Guys I have a very important question, I need tips on shreding. I know a guy who just flys on the guitar and he tells me that its all in the wrist. But I said I dont have enough strength yet and he said that its not about strength its just the way you hold and position your pick and wrist. I need some tips on how to develop speed because i have my opnion which is wrist muscle build up and then theres the just hold your pick right and make a fist. Please help!!!!!!!!
How to SHRED!!
- Thread starter ShredRaid
- Start date
Bassmasta
Member
One word:
Practice. Practice makes perfect man. I know this might sound really corny but that's the only real answer. Practise with a metronome, practicing scales and modes, get an instructional video, work on your technique-whatever it takes. You could spend every waking moment working out your wrists,and get huge bulging muscles and still not be able to shred. Also, don't forget a very important theory developed by someone at the DT board. Speed=emotion. Don't let speed take over everything man. They're equally important. Now, I'm not just trying to single you out either, because quite frankly I don't even know who the hell you are. I just hope these words touch you in some way
Respectfully yours,
Bassmasta.
Practice. Practice makes perfect man. I know this might sound really corny but that's the only real answer. Practise with a metronome, practicing scales and modes, get an instructional video, work on your technique-whatever it takes. You could spend every waking moment working out your wrists,and get huge bulging muscles and still not be able to shred. Also, don't forget a very important theory developed by someone at the DT board. Speed=emotion. Don't let speed take over everything man. They're equally important. Now, I'm not just trying to single you out either, because quite frankly I don't even know who the hell you are. I just hope these words touch you in some way
Respectfully yours,
Bassmasta.
Thanks i'll keep those tips in mind, and I promise I wont let speed overpower me, I will created balance!
RETIREDTrapped
New Metal Member
- Sep 12, 2001
- 8,312
- 4
- 0
lol at trapped.
You must practice man. all fucking day. And start SLOW, and clean, without distortion so you can hear your mistakes. Once you get a decent steady tempo going practice with and without distortion to make sure your muting technique is right, and your not getting any unwanted string noise.
Another thing about shredding is the syncronization of your two hands. Make sure when practicing your scale runs you only have 1 pick per note, or it will sound sloppy.
oh and use a metronome when increasing tempo. I would increase your tempo by 5 bpm everyday to make good progress.
don't forget to practice 6 hours a day.
You must practice man. all fucking day. And start SLOW, and clean, without distortion so you can hear your mistakes. Once you get a decent steady tempo going practice with and without distortion to make sure your muting technique is right, and your not getting any unwanted string noise.
Another thing about shredding is the syncronization of your two hands. Make sure when practicing your scale runs you only have 1 pick per note, or it will sound sloppy.
oh and use a metronome when increasing tempo. I would increase your tempo by 5 bpm everyday to make good progress.
don't forget to practice 6 hours a day.
RETIREDTrapped
New Metal Member
- Sep 12, 2001
- 8,312
- 4
- 0
yeah funeral, that's good advice.
Do the clean thing, especially with sweeping.
Admittedly, i'm not the greatest sweeper in the world, but hey, it's not in my nickname so it doesn't matter
If you want to get great at tapping, tap your fingers in unison on a desk, and in no time, you'll be playing simple stuff like Midnight by joe satriani... easy as pie once you get the hang of it.
Do the clean thing, especially with sweeping.
Admittedly, i'm not the greatest sweeper in the world, but hey, it's not in my nickname so it doesn't matter
If you want to get great at tapping, tap your fingers in unison on a desk, and in no time, you'll be playing simple stuff like Midnight by joe satriani... easy as pie once you get the hang of it.
the_satanic_rabbit
Return of Ganon
Yeah, I agree that starting slow here is the best way to do it. I got fucked because when I started I just wanted to be like Kirk Hammet. And I was able to match his speed pretty quickly, but I was using poor technique, or no technique at all.
So, now I am redeveloping my technique, especially with alternate picking. I am pretty good with legato, really fast I would say, but I suck at alternate picking and it is Kirk Hammet's fault. "You have to downpick lightning fast or you'll never be in this band!"
Sorry, got a little sidetracked.
You just have to start slow, and when you can play it clean and smoothly, just bump the tempo up a notch faster and keep going, this does work!
I have some simple midi drumbeats that I created on my computer, and I just adjust the tempo with that. Its much more interesting than a simple "clicking" metronome.
Pay attention to the "technique" of shredding. If you just try to play fast without really knowing what you're doing you will regret it later in life! Trust me!
Now I found out that I have to learn this economy picking thing too!
So, now I am redeveloping my technique, especially with alternate picking. I am pretty good with legato, really fast I would say, but I suck at alternate picking and it is Kirk Hammet's fault. "You have to downpick lightning fast or you'll never be in this band!"
Sorry, got a little sidetracked.
You just have to start slow, and when you can play it clean and smoothly, just bump the tempo up a notch faster and keep going, this does work!
I have some simple midi drumbeats that I created on my computer, and I just adjust the tempo with that. Its much more interesting than a simple "clicking" metronome.
Pay attention to the "technique" of shredding. If you just try to play fast without really knowing what you're doing you will regret it later in life! Trust me!
Now I found out that I have to learn this economy picking thing too!
Originally posted by Trapped
ha ha... i love it when guys with "shred" in their nicknames can't shred at all
Originally posted by Trapped
Admittedly, i'm not the greatest sweeper in the world, but hey, it's not in my nickname so it doesn't matter
wait a second, that means you should add it right? hehe
azal
love is the answer
the safest nick to use as to not over step your abilities would be called yourself VanHalenBassLines.......
RETIREDTrapped
New Metal Member
- Sep 12, 2001
- 8,312
- 4
- 0
ha ha yeah, maybe..
I can actually sweep tho. I'm not "SweepMaster" or "Sweeperman" or something like that Or ever better "KirkHammet"
Thorns of Sorrow
My pic is squished
azal
love is the answer
DoktorShred
Member
Start slow. And by the way its not neccessarily all in the wrist. People have their own picking techniques. I pick from the elbow with a straight wrist. And (not trying to blag) can shred so yeah start slow and find the technique that works for you. The one thing i will suggest is try and keep economy of motion as low as possible.
excatly my problem Dr. Shred, I had my own way of shreding but then i have like ten people telling me that my technique is wrong and that i need to start over. So before this i could shred but i wasent "loose" i had a straight arm and also picked from the elbow but they said i wont ever get fater and that im developing bad technique and that im going to get an injury. I love it when a young guitarist has a question and gets discouraged because of a nick name(just because i asked for advice on shreding doesnt mean i cant shred im just not shred master)
RETIREDTrapped
New Metal Member
- Sep 12, 2001
- 8,312
- 4
- 0
About using your elbow:
You all deserve to go to hell for doing that.
It's not the fact that "you can't shred using your elbow", you will totally mong the tendons in your elbow, and basically get tennis elbow, which is hell bad, you wont even be able to play metallica tunes.
Sure, you CAN shred with your elbow... but you wont be doing it for long before you totally blow out the joint, but hey, it's your loss.
I've been playing for 12 years, and i've screwed my elbow, my wrist AND my left hand pinky because of bad technique... Go figure! When you hurt yourself, then you'll realise what i'm saying. It's extremely difficult to get out of those bad habits. I taught myself to shred and play differently, but i've still got a bad wrist and finger.
You all deserve to go to hell for doing that.
It's not the fact that "you can't shred using your elbow", you will totally mong the tendons in your elbow, and basically get tennis elbow, which is hell bad, you wont even be able to play metallica tunes.
Sure, you CAN shred with your elbow... but you wont be doing it for long before you totally blow out the joint, but hey, it's your loss.
I've been playing for 12 years, and i've screwed my elbow, my wrist AND my left hand pinky because of bad technique... Go figure! When you hurt yourself, then you'll realise what i'm saying. It's extremely difficult to get out of those bad habits. I taught myself to shred and play differently, but i've still got a bad wrist and finger.
ShredManWalking
Hit man for the Order
Hey guys, it's not just in the picking hand. Shredding also deals with the ability to keep up with the fretboard hand too. I'd practice some exercises with hammer-on pull-off licks to strenthen the fretboard hand. Get that pinky strong too, its an amazing shredding tool! Yeah, like everyone else said, just plain practice a lot. My guitar teacher told me that many hours a day is necessary to acheive maximum speed.
I just have a few comments about the shred stuff.
I agree with the person who said you will ruin your elbow by using a straight wrist and all motion is comin from the elbow. I have yet to meet someone who has any type of control when they do this except for Vinnie Moore and even he is ahving problems these days.
The idea for shredding is the least amount of motion used equals the longer you can play fast. The guy with perfect technique is Paul Gilbert. If you wanna learn to shred and not kill your hands amongst other things buy Intense Rock 1. Thats how Michael Romeo learned to shred. There is an endless amount of kick ass excercises in that video.
In the beginning pay attention to your pickhand and frettin hand making sure they move/pick at the same time. if one hand is the slightest bit off...its ridiculously sloppy. Start simple too. Don't try to do an yngwie type run right away cuz it aint gonna happen. Always use a metronome. Be able to feel different time values against the beat without a metronome. For example, you hsould be able to feel what eighth notes, triplets, sixteenth notes and sextuplets feel like against a beat. it doesnt have to be fast . just be able to feel it. If anyone wants more info on this stuff email me or sumthing and ive got a bunch of shit on shreding. event_1999@yahoo.com
Dennis
I agree with the person who said you will ruin your elbow by using a straight wrist and all motion is comin from the elbow. I have yet to meet someone who has any type of control when they do this except for Vinnie Moore and even he is ahving problems these days.
The idea for shredding is the least amount of motion used equals the longer you can play fast. The guy with perfect technique is Paul Gilbert. If you wanna learn to shred and not kill your hands amongst other things buy Intense Rock 1. Thats how Michael Romeo learned to shred. There is an endless amount of kick ass excercises in that video.
In the beginning pay attention to your pickhand and frettin hand making sure they move/pick at the same time. if one hand is the slightest bit off...its ridiculously sloppy. Start simple too. Don't try to do an yngwie type run right away cuz it aint gonna happen. Always use a metronome. Be able to feel different time values against the beat without a metronome. For example, you hsould be able to feel what eighth notes, triplets, sixteenth notes and sextuplets feel like against a beat. it doesnt have to be fast . just be able to feel it. If anyone wants more info on this stuff email me or sumthing and ive got a bunch of shit on shreding. event_1999@yahoo.com
Dennis
Sadistik
Let me die in solitude...
I use a lot of legato...it makes my runs sound smoother and less forced....so I'd say it's all in the fingers, not the wrist 
But, yes, my pick can fly too!
But, yes, my pick can fly too!
Similar threads
