The Best Thing To Learn In Order To Play Like Ed

[wjamflan]

Feel like the way I naturally hold the pick isn't conducive to this motion because of the way the pick is cutting across the string.

Try holding the pick just like this:



Between your thumb and middle finger - thumb slightly over the edge of the pick; index and pinky curled; wrist slightly bent downward; pick at a slight angle - between parallel and 45 degrees - and slightly leaning down toward the ground.

Here's another view:



Notice the wrist angle. I believe that Ed's wrist bends according to how he is holding the guitar at the time so he can get the pick in the right spot, but it's always at least slightly bent downward.

The most important part is the "so-so" motion you make with your hand and forearm. Maybe Ron could explain it better. He seems to have it down.

In all honesty, I just tried to copy Ed's motions as much as I possibly could when I first started playing and it just clicked for me. Here's a short video clip of me doing it without even thinking:

[JoeyParm]

Like mentioned by wjamflan previously,a medium guaged Fender pick(celluloid, regular shaped) was a important part. The pick itself produces a unique sound, and the way Ed picked the strings, allowed more the tensil quality of the pick to come through WAY more than most other players, contributing to that 'clacky' type sound/attack he got. Obviously, like wjamflan has said, the picks angle and Ed's 'freely rotating' wrist played even more heavily into it as well. Try and find that 'tone' in the pick itself (I know I'm trying).

If you have been playing a long time (the 'old dog/new trick' thingy),it may be detrimental to your style/quality of playing to try and cop Ed's fan picking EXACTLY. Just by trying to get at a real 'even and balanced' tremolo picking technique (Ed 'sounding') you will find that you will lift your picking hand off of the guitar. Doing it EXACTLY as Ed did may not be an option. A compromise of sorts is always part of the equation.

Yea, more about adding a tool to the box than anything else - and I agree with Garbeaj's post that it does LOOK pretty damn cool. Thanks for the reply - I appreciate the thoughts.

[JoeyParm]

Feel like the way I naturally hold the pick isn't conducive to this motion because of the way the pick is cutting across the string.

Try holding the pick just like this:



Between your thumb and middle finger - thumb slightly over the edge of the pick; index and pinky curled; wrist slightly bent downward; pick at a slight angle - between parallel and 45 degrees - and slightly leaning down toward the ground.

Here's another view:



Notice the wrist angle. I believe that Ed's wrist bends according to how he is holding the guitar at the time so he can get the pick in the right spot, but it's always at least slightly bent downward.

The most important part is the "so-so" motion you make with your hand and forearm. Maybe Ron could explain it better. He seems to have it down.

In all honesty, I just tried to copy Ed's motions as much as I possibly could when I first started playing and it just clicked for me. Here's a short video clip of me doing it without even thinking:

Cool - thanks for the reply - I appreciate the help.

[rgorke]

Or just watch him do it up close...

https://instagram.com/p/zn1MKcGfeF/

[garbeaj]

Goddamn! That's some of the cleanest playing I have heard from Ed in decades. When did Wolfie post that?!

[JimiJames]

Feel like the way I naturally hold the pick isn't conducive to this motion because of the way the pick is cutting across the string.

I agree with the middle finger, but it's not as important as execution & attack as rockstah has shown us in the past.

Here's a short video clip...

What a gem ! Love that lick, Bill ! ...but a bitch at full tempo !

[rgorke]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hYCKeOsj_w#t=176

Eric used his middle finger for the first bend. Practice it with both your middle and ring so you can add vibrato and bend in pitch with either.

Looks like Ed also wasn't the first to put his cigs in the headstock...probably the first to forget they were there and burn the headstock. Dang another Ed first debunked!

[Strat78]

Feel like the way I naturally hold the pick isn't conducive to this motion because of the way the pick is cutting across the string.

I agree with the middle finger, but it's not as important as execution & attack as rockstah has shown us in the past.

Here's a short video clip...

What a gem ! Love that lick, Bill ! ...but a bitch at full tempo !

Thats pretty damn fast considering your using the pinky. Use first, second and third fingers, it's seems to be the only way to muscle it out.

[Rich_D]

Thats pretty damn fast considering your using the pinky. Use first, second and third fingers, it's seems to be the only way to muscle it out. [/quote]
Maybe the 4th cup of coffee and you'll nail it.

[garbeaj]

We covered that lick pretty well here:

http://forum.metroamp.com/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=41641

Here was my take:

[Thorny]

I learned these 3 solos early on. They taught me a lot about how to approach solos in general, evh or otherwise.

[Strat78]

Those are pretty much it Thorny, nice work. Also, I've been a big fan of Ace's solo in Shock Me. I wonder if that was really him, it's got a nice playful feel thats really good. Even the drumming in that song is really good, could that be Peter?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iauaDVVPGW8

[Tone Slinger]

Bill and Allen, thats pretty much the lick imo. Ed also plays a similar pattern in B on some early live versions of ' SGMAD'.

Thorny, nice playing there bro

Phil, I agree, 'Shock Me' was top of the line Frehley. 'Ol Ace had some great moments back in the day. Peter was a great 'feel' drummer. I like his '70's era playing better than any drummer, listen to his playing and singing on this. I was just listening to this the other day and was blown away by the bands energy,
Kiss - Nothin' To Lose ( Alive! 1975 ): http://youtu.be/71mbq_OdVHs

[Strat78]

Bill and Allen, thats pretty much the lick imo. Ed also plays a similar pattern in B on some early live versions of ' SGMAD'.

Thorny, nice playing there bro

Phil, I agree, 'Shock Me' was top of the line Frehley. 'Ol Ace had some great moments back in the day. Peter was a great 'feel' drummer. I like his '70's era playing better than any drummer, listen to his playing and singing on this. I was just listening to this the other day and was blown away by the bands energy,
Kiss - Nothin' To Lose ( Alive! 1975 ): http://youtu.be/71mbq_OdVHs

That's what it is all about, the energy! I think Kiss rocked pretty hard, great stuff. So, I'll toss my hat in the ring with the Hear About It Later solo, I tried to do it with out the tapping, I kind of like it better this way. I couldn't play that Ipswich riff to save my life today.
http://youtu.be/MJb6nzHG-VM

[Tone Slinger]

Sounded real good Phil Was that the KnE 'Holdsworth' strat with a different neck ?