Tremolo Picking Tips

[Ben Thorpe]

I’ve been playing some Slayer recently, which is great for practicing tremolo picking. I just wondered what your preferences are for tremolo picking. I know there are three main preferences for tremolo picking. There is moving your finger and thumb up and down to tremolo pick, using your wrist and using your forearm. What are your preferences?

 

[Jak Angelescu]

This is SUCH a great question. I’d like to hear the opinions of others, too. I’ve seen the thumb and finger approach but I just for the LIFE of me can’t grasp that concept. And I personally feel there are pros and cons to each one. I honestly prefer the wrist motion but I think it actually depends on the phrase, the speed, and stuff like that. I couldn’t imagine using the forearm being practical unless it was for a small section, otherwise I see the possibility of tendon and muscle strain and early fatigue. Sometimes I’ve caught myself using my forearm (and I’ve seen many other fast pickers use this method as well) but I’ve tried to sustain it and I just can’t.

 

[Guest]

For me personally, my picking technique purely depends on what comes next in the riff or lick. With lots of movement I naturally go for a lot of thumb and finger movement as Im far more accurate like this across the board, not just trem, but not fast as I am if I use wrist/forearm movement. But wrist/forearm movement I sacrifice accuracy. Cant have the best of both but working towards the transition of the two.

 

[Sayonil Mitra]

I am comfortable with the wrist movement. That depend on if I am tremolo picking 1 string only or 2 strings (Metallica style power chords). For 1 string, my thumb and finger movement are enough, and I hold the pick pretty loose. But in the second case, the wrist moves, and the pick is held tightly. I am surprised to see players move entire arm and do tremolo picking. They are few but..woah! I am no expert in physics, but in general, it makes sense if movement is kept to minimum while picking because, you will spend lesser energy and maybe, play fast shredding solos for longer period without getting tired. Imagine someone playing Afterlife solo moving the whole arm!!

 

[Jake Young]

I totally don’t understand how people do the thumb and finger thing either? It’s wrist for me..the whole economy of motion thing is always on my mind, and that would probably be the slight thumb/finger movements..so I stick with the next best thing! There’s a technique called “planting” that classical players use that’s good practice for getting your tremolo chops in check..but it sorta becomes unusable when you’re actually playing tremolo licks because everything is staccato. But it really helps your brain and muscles get used to not traveling past the string any further than you absolutely have toooo

 

[Kevin Welton]

Wrist here, i have tried all 3 but the wrist is by far the most efficient

 

[Ed Seith]

I had to throw an axe over my shoulder and check, and most of the time, it’s whole forearm, but sometimes (especially if I’m tremolo picking chords, like an Iron Maiden Ending ™) I go wrist.
I cannot imagine only finger movements being efficient. That’s some next level wizardry I don’t have the patience to try.

 

[Jak Angelescu]

@Ed “Iron Maiden Ending” was trademarked in your response

 

[idssdi]

Pretty much all my picking comes from my wrist even strumming is mostly from the wrist.

 

[Chris Johnston]

The finger and thumb technique freaks me out ’cause I just can’t grasp it haha. So I just use a mix of my wrist and forearm while trying to maintain as much wrist as possible and keeping everything relaxed. But man is it a tough technique to keep hold of for a sustained anmount of time!

 

[Daniel Sobota]

Nobody can tremolo pick as good as Scandinavians. Nobody…

I too feel like the best way to do it is from the wrist. It’s tiring when you first start doing it, but as you practice it, it becomes a muscle memory thing. A lot of precision comes from being able to pick from the wrist.