I've started playing faster music pieces and it's hard on my hands to play fast pieces like "Holy Wars...The Punishment Due". How can I get my hands used to playing faster material without running out of steam? I've noticed the same thing with fast downstrums, like in Mudvayne's "Happy?" chorus part as well.
How to play faster music on guitar like Megadeth without hand fatigue?
- Thread starter ~Derek~
- Start date
Bryant
Mr. Sleepy
Three different things I know to do. One is just simply keep playing it. The human body is resilient and will learn to cope with it. Another thing is to cheat. Use alternate picking in place of all down strokes, for example. As your technique improves, it will be difficult to distinguish alternate picking with all down strokes, when playing live. The last thing to try is play with (or more with) an acoustic. Although the approach to playing an acoustic guitar and an electric are different and require a different technique, getting a good sound out of an acoustic requires your hands to work harder. Playing an acoustic (really going after it, not meandering through a few chords) will probably do more for your skills on an an electric, be it picking or fretting than anything I can think of.
Bryant
Bryant
The only thing you really can do is practice! Just keep at it, and you will get better, it's a pain in the ass, but it will work.
A couple of suggestions would be try learning Disposable Heroes by Metallica. The song itself isn't anywhere near as hard as Holy Wars, but it is just brutal on the right hand to play the main riff. Keep playing that, and you'll build up a bunch of strength in your pick hand in no time. N.F.L by Antrhax is another good song that will make you build up strength in your pick hand to play. N.F.L. is all downpicking, and Disposable is alternate picking, but both will help you strengthen up your hand.
Just keep playing, that's really all.
A couple of suggestions would be try learning Disposable Heroes by Metallica. The song itself isn't anywhere near as hard as Holy Wars, but it is just brutal on the right hand to play the main riff. Keep playing that, and you'll build up a bunch of strength in your pick hand in no time. N.F.L by Antrhax is another good song that will make you build up strength in your pick hand to play. N.F.L. is all downpicking, and Disposable is alternate picking, but both will help you strengthen up your hand.
Just keep playing, that's really all.
I remember i would repeat the master of puppets intro (downstroking) i kept doing untill my wrist nearly died 
when it recovered a few mins later i would continue and now i'm downstroking songs like master of puppets, tornado of souls blabla with ease ^^
when it recovered a few mins later i would continue and now i'm downstroking songs like master of puppets, tornado of souls blabla with ease ^^Practice etudes that will help you build endurance in your playing. Endurance will also play a key role in helping to increase speed.
Something you might want to try is to set the mentronome at a speed you find comfortable and just force yourself to practice scale runs over and over and over at that pace for a fixed period of time. I would say try to keep it up for maybe 2 minutes at a time. As you get more comfy w/ that speed try to keep it up for longer periods of time.
As you feel more comfortable increase the speed and then try the same thing--starting from maybe 1:30 - 2:00 and increasing speed as you become more comfortable.
Something you might want to try is to set the mentronome at a speed you find comfortable and just force yourself to practice scale runs over and over and over at that pace for a fixed period of time. I would say try to keep it up for maybe 2 minutes at a time. As you get more comfy w/ that speed try to keep it up for longer periods of time.
As you feel more comfortable increase the speed and then try the same thing--starting from maybe 1:30 - 2:00 and increasing speed as you become more comfortable.
Dark Measure
New Metal Member
- Feb 13, 2012
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Haven't seen anybody mention this, but pick selection also impacts stamina.
I've found that using a pick with texture or contour makes it much easier to keep a grip when you are sweating in the heat of the moment, and start to get tired.
Also, I prefer the 3.0 mm "Big Stubby". I used to laugh at my old guitarist for using them, until I tried them, and then I realized that it is much easier to keep a lighter grip with the stubby, as it has a nice deep spot for your knuckle.
Other than that, practice!!!
GL, HF
I've found that using a pick with texture or contour makes it much easier to keep a grip when you are sweating in the heat of the moment, and start to get tired.
Also, I prefer the 3.0 mm "Big Stubby". I used to laugh at my old guitarist for using them, until I tried them, and then I realized that it is much easier to keep a lighter grip with the stubby, as it has a nice deep spot for your knuckle.
Other than that, practice!!!
GL, HF
Ye Black Knight
Member
- May 7, 2010
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Alas, thee shall also finde benefit in giving thineself strokes of erotic pleasure upon thine loinsword! This knight's preference be'ith to view brief internet-cinema-tales of lewd "wench-upon-wench action", whence vigorously exercising mine rythym paw!
By polishing thine "yogurt pistol" with regularity, thine hands shall soon be fit to unleash unholy palm-mute'age; as if these blasts erupteth from a machine-rifle in throes of "roid rage"!
This post now concludeth!
By polishing thine "yogurt pistol" with regularity, thine hands shall soon be fit to unleash unholy palm-mute'age; as if these blasts erupteth from a machine-rifle in throes of "roid rage"!
This post now concludeth!
I've been practicing old Slayer songs for years now to keep my chops up. One thing I was doing for a long time was I would tense up my shoulder to blast out fast downpicking chugs, but I could never build up endurance that way, and I was confused as to why. After some research and experimentation, I came to the conclusion that if I just play straight from my wrist utilizing ONLY my forearm muscles, starting slow, feel the burn, take breaks, speed it up, rinse and repeat, I was able to maintain speed without fatigue. The same goes with alternate picking. How you hold your pick matters a LOT, too, so don't overlook that.
Siguros
Member
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