26
December
2013

Alternate picking issues

Hy folks, and Merry Christmas to all of you.
Anyway, I wanted to ask if someone could help me with my problem. I started playing in 1993 (I was 13 year old back then). I am playing as a right-handed guitarists do, though I am lefty, however only in writing...other stuff I do as a right-handed. So when I started playing guitar, I didn't even think about it, parents bought me a guitar for right-handed and I started learning that way. My music idols were never too demanding in a sense of picking...Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Rolling Stones, Beatles, Joe Cocker and so on...the most demanding stuff I listened (and still do) were Dire straits...but it is mostly played on hammer-on + pull off style of Mark Knopfler...so again no picking. However lately I decided I wanted to improve my picking, and for last 4-5 months I was well...picking with spider exercises...I am sure you all know what I am talking about, right...However, the results are somewhat visible...from 85bpms I am at 98 right now, and 100 only after hours of warming up. At the same time with my left hand I can alternate pick faster without any exercise at all...But I just cant seem to move forward right now...I am stuck at that speed. Now, I am aware of possible solutions but to narrow the comments I will say this: I do think of thickness of pick, about an angle to keep pick towards strings, I think of economy of my movement (right and left hand both), and watch that I do not make unnecessary moves...I take care of tension in my arms, try to eliminate it...I did practice (and do so every day) with metronome, starting from slow (80bpms damn it...cant go slower...I mean, I can but what for)....so I pretty much covered all you-tube advices on picking, and results are weak. I even spoke with some academic musicians who told me that progress should be seen after 3 months of daily routines, however, I practice picking (and nothing else) for several hours every day for 5 months now, but it seems to me progress is waaaaaay to slow...does anyone have any advice on this?
There is also something else I struggle with and it is tremor in my hands...it is not that visible when I am home, however on gigs that tremor gets nasty...I can barely pour myself a drink and my hands feel like I was carrying tons of weight so they are "heavy"...I realized an alcohol helps but my intention is not to become an alcohol addict but decent guitar player hahahah.
Anyway I am not interested in over-speeding such as 200bpms....I don't listen to such music usually and in music that I create, write, or play I need no such speed... However 130-150 bpms is something I look up for...so...any I welcome any advice...these days I will try to post video of my technique, as soon as a find out how these things function on this blog.

Thank you all in advance, hope someone will have nerves to say something! :)

And finally here is the video...I know it is bad...but you will see my tremor issue...and then if someone could help I would be grateful indeed! :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bCt6Na1pmQ



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