Tremolo Picking Analysis

[Strat78]

I picked this up from watching Ed at the Oakland Arena and Coliseum back in 78. Oh, and twelve more times up until 84 hehe. He was way faster at it back then. My only suggestion would be to just get the wrist swivel going and then hold the pick whatever way is most comfortable. But don't cheat by slanting the pick too much, you've got to get that nice crisp attack. I used to do it like Ed, but over the years it evolved into my own grotesque claw like form.
I tried watching those vids, it was exhausting. The best guitar stuff I ever came up with was while sitting on the toilet with the kids and wife locked out!

[rgalpin]

another thing is even after all these years i can't always do it cold - not very well - i have to be warmed up and loose before it really starts happening. i know that because i JUST tried to make a quick vid sitting here at my desk at work and it was a no go. LOL! i was noticing as i struggled to do it cold that the success had A LOT to do with how I was gripping the pick - if i sneak my tip of my index finger around to the edge of the pick it changes all the angles just enough that i can start getting it happening - also, if i just sit there and ONLY work on that technique the muscles get freaky and i start like hitting only on the upstrokes and it makes you want to throw something hahaaa - i had to noodle around and then sneak up on it and with fresh muscles it comes out.

i still can't believe how WIDE ed's back and forth motion is on the Kimmel video - that's insane!!

[Strat78]

Yeah, I usually have a two minuet window where I can do it, then it starts sputtering out. Seems to help to hit the first note with an up stroke before launching into the fan picking.

[rgalpin]

MAN! That is a WIDE swing he's got there. I keep going back and looking at it. How far would you say that pick is moving back and forth with each swipe? You can see it in the old footage he shows too. Incredible. No wonder it sounds so dynamic - ferocious!! Like a boxer throwing a flurry of punches except every punch comes across like a roundhouse hook!!

[Strat78]

MAN! That is a WIDE swing he's got there. I keep going back and looking at it. How far would you say that pick is moving back and forth with each swipe? You can see it in the old footage he shows too. Incredible. No wonder it sounds so dynamic - ferocious!! Like a boxer throwing a flurry of punches except every punch comes across like a roundhouse hook!!

That's how he does it now and it actually slows him down swinging it that wide. He used to do it super efficiently and it looked like his right hand wasn't even moving he was doing so close, tight and super fast! Check out the 78 eruption clip at 1:05 here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L08uuAf7PBc
Haha, check out the "wow, look at me" thing he does (twice even) during that bit.

[motrock]

MAN! That is a WIDE swing he's got there. I keep going back and looking at it. How far would you say that pick is moving back and forth with each swipe? You can see it in the old footage he shows too. Incredible. No wonder it sounds so dynamic - ferocious!! Like a boxer throwing a flurry of punches except every punch comes across like a roundhouse hook!!

That's how he does it now and it actually slows him down swinging it that wide. He used to do it super efficiently and it looked like his right hand wasn't even moving he was doing so close, tight and super fast! Check out the 78 eruption clip at 1:05 here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L08uuAf7PBc
Haha, check out the "wow, look at me" thing he does (twice even) during that bit.

Which would explain how he was so freaking fast back in 78. Some boots from that era; its so darn fast.

[mr.twistyneck]

That's how he does it now and it actually slows him down swinging it that wide. He used to do it super efficiently and it looked like his right hand wasn't even moving he was doing so close, tight and super fast!

Yes. Boom. Also Adrenalin.

Maybe some...other mood enhancers... like co...ffee

[EJSLPlexi]

I still cant believe how fast ed used to do that tremolo picking!

[JimiJames]

Pretty interesting analysis I'd say...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C40Sj2u ... e=youtu.be


Really attempting to break down the technique into its individual components.

I see you No see; you see...
How' bout another way of thinking here.
It is most natural to play "up & down". That is what it appears. IOW 1&2&3&4&. up down up down etc.
Ed is not thinking this for his metronome, even though it is a solid concept. Once he gets the flutter technique coming off the initial approach, he then fine tunes it with triplets. So now the thinking becomes in "sets" and not as individual notes.
As he does this one can actually see in VH vid's his "micro" moves the "up" set of triplets, and the "down" set of triplets. Visible at full speed. Just look for it.
One can understand to do this just with air guitar. Try to do both and tell me what happens...

Just think in Spanish and you'll fly right through it

[garbeaj]

I'd say JimiJames has described the concept perfectly. Wjamflan has it spelled out out mechanically in terms of the positioning and the mechanics and JimiJames has described the "feeling" of what's going on as you approach playing any of the tremolo picked passages of Ed's playing.

[rgalpin]

well alrighty then. i guess we can put a bow on it and go back outside and get that lawn mowed.

[Megaro]

Question: I am getting much better at this technique on the G string and a little better on the B string. For some reason, the high E string is more miss than hit for me. I have a hard time getting the flutter action started, and when I do, it is much slower and my stamina is much shorter than when I am fan picking on the G string. Does anyone know what I am doing wrong aside from needing more practice ?

The tips from this thread that have helped me the most are to anchor my forearm on the top of the guitar body, and to keep a relaxed "so-so" type of wrist motion. The pointers on the angling of the pick are really good too, but I am still figuring out where it works best for me.

Great post and comments ! This is such a uniquely Ed technique.

[monkface]

It's called sarod picking apparently. (Say-road) check out Pebber Brown on YouTube for some more insight.

[garbeaj]

It is not called "sarod picking", it is called tremolo picking. A sarod is a northern Indian stringed instrument like a baroque lute or a bazouki or a mandolin and on all these instruments tremolo picking is a common technique.