The most fundamental challenge in fast picking is also the easiest to spot from halfway across the room: the motion mechanic.
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To play notes with a pick, we need a way of moving it back and
The most fundamental challenge in fast picking is also the easiest to spot from halfway across the room: the motion mechanic.
To play notes with a pick, we need a way of moving it back and forth in the classic alternating down-up picking sequence.
Historically, this movement, or motion mechanic, has been the most visible and most commonly discussed component of picking technique. The sheer variety of motion mechanics used by elite players has been a source of fascination and bewilderment.
While rotational forearm techniques are probably the most common, elbow and even finger-based motion mechanics are also possible.
Yngwie Malmsteen, to take a highly relevant example for the Cracking the Code documentary series, uses all three. Malmsteen's legendarily fast rotational motion mechanic, which he employs for pure alternate picking, is a highly capable all-rounder and also a great introduction to rotational picking techniques that are so common in guitar.
Finding the Slant
If you haven't already settled on a motion mechanic for alternate picking, or if you'd like to experiment with a new one, Malmsteen's rotational mechanic is natural, it's easy to replicate and it's fast and effective. So it's an ideal companion to his entire system of one-way pickslanting, even numbered note groupings and sweeping.
Here's how to do it: From an anchor position, with the right side of the palm resting on the bridge, simply rotate the hand downward so that the pick assumes the classic downward slant. This hand position should feel completely natural, similar to what happens when you hook your thumb into your belt loop. There should be no tension anywhere in the hand or arm because no real effort is required to make this happen. You're simply resting the hand against the body of