Video Question: Down Picking and Speed

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Date: December 3rd, 2008 | Length: 4.22 | Instructor: David MacKenzie

Seppo asked "Hi everybody! I've been trying to play some easy metal song like Walk from Pantera or for whom the bell tolls from Metallica, but I've had some problems with fast downpicking parts. I can't keep up with the speed, just playing the open E string fast is hard for me. I was wondering if I might have something wrong with my technique, 'cos the upper part of my right arm gets painful easily from fast downpicking. Sorry for bad grammar and thanks for helping! :)." Another benefit of being a member of JamPlay is the video response section. Our expert staff fields questions from our members and provides video responses each week.

Other Video Responses:

Chord Songbook - February 19th, 2008 (2 minutes, 70 seconds)

Mogs asked, "Hi wonder if you can help please. I've only been playing guitar for a few months and still mastering the basic chords. Somtimes this gets a little boring so I try learn a popular song to add a little fun to my practice sessions. The problem I have is how to read chord songbooks. For example I have a Johnny Cash Song 'Ballad of A Teenage Queen' the intro is written in the book as: CAPO 1ST FRET [A] Dream on, Dream on, [D] teenage [A] queen [D] Prettiest [A] girl we've [E] ever [A] seen. I understand the capo part and have it set up correctly. My question is how many times do I strum the chords ? Looking at the above is it, (A) on 'dream' only or (A) on 'dream' and 'on'. I kind of get it if theres only one word after the chord but when theres two or three I'm not sure wether I strum on each word even though it doesnt show the chord before each word. Hope this is not a silly question, but would really appreciate your advice. Thanks Mogs PS. The site is fantastic, its given me so much motivation to keep on with the practice sessions." View Response

Playing While Standing - February 2nd, 2009 (3 minutes, 32 seconds)

Hcso asked "Instructors, My question may sound a little dumb but I've been playing and practicing the guitar long enough in the sitting position, that when I stand up with it everything is off. I'm hitting the wrong strings and not finding my power chords like I can from the sitting position. This is very frustrating. Has anybody else had this problem. Do I need a strap that brings the guitar closer to me? I don't know what else it would be. Any help is welcome Josh." View Response

metal songs - April 28th, 2008 (2 minutes, 32 seconds)

Dennis, you *expletive* rock the house, keep coming up with the hits your an awesome instructor. You and matt are the reasons I got this membership. but anyways I just wanted to request some metal music like "laid to rest" by lamb of god, or some good megadeth songs, and also a killer song would be "lonely day" by system of a down and include the actual solo in it (the solo is why I like the song). Which brings me to a question. Why don't you guys teach the guitar solo's? those are the best parts of the songs and the only solo on this site is parasite by kiss. which is still a good solo but I'd like to learn the solos to paranoid, and the trooper and shit like that. So write me back with some info about the songs I requested and the guitar solo, thanks guys peace. View Response

Thumb Independence - May 13th, 2008 (1 minutes, 20 seconds)

Kenstyle asked "How much is the thumb really independent during fingerstyle and how much of it is super coordination with the right hand? thanks in advance!!! Love the lessons." View Response

Help with Steve Vai's "Tender Surrender" - July 9th, 2008 (4 minutes, 25 seconds)

hgnative asks, "ive been working on a song by steve vai called tender surrender the chords are something else i see alot of these in acdc's music also example vai plays the 7th fret on the A string and the 9th fret on the G string i use my fingers to play this song but vai uses pick and i cant get the same tone the D string keeps ringing out this is proably easy for jam play instructors can i maybe get a video example how to mute that fricking string that would realy help thanks alot." View Response