Professional Documents
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Speed Demon:
Speed Picking Secrets
For Jazz Guitar
StuartKing
Stuartisaguitaristwithover20yearsexperienceasaperformerinmany
variedcontexts,rangingfromclassicalthroughtocontemporarystyles,
musicaltheater,andjazz.
In2005StuartgraduatedfromtheCanberraSchoolofMusic,Australian
NationalUniversitywithaBachelorofMusicasajazzperformancemajor.
ThesedaysStuartperformsregularlyaroundCanberraasabandleader,
sideman,sessionguitaristandsolojazzandacousticguitarist.Stuarthas
performedwiththeCanberraSymphonyOrchestraonvariousoccasions
andhasperformedwithmanynotableAustralianjazzmusiciansincluding
MikePrice,BenHauptmann,CarlDewhurst,LucindaPeters,andLuke
Sweeting.FindoutmoreaboutStuartatwww.stuartkingmusic.com
GregORourke
AwardwinningAustralianguitaristGregORourkereceivedhisBachelor
OfMusicHonoursdegreein2006,andwasascholarshipholderatthe
AustralianNationalUniversitySchoolOfMusic.Gregsmainspecialityis
jazzguitar,whichheteachesaboutonhiswebsitewww.FretDojo.com.
Gregsversatileabilityontheguitariscredittoseveralteachershehas
studiedwithovertheyears,includingMikePriceandDonAndrews,well
knownperformersandteachersintheAustralianjazzguitarscene,as
wellasmorerecentlystudyingwithinternationallyacclaimedjazzguitarist
andteacherMattWarnock.GregalsoundertookextensivestudywithTim
Kain,oneofAustraliasleadingclassicalguitarperformersandteachers.
GreghasgivenprizewinningperformancesattheAustralianNational
UniversityChamberMusicCompetition,andwasawarded1stprizeintheChamberMusicdivisionofthe
2004AustralianInternationalGuitarCompetition.Gregcurrentlyenjoysabusycareer,comprisingof
teachingonlineandoffline,performingandcollaboratingwithotherAustralianartists.
Introduction
Hi,Greghere!Imprettyexcitedtoday.
Theresagoodreasonforthis:
IwasluckytopindownmygoodfriendandvirtuosoguitaristStuartKing
torecordalessononhowjazzguitaristscanbuildtheirspeedpicking.
WhydidIpickthistopic?
Becauselearningtoplaylinesfastisacriticalskillforanyjazzguitarist.
Besidesbeingagreatallroundmusicianandatopjazzguitarist(anda
nicebloketoboot),Stuartisendowedwithincrediblechops.
HessimplythefastestguitaristIveplayedwithtodate.
Atthetimeofwriting,StuartandIhadhavebeenbusyworkingonStuarts
debutjazzguitaralbumQualia.
Duringourmixingsession,IwasabletonabStuartforafewhoursinthe
videostudio,andImsogladIdid.
Asyoullseeinthelessonvideo(linkbelow),itsresultedinasensational
howtoguideonbuildingspeedyouregoingtoenjoythisone.
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ItturnsoutStuartisoneofthosehiddenguitaryogis,whohasquietly
workedoutanincredibleshortcuttoboostingyourspeedandaccuracyon
theguitar.
Sincerecordingthevideo,IvebeenpracticingStuartsapproachesdaily.
Afteroneweekoffollowingthestepbystepprocessinthislesson,Ive
noticedasignificantboostinmymaximumspeed,andmyspeed
pickingaccuracyhasincreasedaswell.
Withoutfurtherado,letsgetintoit!
Clickheretoviewthevideolesson>>
WhyDoIWantToLearnToPlaySoFast
Anyway?
Theresnodoubtaboutit:
Whetheryouareinterestedinshreddingitupornot,anyseriousstudyof
jazzguitarrequiresanabilitytoplayfasttempos.
Why?
Themajorityofsinglelinesolosbythejazzguitargreatsarestuffedfullof
doubletimerunsthatareoftentrickytoplay.
So,ifyourchopsarentuptothejob,youremissingoutonbeingableto
incorporatecriticallyimportantjazzguitarvocabularyintoyourplaying.
Thatsnotall:
Ifyoucanplayquickly,youllbeabletothinkmorequicklywhenyou
improvise.
Thismeansthatyoullhaveagreaterabilitytobemorecreativewhenyou
solo,regardlessofthetempo,asyourmindwillbeworkingfaster.
NowthatIveconvincedyouwhyyouneedtogetyourspeedpickingupto
scratch,hereswhatnottodo
TheWRONGApproach
LikewhatStuartmentionedinthevideoabove,Imyselfhavealwayshad
issueswithbuildingspeed.
Heresthetypicalapproachwhenitcomestoguitarspeedexercises:
Takeapassageandpracticeitoverandover,bumpingupthemetronome
1to5bpmatatime,graduallyincreasingthespeeduntilyoureachyour
desiredtempo.
ButItdoesntwork.
MostofmycolleaguesandstudentsIvetalkedtoaboutthisapproach
describeathresholdthat,uponreachingit,isimpossibletogetpast.
Buttheresanotherway.
Initially,Stuartwasunwillingtopartwithhishiddensecretsaboutspeed
pickingbutIgotthemoutofhimeventually.
Readonforhismethodinallitsglory!
(Hint:Fastforwardthevideotothetimecode(ingreen)togettothespotin
thelessonvideothatdemonstratesthestepsbelow.)
Step1:PresentingTheSprinting
Technique(4:04)
Togetstarted,choosealickthatyouwanttopracticebuildingyourspeed
pickingwith.Ideally,alongerlinewillbethemostusefultostudy.Tryto
stickwithjustonelickinitiallyyoullseewhylater.
HerestheonethatStuartwasusinginthevideoabove:
AsStuartdescribesinthevideo,asprintis:ashortburstoffastnotes,
interspersedbyslowernoteseitherside.
TostartbuildingyourchopswiththeSprintingTechnique,takethefirst5
notesoutofthislickandisolateit:
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Why5notes?
Thereason:
Youwantthecelltostartandendonadownbeat.
Practicethisshortcellofnotesataslowtempoafewtimesuntilyouget
thehangofitbeforemovingtothenextstep.
Step2:ChooseYourTargetTempo
(5:55)
Whatyouneedtodonowischooseafasttempothatyoudideallyliketo
becomecomfortableat.
Stuartreferstothisasyourtargettempo.
Wearenttalkingaboutbumpingyourtempouponly10bpm.
YouwantatempowhereyoucouldkeepupwithPatMartinoatleast:
Stuartchose150bpmasthetargettempointhisvideo,becauseyouwont
oftenfinddoubletimelicksplayedmuchfasterthanthatinjazz.
Ifyoucanplay16thnotesat150bpm,youshouldbeprettycomfortable
withmosttunesandtranscriptions.
Ok,letsnotmessaround:
Youregoingtolearntoplayatthistemporightnow.
Whaaaat?!?ButIcouldneverplaythatfast!
Neverfearmyfriend.
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Attheendofthislesson,youllbecarvingitupliketheresnotomorrow.
Letstaketheseguitarspeedexercisesstepbystep.
AsStuartdemonstratesinthelessonvideoabove,firstpracticesprinting
atyourtargettempowithtremolospeedpickingonjustthefirstnoteof
the5notecell,alongwithametronome.
HereareafewexercisestoshowyouwhatImean:
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Speedbuildingisntsomuchaboutbuildingmusclesasitisaboutbeing
abletohearfasttempos.
Theaboveexercisesareprettystraightforward,butmakesurethatyoure
nailingthenotesoneachdownbeatpreciselyalongwithametronome.
Thesearereallyeartrainingexercisestogetyoufamiliarwithmovingata
fasttempo.
Noticehowoneithersideofthe16thnotesprintsineachexercise,you
playsimplequarternotesoneachdownbeat.
Thishelpsyouverifyyouactuallydid,infact,nailthesprintwithrhythmic
accuracy.
Itseasytothinkthatyouveplayedasprintrhythmicallyintime,but
youcanmakesubtleerrorsthatwill,whenitcomestoplayingalonger
sprint,starttoskewyouawayfromthemetronome.
Playingquarternoteseithersideofthesprinthelpsyouavoidthisproblem,
forcingyoutozeroinonthebeat.
OnwardstoStep3
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Step3:SprintontheFirst5NoteCellAt
YourTargetTempo(8:12)
Nowthatyouvegottenusedtothetargettempoof150bpmonasingle
note,thenextstepistotakethe5notecellweisolatedandusethe
SprintingTechniqueonthat.
Remembertopumpoutthosequarternotesbeforeandaftereachsprint.
Thiswillhelpyoucheckifyouregettingthesprintsrhythmicallyintime.
Heresanexample:
Ifyouarentsureyoureplayingthesprintsexactlyintimewiththe
metronome,recordyourselfusinganaudiorecorderorsmartphoneand
checkhowaccurateyourrhythmis.
Animportantpointtomentionhere:Dontworryifyouretechniqueisabit
messy,i.e.missingstringsorhittingwrongstringswithyourpickasyou
playthesprint.Ignoreallthatfornow,wellcleanituplater.
Justfocusondevelopingyourrhythmicawarenessofthetargettempo,
regardlessofanytechnicalflaws.
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Step4:IsolateTheNext5NoteCell
RinseAndRepeat(8:35)
NowthatyouveusedtheSprintingTechniqueonthefirstcell,isolatethe
nextcellofthelickandrepeattheprocess:
Hereshowyouwouldpracticeasprintwiththiscell:
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Step5:StarttoGlueTheCellsTogether
(9:08)
Nowwehavetwochunksoutofthelickthatyoucanplayprettyquickly.I
wantyoutonowgluethemtogether,tomakealongersprint:
Thisiswherethingscangettricky.Itcanbeastruggletobeabletoplaya
longersprintlikethisatafasttempolike150bpm.
Butifyoucantplaythemtogetherdontslowdownthemetronome!
Instead,takeacoupleofnotestemporarilyofftheendofthesprintandtry
again:
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Onceyoucanplaythisshorterversionofthesprint,addthenotesbackon
thatyouremovedanditshouldstarttoworkforyou.
Inthisway,workthroughthelick,one5notecellatatime.
Then,graduallycombinethemuntilyouhavecobbledtogethertheentire
lickatthetargettempo.
Heresthething:
Yourelikelygoingtofindthatthelickstillwontsoundthatgoodandyou
aredroppingnotes,playingmessyandgenerallystruggling.
Dontstressthepointofthisexercisesofarisnottohavecleanspeed
pickingyet.
Wellsortthatoutlater.
Fornow,yourejusttryingtotrainyourearstohearthatfasttargettempo
of150bpm.
Readon,becauseStuarthasagreattrickherewhenyougettothispoint,
andthingsstarttogetmindbendinglyinteresting
Step6:DroptheTempoto80%OfYour
TargetTempo(10:54)
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Atthispoint,noticehowStuartonthelessonvideotookthetempodown
from150bpmto140bpm.
Hewasabletoplaythelickprettycleanlyatthatslowertempo.Inhisown
words,itwaslikehewas:
onlyplayingat80%ofmyability.
Nowheresthething:
Whatifyoucanmakeyourtargettempo(inthiscase150bpm),80%of
yourability?
Youcan.
Youjustneedtotrainyourearstohearatempomuchfasterthan150bpm,
whichiswhatyouregoingtodonext.
Step7:RampUpTheTempoBeyond
YourWildestDreams(12:46)
190bpm?Areyoumad??
Trustme,itsgoingtowork.
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Attempttoeitherplaythefulllickorsome5notesprintsat190bpmorata
similar,incrediblyunrealistic,fasttempo.Goto150%ofyourabilityat
least.
Asyoucanseeinthevideo,Stuartfailedmiserablyat190bpm,butthats
notthepoint.
Whatyourereallydoinghereistrickingyourmindintothinkingthat150
bpmisactuallyaprettyreasonabletempo.
Spendsometimewiththis.Putyouregoasideandbepreparedtobomb
outatthisinsanespeed.Ignoreyourlackofaccuracyornotbeingableto
playthewholelick.
Justkeepfocusingonthosemetronomeclicksandseeifyoucangenerally
approximatethatstupidlyfasttempo.
Ontothefinalstep
Step8:NowGoBackToYourTarget
Tempo(14:06)
Onceyouvesufferedforawhileat190bpm,itstimetochillout.
Windthemetronomebackdowntoaneasygoing150bpm.
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Ahluxury!
Seehowmuchmorecomfortable150bpmfeelsthenthecrazytempowe
attemptedinthelaststep.
Youmightsurpriseyourselfatthispointhoweasyitwillfeeltoplayata
tempowhichwas,justminutesbefore,arealstruggle.
IcouldntbelieveitwhenItriedStuartsapproachthisweek,aspriortothis
140bpmwasprettymuchmy100%tempoonagoodday.
Tohave150bpmfeelrelativelycomfortablewasunbelievable.
Ok,SoHowTheHeckDidThatWork?
Thepointoftheseguitarspeedexerciseswasnottodevelopfinger
dexterity,fasttwitchmuscles,pickingtechniquesoranythinglikethat.
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Theyweresimpleexercisesintrainingthemindtoperceiveanincredibly
fasttempo(inthiscase190bpm),evenifyoucantplayitcleanlyyet.
Bydoingthis,youarespeedingupyourmentalawareness,whichseemsto
bethecruxofthewholespeeddevelopmentissueonguitar.
Interestingly,whenyouthengobacktoyourslowertargettempo(e.g
goingbackdownfrom190bpmto150bpm),itfeelsmuchslowerthanit
actuallyis.
Youvetrickedyourmindintothinkingthatthetargettempoisonly80%of
yourability.
Rhythmawarenessandrhythmicaccuracy,nottechnicalaccuracy,isthe
keytounlockingtheabilitytoplayfastontheguitar.Regardlessofyour
lackofaccuracywithyourspeedpicking,throughfollowingthisapproach
younowhavethatrawspeedunderyourfingerstoworkwith.
Bepatient:thetechnicalaccuracywillcomeovertime,asyourfingersget
usedtoplayingatthesefastertempos.
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AGroundbreakingApproach
WhatIfoundmostinterestingabouttryingoutStuartsapproachishow
quicklyitworkedtobuildspeed.
Thisindicatestomethattheabilitytoplayfastisntreallytodowith
buildingmusclesinyourfingers.Ifyouvebeenplayingguitarforawhile,
thisshouldhavealreadybeendevelopedlongago.Speedbuildingismore
ofamentaltrainingissue.
Heresanotherfascinatingoutcome:
Throughpracticingthisapproach,ithasntjustbeenthelickIvebeenusing
thathashadaspeedboost.
Everythingelsehasfeltmucheasiertoplayasaresultoftheseguitar
speedexercises.
Itseemsasthoughlearninghowtoplayjustonelickfastgivesyouthe
abilitytoplayotherlicksfasttoo.
Plus,Ivefoundmypickingaccuracyhasincreasedatslowertempos
andmyhandsaremorerelaxed.
ItappearsthatStuartmayhaveindeedslainthespeeddemon,aferocious
beastthathastormentedguitaristsforgenerations.
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FurtherResources
Ifyouneedametronome,IuseTempoPerfect,afreesoftware
metronome.Prettybasicbutdoesthejob.
OnStuartsrecommendationcheckoutguitaristTroyGradyswebsite
attroygrady.com.Althoughgearedmoretowardsrockplayers,Troy
hasexcellenttipsforimprovingyourspeedpickingaccuracy,
regardlessofwhatstyleofguitaryouplay.Troyhasanexcellent
onlinecourseyoumightliketocheckoutcalledPickslantingPrimer,
whichisadetailedguidetoguitarpickingtechniquethatIhighly
recommend.Clickthislinkformoreinfo
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ThankYou!
AspecialthankstoStuartKingfortakingthetimeoutofhisbusyschedule
torecordthisgreatvideolessonforyou.
Givethistechniqueatryforafewweeks,andletusknowwhatyouthink!
Didyoufindthisapproachworkedforyou?Leaveacommentbelowto
shareyourthoughts.
Ifyouenjoyedthisspeedpickinglesson,pleaseshareitwithyour
friendsitwouldmeantheworldtous.
Maytheforcebewithyou,
GregORourke&StuartKing