Picking speed on practice licks vs. real licks

[rrhea]

Hello all! I have yet another question about picking. I am relatively new to practicing with the metronome, so I am curious about "overall picking speed" versus my picking speed on the lessons/licks I know well and practice everyday.

After about 6 months of intense training on the metronome I am up to 132 bpm with 16th notes using the 1234 psuedo chromatic exercise from Petrucci's video, and at 80 bpm with 16 note triplets using another of Petrucci's exercises. I can also play my "noodling" petatonic licks at these speeds, as well as the Ionian and Doran modes. Last night I briefly played 16th notes at 152 bmp to a backing track... it was pretty sloppy (but fun!). I only push myself like for brief moments just to see if I can do it.

My question is: will practicing these patterns help me gain overall speed, or will I just get fast at those licks/patterns only? Do people like Paul Gilbert have to practice everything they are able to play fast, or do they finally reach a point where they've practiced enough basic patterns that they can pick just about any lick as fast as they can once it is memorized?

Just as a note, I also practice things other than the above (sweeping, legato, etc. as well as entire songs and real licks)... but the above is my main routine for alt. picking speed. I am slowly adding more exercises other than the 1234 stuff, but I have noticed my overall speed and accuracy has increased when I am not in practice mode and playing actual music.

I feel it is important for me to gain some muscle ability and dexterity before attempting to learn the really hard songs I want to play, such as For the Love of God, or a Petrucci tune. Am I way off base with this thinking?

Thanks for any advice on how to improve my practice routine. I am really getting inspired now by my progress. I don't want to seem to be so one dimensional and practice only speed and control, but it is an important thing to me personally... and it is not something I plan to continue focusing most of my attention on once I get to my desired speed (200 bpm at 16ths/ 120 bpm at 16th note triplets). I think speed and control will help open doors to other aspects of my playing in the future.

Suggestions?

Ryan

[Yukon Jack]

That's pretty good progress for 6 months. It seems to me that if you're up to 16th notes at 132 bpm with the chromatic notes, you should be pretty close to playing most of you're real licks at the speed you desire. Maybe not for Paul Gilbert licks but most licks. It'll just take some practice with the real licks. I think those exercises really help with picking and fretting hand coordination. Don't stop practicing them if you're improving.

[schematics]

The most important thing is to be aware that it takes some time to internalize patterns, scales etc., i.e. you basically should be able to play it in your sleep. Then, you can start to work on the other stuff (speed, accuracy, dynamics or whatever).

In terms of speed, I think you should add a "safety margin" of about 10%. I.E. if you want to be able to play 16th notes in front of public at 132bpm and not scaring the **** out of yourself, you should be able to do it cleanly at 140 - 145bpm at home.

I also think that PG and JP did practice their stuff a hell of a lot and over and over again. But, as with everything in life, if you really enjoy what you do, you can't call it work or practice.:D

[Los Boleros]

After about 6 months of intense training on the metronome I am up to 132 bmp with 16th notes using the 1234 puesdo chromatic exercise from Petrucci's video, and at 80 bmp with 16 note triplets using another of Petrucci's exercises. .................................................. ..................................
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My question is: will practicing these patterns help me gain overall speed, or will I just get fast at those licks/patterns only?
Suggestions?

RyanYou bet.;)
I would use the cromatic excersices just as a warm up then immediately move on to playing music.

I mean, if you want to be able to play fast, then practice the kinda things that you want to do fast. There are many things you can use a metronogn for that would be very benificial.
Things like:
[list]
Real melodies. Burn those things into memory man!
Scale patterns. Things like 1,3,2,1,7,1,2,3,2,4,3,2,1,2,3,4,3,5,4,3,2,3,4,5,4, 6,5,4,3,4,5,6,Etc
Triads and seventh arpegios. Mix them up. you don't have to do Am. Bdim, C, Dm, Em, F, G. Try Am, Dm, G, C, F, Bdim, etc. make up patterns.
Riffs and licks that you learn from friends

My point is that these things are a hell of alot more musical than Cromatic scales. When it comes down to it, speed don't mean sh*t if it ain't musical.

[phantom]

hi speed playing is synchronized movements of both hands/fingers at a high tempo.

so whatever you practice that helps getting those two hands together will help you play faster overall.
of course there will be certain lines that need more attention and practice, but if your hands are used to syncronicity you'll learn them easier of course.
there are a few very common movements like scales up and down and there are a few more difficult movements like playing stuff in 6th (1-6-2-7-3-8-4-9...) were you have to skip strings occasionally or do other wird things. try to get as much odd movements ito your hands memory and you'll be fine ;) .

[rrhea]

First, thank you all for responding and I really appreciate the advice.

Yukon, I have been playing for a long time so the relatively fast progress I've enjoyed is probably due to that. I recently picked up the guitar again after many years of neglect and re-dedicated myself to the instrument and to learning theory and getting my chops up. I only wish I had been this focused when I was younger!

Schematics, I have noticed that when I play unfamiliar patterns or licks I am unable to immediately play them at my top speed. It's cool to know this is normal and it just takes some slow practice to get them up to speed. Some licks just continue to frustrate the hell out of me. :D Great advice on the safety margin thing. I'll always keep that in mind. ;)

Los Boleros, gracias por sus consejos! I have been thinking that I really do need to start playing the stuff (music, not just scales) that I want to actually play at the speed I am shooting for. That means I'll need to really start working on the songs I have been afraid of up till now. But I do think Phantom is right when he says that any practice that coordinates the two hands is beneficial overall. So I am thinking that a combination of my alt. picking exercises and a good, tough song like Vai's "For the Love of God" taken in sections is the key here. Until now I have been trying to reach a certain skill level before learning particular tunes. But now I realize I am wasting time by not just jumping in and learning those tunes I want to know. The skill level I seek can only be attained by working through the songs I want to learn... not with scales and excersises only. I read somewhere recenty that a guitarist needs to learn the language of the instrument... that language is the licks and riffs of the masters. Once you learn some of that stuff you internalize it and spit it back out a little differently and it becomes your own. That's pretty exciting.

I am also going to start jamming again with a childhood buddy of mine who is quite an exceptional drummer. This will be a welcome change from computer drums and backing tracks. Nothing replaces playing with another human being. :)

Other than Petrucci's excellent exercises and practice advice on the DVD, are there any other videos or practice routines that you guys know of that are equal to or better than the Petrucci vid?

Thanks again to all of you for your advice and inspiration!

Ryan

[axe_man_oli]

You could try Paul Gilberts Intense rock videos for some great licks and talk on technique, slightly different style, but very worthy.

[guitarded]

i agree with phantom about getting all the odd patterns in your muscle memory. just pick a random pattern....something you never practice, but it has to feel really uncomfortable. that way when your doing improv youll never have any mode of a scale to hide from so to speak.