Here is a recap; Let's take a stab at aspects involving the actual syllabus that Pebber has posted.

Here is the link; pbguitarstudio.com/pdf_files/GUITAR_PDF/Picking_Exercise_Worksheet.pdf

(This forum won't seem to allow me to post links so, just copy and paste into your browser I guess...)

I don't know if anyone else noticed, but it goes way deeper than just picking, it's picking plus fingers, or just fingers as well.

So; here's the rules just so we're clear.

1)Pick however the hell you want. Sarod, Alternate, Scalpel, Fingers, whatever.
2)Each challenge relates to an aspect of the syllabus; It MUST be related to Pebber's info.
3)Post your own version of the challenge; video of you playing it on youtube LOUD and CLEAR and VISIBLE
4)Use a metronome in your posts.
5)Follow the rules outlined in each challenge, or you'll be humiliated brutally and mercilessly.
6)Post a small image of the transcription of your challenge with the post.
7)Offer up some reasoning as to why you feel your interpretation/manipulation of the technique is valid.
8)Challengers post along with the challengee's. That way, we see at least 2 perspectives on the same thing.
9)One week deadline from the challenge post, where you must post your improved version ager one week's practice. At the initial time of the challenge, the 'challenged' needs to post a video of where they are starting at. Loud, clear, with metronome. Detail your starting tempo, and make progress reports along the way telling of successes, failures, methodology, strategies, etc.
10)Keep your challenges reasonable; for instance DON'T challenge someone to play Paganini's 5th caprice and expect it to be learned in a week. DO, however feel free to post a small excerpt from a piece like that that can be digested, and assimilated in a week.
11) Keep your videos SHORT and to the POINT.
12)Have Fun. Trash talk is permitted...

Okay, as per 2.34 let's see if we can't see some "Minor Pentatonic" rhythmic control. One week from today, let's see where you go with this, eh? Pentatonic scale, only again, 'alternate' picked with rhythmic variations 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, and 8 notes per beat. I don't know that this is exactly what Pebber would have someone do with this, but pentatonics are a simple pattern that seem to get a lot of mileage in, like every style of music...

1) Pick however you like. Wrist, Sarod, Kamoodliebooblie style, whatever...
2) Play with a metronome, with the best time you can muster.
3) Post a starting video, give yourself a week, then post an ending video.
4) Detail your habits, discoveries. Challenges, victories, defeats...
5) Have fun.

My video is coming soon...

Picking Challenge 002.jpg - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)

alright, could only do 40 bpm...looking forward to see where I end up at.
......it really is amazing how inconsistent my tone is as well as shitty timing, im glad I am recording more.

Nice work! That looks really tough. I know I find it quite hard to keep time when the metronome is that slow. And 7s - I'm not sure I can play 7s, but I'll give it a go. I'm only just learning how to do 5s.

Student; Awesome. I know, gotta play slow at first, right? I did 'em slow, and as much as it pained me, I tried to use a picking method that I am not good at. I have a tough time controlling my picking hand thumb, but I'm trying to practice this using scalpel and Sarod (Or my version of it, anyways...) Slow is good, as it exposes any rhythmic inconsistencies...

56BPM might have even been a bit ambitious for me at this time, but oh well in with both feet!
Playing very slowly exposes a lot of timing defects, and the 'rhythm pyramid' aspect of this forces you to increase your speed without changing your tempo.

Oh hey, here's my attempt.

Haven't warmed up today, but here's an attempt at 80 bpm glitches and all. Aside from 7s which are still very unnatural for me, I'm sure I can play faster. What I've already noticed is that I probably CAN'T play these slower, which is terrible! I gotta practice that...

Damon; you are a damn monster. Watching your picking hand is always a treat. Nice time, great tone, I love how you play. That is Sarod at the faster parts I take it?

I wasn't really paying attention to that. In watching it back, it looks like my take on Sarod came in for the 8s. It looks like I used a sort of wrist/scalpel combo for the others.

Here's my crack at it. Screwed up the 8s again. This is at 60bpm.

C'mon Nick - let's see you have a go at one of these. It only takes 10 mins to record.

Cliff, nice job man! Have you always picked with your fingers open like that, or is that new?

Cliff, killer, man. Great job! Have I mentioned that I love looking at and listening to your guitar?

I can't wait to see how it goes one week from now...

Okay. Here is my video for this challenge. My video isn't complete on the end. My dog disturbed me and I wasn't able to concentrate on 10 notes per beat anyway. 56 beats per second, I am concentrating on accuracy and articulation.

Yeah that's good stuff Diego! Keep drilling and pushing it just like that!

Thanks for the kind words guys!

Scott - I feel very lucky that the guitar turned out so well. It was a big risk speccing and paying for it (it wasn't cheap!), but it turned out better than I imagined. Not only does it look beautiful, but it's very comfortable and fantastic to play. Sounds great all across the fretboard.

Damon - yeah, the open hand is a new thing, I started doing it just before Christmas to help with string damping. I know it's not advocated on here, and I'm not wedded to it as a technique, but it seems to be working at the moment. I compared speeds with a closed hand, and for me I can't feel any difference at the moment.

Diego - Very steady. It is a real treat to see how you guys all do these things. And so handy to view it in one place... hahaha
I'm making pretty steady progress at this, for me the key is not reverting to old ways. Regardless of how I pick it, warding off tension is my only goal. Whatever progress I make, as long as relaxation is coincident with that, I am happy.

Anyone tell you guys that you're all really good at guitar? If not, then allow me...

okay sorry im late on this one, suffered a pretty bad back injury Saturday and just feelin better today.

58 Bpm


I only made it up to 6s in the video and I realized counting 7s is really hard for me, and am wondering how do you guys count it, do you count 1234567 or is there something like for 3s where you can go tri' po' la'?

Mat, I hope you are feeling better! Back injuries suck!

For 7's, the word "ginalolabridgida" has always worked for me. Not sure what the fellas here prefer!
This exercise has had a really profound effect on my picking this week...

Good work! Any word with 7 syllables will do. One time when I was practicing this sort of thing I googled "Words with seven syllables" and clicked on the first link I got. Most of them made absolutely no sense! Strange medical terms. Psychological conditions. Scientific terminology.

The one that stuck for me was necrobestiality

hahaa thanks for the suggestions, wow words with 7 syllables, lol makes sense didn't even think of it that way. liking the necrobestiality one

Necrobestiality? hahahah Good lord!

OK, this is what it looks/sounds like when I try to push forward. I'm trying out 90 bpm here but I don't really have it yet. I used fingers a bit to start. I definitely need to improve control and I botched several string changes. I got maybe 10 hours in for this week's challenge, but nearly all of that was on 7s and was in the first couple days. Sadly, I couldn't even touch a guitar for the past few days. But nearly a 10 bpm improvement on 7s in a few days? That's huge.

Very nice Damon! It sounds so fluid and relaxed when you do it.

Bet you can't say 'necrobestiality' as fast as you can play it :).

What are you demonstrating with the two picks? Difference in tone with the more pointed one?

Thanks Cliff! Yeah, then I'd have to explain to my kids what that word means ... no thanks.

I should have edited that pick part out but I was too lazy this morning. I originally intended to comment on picks and ask who likes what and when, but then I abandoned that and decided to just quickly get through the challenge video.

Short version - for scalpel/wrist, I really prefer the sound/feel of picks with pointy tips. for sarod, I prefer the sound/feel of picks with curvy tips. i prefer the sound of scalpel/wrist way more than sarod. i prefer the sound of plastic tips (delrin, nylon, etc.) over the sound of metal (nickel, aluminum, etc.).

Oh Damon, that video was awesome. I love how you pick. Insane control, crazy fast. Looks effortless!

hahaha things are a mess in my video, but I might just need to just bring it back a ways and fine tune things. Things seem to disintegrate into 'wrist' picking pretty much at about 4's. 7's were a challenge for me also!

Great job guys. Really fun to see these challenges play out. Solid work mates. Very busy at the university this week so I was not able to participate but I'm glad to see the progress of everyone who did.