-------|
|-2----------------------------------------14----------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-24p19-------19p15-------15p12-------12p7-----7p3---------------|
|-------20----------17----------12---------8-------5-------------|
|----------21----------16----------12--------9-------4p0---------|
|--------------------------------------------------------2-------|
|----------------------------------------------------------2-----|
|------------------------------------------------------------3-0-|
When building speed, you don't want something complex like the one above, though. Find a simple, short pattern that you can repeat easily, and build with it. Make sure you have a good number of exercises, because diminishing returns set in quickly if you don't have a range of material to work with. Finally, when you reach the point where you're not noticing much improvement, mix up it - move a note onto another string in the middle of playing a lick, and make your brain jump around a bit; it prevents the exercise from becoming monotonous repetition, which really bogs down improvement.
Edit: one other thing that I remembered - when working with simple patterns, move them around. I have to watch a tendency to stick around the 7th to 12 frets on the plain strings, because the finger spacing is easiest there. It pays to work on the thicker strings too, and to play at both extremities, stretched and squashed.
Have patience, take it one day at a time, and it will come. People develop at different rates - I plateau for long periods, then make a big leap, then plateau, while some people steadily improve. Your mileage will vary. If things don't seem to be going anywhere, don't get discouraged, because it
will break through eventually. Plus, if you start a lick on the 1st fret, play it over a bit, move it up one fret, all the way to the top, and back down, you'll soon find that you can spend quite a while nailing an exercise.
) was to work on my left hand only initially, playing legato. You don't need a quick picking hand to improve your fret hand speed if you play legato, but conversely, picking faster means your fret hand has to go at least as fast (unless you trem-pick the same note :chairfall). If you work your left hand up to a reasonable speed first, you'll be a lot freer to concentrate on your picking hand, instead of having to worry about both. This isn't a rule by any means, just something that might help you.
