Picking Etude- The Moto Perpetuo / Perpetual Motion
(18 Sep 02)
Working on it...
OK, if you like the way it sounds (CLICK HERE FOR A MIDI), and you decide you wanna learn this whole etude, please keep in mind these things:
- The "Moto Perpetuo", like many other classical pieces, has been constructed quite logically by Mr. Paganini, meaning that there definitely is a structure to it. That means that we can separate it into several different parts.
- And we should separate it. It would make no sense to try to memorize the whole thing at once while trying to play it accurately and fast. So let's split it up into segments and work on each one by itself
- Rhythmically, the Perpetuo is easy to play. Its 16th notes in a 4/4 time signature. So it is quite easy to work on this with a metronome. So I definitely recommend to use one throughout the whole process of learning it.
- There are several ways of fingering this. My solution is just one possible one. If you wanna play it in a different way, with a different fingering, feel free to do so.
- You might wanna isolate some parts and work on them by themselves (i.e. the short one-note-per-strings arpeggios in between).
- Use alternate picking throughout. If you want to, you can later add legato stuff etc. But for now, focus on the left hand and just use strict alternate picking. This really was a great chopbuilder for my picking, it helped me tremendously...
Ok, here is the TAB
This is the first big block. As I said, the "Moto Perpetuo" can easily be chopped up into small pieces and segments. Then you can work on and memorize those parts separately.
You could i.e. play until measure no.5 and stop right in the middle. From then on, the first part is repeated with slight variations. So now take those first 4 1/2 bars and work on them.
If you need to, isolate even slower parts (the one note per string arp in measure 3 might be difficult if you play it with alternate picking... I explained that approach in my articles about Steve Morse. For now, we're playing it with alternate picking... if you want to, you can later sweep it.)
Here is the rest of it...
OK, that was the infamous first part of the "Moto Perpetuo", as quoted in Racer X's "Y.R.O.". This is only one possible fingering-arrangement for it (It's actually a favorite of many of my students). On the next page, I'll show you a different one (at least the second half is different), which is the way I play it myself.
Before you turn the page to check that one out, lemme say goodbye for now. I hope you enjoyed this little etude. It's one of my favorite things to play, and it helped me tremendously to work on my picking technique.
When my picking hand is "out of pasture" after i.e. not playing for a few days, playing the Moto Perpetuo helps me quickly to get my hands synchronized again. I just play through it 3-4 times. The more you work on it (even if it's only 15-30 minutes a day) the easier it'll be to memorize the whole thing.
And if you can play through it accurately and in time, you'll most likely realize an improvement about your picking, cuz the "Moto Perpetuo" includes several different styles of picking (different amounts of notes per string, one note per string-arps etc. ).
Hope you'll enjoy learning this one... and check out that first Racer X-album, ok?
Happy picking
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