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Bimmerboy

Thanks to Dan-tana and I getting together last week, the next day, I got out one of my Stylus Picks that I've had stored away for a truly frightening amount of years. Eeek!

The inspiration to start practicing again has brought my attention, once again, back to a particularly difficult aspect of technique... one which has been mentioned on this very forum not long ago. The problem of "inside picking".

Long story short, for those of us who seem to have some kind of issue getting this technique as smooth as alternate picking from outside the strings, I believe this is a great tool, as it forces you to use as shallow a picking stroke as possible. This is absolutely key (aside from hour upon hour of practice) to feeling comfortable with a downstroke on a higher string, followed by an upstroke on a lower string... at high speed of course. ohgeez

The ability to do this naturally and easily comes to the lucky few. For the rest of us, I highly recommend the Stylus Pick for this narrow purpose. Don't mind the shitty website.

http://www.styluspick.com/

Like a set of traning wheels, I'll be using it until no longer needed.... which is it's intended purpose.
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WolfV11 · Auto-erotic triangulation Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 462

Very interesting, I came across the stylus pick website a few years ago and it was one of those things where I thought "this looks cool, I have to check it out sometime"

That was a while ago and I never got it. However I just ordered one right now! kicking procrastination in the but!

I look forward to using this thing, should definitely improve some issues I too have been having with "inside picking"
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WhyteChocolate · Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 1:10 pm Post subject:

Well looky here, haha

It seems interesting, and I'll have to check it out next time we get together, John. I do believe it aids only one aspect of the fast-picking equation, though, with perfect coordination between the hands at high-speed being the biggest hurdle.
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WolfV11 · Auto-erotic triangulation Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 462

I've had my stylus pick for about a week now and its great, I'm already starting to notice improvements.

While I was waiting for it to arrive, I started paying more attention to my picking and was thinking that I might actually not need it, being as I pick with very little pick to begin with and when the stylus showed up, it turned out I was only partially right.

I certainly started out using very little pick, however the more I played, the more I noticed that I was letting to much of the pick out, and on top of that my upstrokes were using wayyy too much pick.

This thing is great, it points out so many things and really whips your picking into shape, I wish I would've gotten this thing years ago, its spectacular.
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WhyteChocolate · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 3:43 pm Post subject:

Bimmerboy · Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 10:28 pm Post subject:

Just wanted to pick (harr harr) this thread back up as you guys are making some good observations regarding the difficulties in certain aspects of picking.

Regarding upstroke efficiency, there's always a disadvantage due to the fact the tip of the pick has to make a slight, half figure eight movement to clear the higher string on it's way to an upstroke on a lower string, and vice versa (completing the full figure eight). If ya' practice it until it no longer slows you down, meaning you can't twitch your muscles to go any faster on the metronome anyway, then the disadvantage no longer matters.

As a side note, wouldn't it be freakin' cool to capture a bunch of different picking motions on a high-speed camera, and view them ultra slow? Mechanical engineers use this technique to identify problems, why not musicians? Cool

Of course, nothing replaces practice, but still...

As pertains to the Stylus Pick, I believe that since it forces one to work off the very tip of the pick, other aspects of smooth, fast picking technique tend to fall into place in a shorter time frame... perhaps the main benefit going towards "inside picking".

Glad ya' got one, Mr. Wolfman Jack-son! Thumbs Up

BTW, Dan-all-battlestations... your estimation of the Stylus pick is essentially on target, but any other thoughts on the subject now that you've tried one for a few minutes?
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WhyteChocolate · Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2009 12:15 am Post subject:

WhyteChocolate · Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 4:03 am Post subject:

So, how are things going with you Stylus pickers?

After much practice and thought over the past few months, I've come to the conclusion that inside-picking is, at worst, only slightly more difficult than outside picking, and that any perceived problem is more likely due to a combination of difference in effectiveness between the downstroke and upstroke, as well as imperfect coordination between the hands.

It's just a hypothesis, but I truly believe it has merit after way fucking over-analyzing my own playing and that of my students. If your hands are in perfect synch and your upstroke and downstroke are equally strong, inside-picking is not a problem.
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WolfV11 · Auto-erotic triangulation Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 462

I love my stylus pick! I use it whenever I learn a new difficult passage or something. Hand synchronization is certainly most important, however using less plectrum makes a huge difference as well. It only sucks when it comes to sweep picking, that is a no fucking go with the stylus. Its easier to walk down stairs on stilts then do that.

Also before I record anything that is somewhat serious, I always warm up with the stylus, and when I start playing shows again, I will be doing the same there. It is a great warm up device.

Grab yourself a stylus pick, a metronome, and a few hours of time to practice is certain to yeild some great results. When done on a consistant basis, this achieves amazing results!
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Check out all 7 tracks from my debut album Earth Light on myspace right now!!!!!
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WhyteChocolate · Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 2:39 am Post subject:

Alright, I ordered one. haha I figure at best it'll help my picking, and at worst I can give 'em to a particular student who likes to pick so deep he practically hits the body.

The Stylus Pick site should give HPG a plug, considering we probably just doubled their annual sales. Wink

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razorbass · Joined: 07 Jul 2008 Posts: 131 Location: Long Island, NY

I just got my stylus pick today!
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WhyteChocolate · Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 6:11 pm Post subject:

razorbass · Joined: 07 Jul 2008 Posts: 131 Location: Long Island, NY

I think it's really cool, and I'm seeing some progress already. It came with this book of excercises to do, which was cool. I'll let you know what kind of progress i'm making over the next couple months or so. But I really like it so far!
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razorbass · Joined: 07 Jul 2008 Posts: 131 Location: Long Island, NY

I also noticed that when practicing with the stylus, time seems to go by super fast! Maybe it's because i'm having so much fun! Big Grin

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WhyteChocolate · Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2010 6:49 pm Post subject:

The booklet definitely has some decent exercises in it, no doubt. Some of the fingerings are wacky, though... haha but I realize this is for working typically weak movements.

Do keep us posted; good luck with that infernal thing!
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