I have a problem were I can alternate pick fine but after a while my wrist starts hurting ands it gets really hard to keep going. And also it seems I can play fine in a tempo up to 150 BPM but anything past that and my wrist gets tired really fast. Do you guys have any solutions to these problems?
Picking Stanima
- Thread starter Warmoose76
- Start date
Maybe you could tell us a little more about your picking style? Where does the movement come from? Thumb/wrist/elbow/combination?
The main rule is RELAX. Chances are you're tensing up and overworking your muscles when all they really need to do is make the tiny motion that is picking. Try some alternate picking at a comfortable (i.e. slow) tempo and take a look at your picking motion there, then as you speed up try to keep the tension in your arm exactly the same. Its awkward at first but soon you'll be breaking through speed barriers that you thought were impossible before.
The main rule is RELAX. Chances are you're tensing up and overworking your muscles when all they really need to do is make the tiny motion that is picking. Try some alternate picking at a comfortable (i.e. slow) tempo and take a look at your picking motion there, then as you speed up try to keep the tension in your arm exactly the same. Its awkward at first but soon you'll be breaking through speed barriers that you thought were impossible before.
Ironbird666
Member
- Jul 11, 2004
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Like the previous poster said, try to relax while you're picking. Tensing up while playing a no-no, not just for alternate pickng, but for guitar playing in general. I'm going to assume you're using a metronome since you stated you can handle up to 150 bpm. If you don't have one, get one. As for alternate picking, I like to combine pratice with a metronome with playing along to albums that incorporate a lot of alternate picking, such as Reign in Blood. The bottom line is it won't happen over night, but if you stick with it you'll gradually get faster. Good luck 
Not true. You can practice bad technique for your whole life, you're still going to have bad technique. You need to focus on problem areas, isolate them and correct them. That is the solution to almost every problem.
