This Should Not Be Possible: Displacement Fours
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- Опубліковано 8 вер 2022
- A few posts back we were looking at how you can simplify complicated phrases with pickstroke displacement. Here's another example of that. In this example I'm doing descending fours - the version that starts on a downstroke - with a really simple Zakk Wylde-type picking motion that should definitely not be able to play this line. Check out how cool this is. I'm using a 3nps fingering, so technically the first four notes of the line should be split up between the first string and the second string. But you if watch in slow motion, you'll see the first four pickstrokes are all on the first string, even though I'm only fretting three notes on that string. The fourth note is not picked - it only sounds like it's picked, because the pick is plucking a muted note on the top string. This fauxly-picked note is what @jakeestner hilariously described to as "two kids in a trenchoat" pretending to be adults. The end result is that really aggressive "picking all the notes" type sound but without the hassle. The rest of the line isn't perfect, but I still think it sounds really effing cool. I spent maybe ten minutes on this and I'm sure I could get this more memorized by going over the displaced notes a bunch more times. If you want to do fours on a downstroke, and you have a Zakk-type (or other USX) motion, this has gotta be one of the easiest and most gratifying ways to do it. And yes it works with a clean tone too.
I’m failing to understand why this should not be possible. Got me to click though!
Sorry! Regular viewers of the channel may be more the target audience of the statement in the poster frame. Here’s the longer explanation: Single escape picking motions are the fastest and most common picking motions. Ask anyone to play a tremolo, single escape is what they will do. The motion I’m using in this clip is an example of that. However single escape motions can only play lines where you have an even number of notes on every string, with either all upstroke or all downstroke string changes. Ergo this rules out the fours pattern since it includes occasional odd groupings and a mix of upstroke and downstroke string changes. This also explains why relatively few players do it well when using three note per string fingerings. For more on escape motion, here’s a good free resource we put together ( troygrady.com/primer/picking-motion/escape-motion/ ).
@@troygrady Oh! I get it now. Thank you for taking the time to send such a thoughtful and useful response - was not expecting that. Interestingly enough, the lightbulb in my head went off and I remember watching a video some time ago where that concept was presented and similar vocab was used. Must have been one of yours!
@@troygrady Respect for your response to this. Many would have ignored it. The best players usually are some of the most respectful though 👌.
@@troygrady hi, have you got a video course that takes you from the beginning (how to hold your pick, how large should the motion be and what to practice) up to a intermediate level, at least (how much to practice to get fast, how hard to pick the string, how to minimise picking eyc...). I've been playing guitar for years, have played regular basic rock live but feel I want to get fast. I love the sound of fast playing but don't want to practice the wrong way and develop bad habits. I tried to join through the link but a set of videos would be great but a one on one lesson via Skype (or something) would be fantastic (unless you live in Sydney Australia or know a great teacher that knows this stuff that does. Need help please.... thanks (and DM me if you prefer with links or other suggestions..... thanks.
@@troygrady now the really important question: how is it possible anyway?
Troy Grady Rules.....Also the sun is hot and water is wet.
water isn’t wet it makes things wet 😁
Ha I'm not going to comment on that!
And the universe is big, and Dave Gibson is correct.
@@troygrady but you did
Troy, you thought that this was impossibile after seeing Michael Angelo doing it, after a life of study and research, you did it! Congrats, it's phenomenally well played
This example uses a technique, outlined in the description, to make fours easier. Batio's version also uses a technique (swiping) to simplify the picking, when he plays the descending version. Both of these techniques can be thought of as mistakes, but when you do them intentionally, I don't think you can call it that any more. It's just a technique at that point.
Magnificently executed run Troy !! I'm a big admirer of your playing. !! 🤘🤘
Great to see another upload of yours! Thanks very much!
You should do a series of fast licks to use for the people who have got down the mechanics so we can get some extra licks in different scales and classifier per technique, I’m personally interested in upward pick slanting licks. It’s just sometimes hard to know what to do with al this power and speed and how to keep it interesting. Like some lessons on fast lines in the most common scales (pentatonic, minor, harmonic minor) in the different picking styles. Some lesson on how to tie the different picking styles together all with usable example licks. And you’re one of the only guys who knows what they’re talking about. I’d love a huge lick library from you, and I’m more than willing to pay for that!
Okay Troy, now I need to renew my subscription to know everything about displacement. Well played 🙇♂️
Shit dude, you’re the best
Ha. I'm not the best, but I have met them, and they let me put a camera uncomfortably close to their hands. Many thanks to these awesome people!
Best channel about picking technic
The tone outta that thing is phenomenal!
@@Troy_Grady.
REALLY!?!?!!!!
OH WOW! I can't believe I actually, FINALLY, won something!
How can I claim it?
What did I win???
The displacement stuff is awesome! Btw will there be any new pickslanting primer content such as seminars, or interviews on the website again soon?
Sounds so clean.... Interesting
Awesome! When’s the Troy Grady solo album coming out?
Still remember watching your Freight Train solo cover back in the days. You look old now Troy😄 how time flies.
Enlightening. I temper my fretting hand every day and the video made it painfully obvious that I can't keep in sync when playing fast because my picking hand is sooo unrefined lol. The only picking practice I do is down strokes and string skipping. I guess now that I can fret fast my picking hand can't keep up cleanly.
Thank you very much! Not to rest the brush on the bridge?
Hi sir, can you have a video featuring the George Benzon picking Technique? His picking style is amazing..thank you
I’m not a shredder but you’re a beast and a half👌🏼
I was just listening to Fluke - The Remix Mix (Vol. 02) and I'll be damned if this is ... Cheers!
Those red jazz picks are great for alternate picking.
You are so cool Troy
Amazing
Thanks, man! I really appreciate this! Troy, I have an unrelated question about playing Eric Johnson's "connected fives" lick, is the lick played with a four notes per beat, five notes per beat or six notes per beat feel? I was studying your "Eric Johnson: Cliffs of Doverkill! 13 Pentatonic Trademarks" video and I managed to tab that lick, but I cannot decipher how many notes per beat it is.
I don’t think it’s any number of notes per beat, it’s just a mechanical pattern that you can play at whatever speed you want. Much of Eric’s fast playing is essentially free time, only acknowledging the time of the underlying song as he pleases. In a good way, of course!
@@troygrady Good call on this. Some players like that have messed with my timing over the years if I’m not careful with understanding their intention. Even EVH had a quote similar to “I solo in my own natural timing that just makes sense to me.”
Him and EJ just both learned how to land those solos to perfection.
What gauge strings do you use, Troy? Those look reasonably meaty!
These are 11s, but keep in mind this is a 22.5" scale guitar. Anything less than that and it starts to feel like spaghetti.
perfection
do you shim your necks on your bolt-ons to get even playability on the higher frets? or leave it stock?
This is just a setup issue. If you set the relief, bridge, and nut, and the action is low at the 12th fret, then you're good. If it's still too high, then it's shim time. Some of my guitars have been shimmed others have not. Technically I couldn't tell you why some needed it and some don't, but they're mostly old vintage guitars with weird "old wood" problems like back bowed necks and more.
@@troygrady thanks!!!
those bridge saddles look awesome (the curve)
. are they any particular model? or am i just terrible at setting them? 😅
They are probably set up following the curve of the fingerboard radius. Don't feel bad if you're bad at set ups, I don't even attempt my own anymore haha.
This is a bridge made by Mastery. It's a common retrofit for Mustang guitars and fixes some of the problems of the stock bridge.
That was interesting! Without seeing your fret hand, not sure exactly what is going on there. But one can see that you did pick the high E four times. Interesting, maybe I’m just expecting it, but that fourth note sounded just like you did go to the B-string. I’ll have to watch again, somehow it almost seemed like the same pitch. But it sounds more like a fretted note, than I muted string. Pretty wild from this view.
Has anyone tried to play the same sequence of notes with the same string transitions as his? I'm trying and nothing works)). The strokes of his right hand do not coincide with the notes he presses with his left hand. There is some kind of deception here. Well, or help me solve this trick))
I love your mustang sound.
Sooo...instantly this sounds like a descending four note pattern that I play a lot when warming up or noodling...in A as well so my ears recognised it straight away. But, that four notes picked on the top string freaked me out. Because the pattern is 3 notes per string. But you're playing the first A how? By picking a muted top E string and hammering on to the 10th fret B string from nowhere?
I am so confused.
Has anyone tried to play the same sequence of notes with the same string transitions as his? I'm trying and nothing works)). The strokes of his right hand do not coincide with the notes he presses with his left hand. There is some kind of deception here. Well, or help me solve this trick))
Nice punch!
Dude that’s insane
Hell yeah!!! 👍👍👍
You say the fourth note isn’t picked but in slow motion it looks like it’s picked with an upstroke? I’m sure I’m misunderstanding something here but it looks like the fourth note is picked but in the description you say it’s not. I love your stuff man I really do and when I have money to afford it I’m definitely gonna try your course but for now I do badly just wish I could just practice this at a slow tempo but I can’t understand what I’m seeing or hearing. If there’s a typo in the description will you please fix it? I really really really want to understand this one my friend it’s hurting my heart deeply
You’re on the right track! There is a fourth pickstroke, but it’s on the wrong string. At that moment, the left hand is fretting the B string. The pickstroke occurs on the E string. That’s the hack. It makes the string changes easier so you can use a simpler picking motion and go faster with fewer mistakes. But a hack it is!
I was also confused! TYSM Jay for asking the question and Troy for clarifying 💜💜💜
now that I read the explanation I get it GODDAMN
I know right?
Your clarinet skills are starting to improve. Make Squidward proud.
Already tried in third grade! Returned it mostly unused.
@@troygrady same with me and the recorder back in 3rd grade. Returned gladly mostly unused. Sometimes I still have nightmares of that awful instrument 😖.
Can you please do some more... Cheers!
Inspired
Sick
classic 70`s Paco de lucia lick
I'm a master in mechanics member and I cannot find this lick on the site? Is it on there?
Thats gonna be a hit song, I can feel it. Because of the speed.
Sarcasm detected!
Lol I was literally JUST talking about how there's always at least one jealous comment like yours.
Funny how we see this all the time but you never see shredders commenting on soulful blues players, putting them down, and saying to play faster.
The jealousy is incredibly transparent.
@@flashraylaser157 seems like no matter where you are in this world there's always gonna be someone upset on someone else's behalf. See the comment above yours? That's the guy who made the video. He gets it. You don't.
@@jarrettfinney4882 No way. The guy named Troy Grady with the highlighted name indicating that it's his channel is Troy Grady?! Who knew? Wow. I'm a big fan of his work.
I'm at least 75% sure he thinks you're a dick just like anyone else who reads it but he's a very classy guy.
Also, no. I got it, loud and clear. You blatantly insulted him, something that would have cost you zero dollars to not do. There's no confusion here.
You should probably stop watching stuff like this if it makes you feel that badly about yourself instead of inspiring you.
Is it 6 notes on the E -string in the beginning är of the lick?
I cant figure it out.
The left hand and the right hand are playing it differently, that's why it's tricky to understrand from just looking at one or the other. The left hand only frets three notes on the E string to start, but the picking hand picks four notes on the string. It continues from there.
Has anyone tried to play the same sequence of notes with the same string transitions as his? I'm trying and nothing works)). The strokes of his right hand do not coincide with the notes he presses with his left hand. There is some kind of deception here. Well, or help me solve this trick))
I like this tone! What amp did you use? Thanks
he normally uses a Cornford.
@@bingefeller That's right - Cornford Hellcat. You can almost make it out there in the background.
What is with the pick. I noticed it was at a different angle. Why are you holding the pick like that. Is that some kind of technique? Any help would be appreciated 🙏
What string size are you using?
Haha, it works ok, especialy with the distorition. I can hear it though, and do not realy like the sound of it. But that is personal of course. I will just keep working on clean alternate picking with double escape motion.
What are those pickups?
YES
This guys got the keys to the Lamborghini 🤘🏻
Hey Troy that’s probably your Favorite Guitar 🎸 🎶🎶🎶🫵🏻
Can I buy that thing yet?
Yo!!! When are you gonna get Little Wayne on cracking the code????
I do that, I didn't know it had a name. I learned it from trying to play a paul Gilbert lick backwards
Has anyone tried to play the same sequence of notes with the same string transitions as his? I'm trying and nothing works)). The strokes of his right hand do not coincide with the notes he presses with his left hand. There is some kind of deception here. Well, or help me solve this trick))
Holy shit.
I am a genetically gifted shredder, but I find your scientific approach fascinating. You have done more to share the art of shred than I could ever do. I can play it, but I envy your way of teaching it.
Show us this genetic gift of yours. Peaked my interest.
@@divadgnol67 ua-cam.com/video/ilQkNRFhGRA/v-deo.html I can twitch pick or vibrate pick. There are some other players that do it. John Taylor is one, but speed came naturally to me. It is not something I have to think about. I am focusing more on composition and vibrato now.
@@JohnMiller-ue8du Dang dude, you are really fast
@@ethanpederson thanks 🙏🏻
Entertaining, and bad ass. Good on you bro.
What is that neck pickup!
Zexcoil
Troy is one hell of a flat picker
I’m a bass player late to the pick game, is it normal to hold picks at an angle like that?
I’ve been playing bass for 40+ years with a pick (self taught), but I’ve always played it very straight up and down with almost no “edge” or “slant” in my picking.
But about a month or so ago I came across one of Troy’s videos on UA-cam and have been trying to incorporate both “edge” and “slant” techniques into my playing. For me, the results have been mixed. On the plus side, I noticed almost immediately that my speed and accuracy improved (suddenly things like the 16th note runs towards the end of “Roundabout” by YES became much easier and more fluid). On the downside, the amount of string “scraping” sound I’m getting from the pick using these techniques is unacceptable to me.
It’s possible that I’m not doing these techniques properly, or perhaps they don’t translate as well from guitar to bass, but I’m not ready to give up on them yet, so I’m going to keep at it for a while.
@@jaya1305 I imagine the scrape sound would be mitigated completely with flats, just my two cents. Thank you for taking the time to respond. I generally only use picks on our punk covers, so the scrape works for me, and I was seriously struggling to get alternate picking down when I hold the pick flat, holding at an angle completely opened it up for me
I suspect you’re right, but honestly, I don’t like the sound of flat wounds (not even on my fretless).
@@jaya1305 I understand completely. Maybe I could try a thinner pick?
Which angle are you referring to? There are two angles being used in this example - here's an explainer ( troygrady.com/2015/01/08/the-difference-between-pickslanting-and-edge-picking/ ). If you're referring to edge picking, that's a tone consideration. I wouldn't use a lot of edge picking on wound strings because it gets too scratchy. However, the other angle, the downward pickslant, is required by the picking technique I'm using here. In fact, it is unavoidable when you use this joint motion - the arm position produces it automatically. The key is that the picking motion moves along a diagonal, making it easy to switch strings whenever you play an upstroke. Here's an explainer on that ( troygrady.com/primer/picking-motion/escape-motion/usx-motion/ ). This type of USX motion is often combined with downstroke sweeping, and it's exactly the technique Gene Simmons uses in this pretty awesome performance ( ua-cam.com/video/39plVZSvKSk/v-deo.html ). I didn't know this was Gene's technique until I saw this video recently. Suffice it to say, USX picking is super duper common across all picked instruments.
I have read the descriptivo but I still don't get it
any chance for that tab or sheet...
That is an A major scale... isn't it
...and you end that run with an F#5... is that it...
To quote Buddy the Elf, "You sit on a throne of Lies!" But in a good way that sounds really cool and I'm immediately going to rip off
Rip it off you should!
Honest question that would do my fragile guitar self esteem some good:
How easily/consistently can you do that? Please tell me you mess up sometimes so I feel less shitty 😔
If you read the description, you will see this entire technique is based on intentionally performing a "mistake" of picking on the wrong string. Imagine that! It's not random, there is a specific way to do this correctly, as explained in the description. This lets you use a simpler picking motion, a "single escape" motion, which is much easier to do than the motion you would need to alternate pick every note in this phrase correctly. Single escape picking motions are much easier to do with fewer errors, which is why they are so common. Here's an explainer on the different types of escape motion ( troygrady.com/primer/picking-motion/escape-motion/ ). The technique in this video, called "displacement" is a type of controlled mistake, and so is "swiping", another technique we have looked at here on the channel. In order to learn these things, you must relax your idea of what a "mistake" really is. If it is intentional, it is not a mistake. This can help focus your mindset in a positive way instead of a negative one. If it is intentional, and it sounds good, then it * is * good!
Same make and model (and even paint color scheme) guitar that Kurt Cobain used in the Smells Like Teen Spirit music video, at various live shows in 1991 w/ Nirvana, as well as to track various guitar performances on Nevermind. In this guy’s hands, it sounds like a completely different instrument, not at like the moody, broody, heavily distorted and flanged tones generally associated with Cobain & Nirvana. Clearly, the player is more important than the instrument in determining a guitar performance’s overall sound and feel.
It must be nice to have a pinky that works...32 years playing and mine still blows.
Troy is so good, man. He can play patterns using all his fingers.
Practice ring-pinky trills a few minutes per day and your pinky will eventually be like any other finger.
Another useful exercise is playing scales using only your non-index fingers. It's pretty tough but will get your fretting hand in great shape and also increase your reach.
I don't get It Troy: you're picking four Notes on the E string at the beginning?
That's right! But the lick doesn't have four fretted notes on the first string, it only has three. Instead of trying to pick it the way that it is fretted, you are picking it the way that matches the picking, with only even numbers of notes per string. This only works if the "wrong" picked note is muted by the fretting hand and the fretted note still plays a pitch as a hammer-on. It's very specific.
@@troygrady killer.
This is all well and good, but where on EARTH does one start with all
this info?
There doesn’t seem to be a “ok buy this exact book/course/whatever” and start to learn this stuff
It's true, our UA-cam channel is a sampling of all the things we've learned over the years and it can be a little overwhelming. But we do in fact have a course that encapsulates what we know about picking technique in a more linear, structured way. And it also includes personalized review of your playing, by us, when appropriate. You can check out more here ( troygrady.com ).
@@troygrady I’ll check it out!!
Of course I’ll try this, but it will be especially hard since my fingertips burned off just from watching this
Ha!
Has anyone tried to play the same sequence of notes with the same string transitions as his? I'm trying and nothing works)). The strokes of his right hand do not coincide with the notes he presses with his left hand. There is some kind of deception here. Well, or help me solve this trick))
That is the point! There is a very common picking "error" where the right hand plays even numbers of pickstrokes per string to simplify the pattern, but the left hand is unchanged. I call this "displacement". We see it in our slow motion footage. The reason for the evens has to do with escape motion. The most common fast picking motions can ONLY play evens. You can read more about that here ( troygrady.com/primer/reference/escape-motion-reference/ ). So eventually what happens is, players learn to pick evens because it works for the picking hand, and the unpicked notes sound as unassisted hammers or pulls. Without slow motion, it is very hard to tell this is even happening.
@@troygrady Thank you for answering the question I posed. I subscribed using your link. I'll try to understand the essence of what is happening))). In my understanding, you raised a very interesting point. Thank you for the work you have done!!!
Yngwie Malmsteen lives that pattern.
Tocar las escalas de esa manera y todo con pua alternada es un dolor de cabeza, muy difícil..
¡Si! Pero el segreto en este caso, como explico arriba, es que no estoy tocando cada nota de la manera habitual. Algunas mociones de la pua están técnicamente seleccionando la cuerda "incorrecta" de una manera que crea una nota "muted". La nota correcta, esta siendo tocada en la otra cuerda por la mano izquierda como "hammer on", y porque estos dos procesos ocurren simultáneamente, todo suena correcto. El resultado es que puedo usar una tecnica de pua mas simplificada (la technica "Gypsy"), que en realidad no puede tocar todas esas notas, y eso permite tocar la frase mas rapida con menos errores. O, por lo menos, errores que no quería. No se si estoy explicando claramente!
@@troygrady lo entendí, gracias por la respuesta maestro!
What do you like so much about your Mustang?
It's a 22.5" scale guitar with a normal sized body, not a "travel" sized guitar. Fender only made them this way in the '60s. I'm shorter, so this guitar on me is the same as a 25.5" guitar on a taller person. That's why I play them.
@@troygrady Thank you for the answer Troy! Maybe I should consider a mustang cause I'm shorter myself!
Also one more question: What are your thoughts on fretboard radius? I don't have much experience with this stuff but seeing you playing crazy fast on a vintage 60's Mustang, I assume it's 7.25. So does it matters at all?
Noice
How would this apply in a song to music ? like what would the beat and rhythm be like ?
16th notes I guess 🤷🏼♂️
That's THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION as well as how to get out of that lick
Whatever you like, it's just a mechanical pattern. You can do fours, three against four, doesn't really matter. Once you know it's possible for mere mortals, you start finding all sorts of uses for it.
@@troygrady "it's just a mechanical pattern" so it has no musical value or use ? what is the purpose of it ?
@@1peanut it's a technique. It's your job as a musician, to put it in a context.
Have you seen Dannyjoe Carter
Great guy!
I just can’t get that bounce lol
That's not a bounce, that's usually inefficient and causes arm tension. In this case, the escape (the pick goes up in the air) is just a product of the joint motion. In your case, if you play a fast tremolo without trying to do any technique in particular, that is your "primary motion". Most primary motions have some type of escape. It might be an upstroke escape like in this video, but it could be a downstroke escape, where downstrokes go up in the air. It may not look like it from your playing perspective, but when you film close up like this, you'll see it. Here's a quick overview of how this works ( troygrady.com/primer/picking-motion/escape-motion/ ). Short answer, if you can play fast, you probably already do this!
@@troygrady thanks for taking the time to respond in such detail, you’re a good dude!
@@troygrady thanks for taking the time for such a detailed response, your passion for the material is deeply appreciated.
It's definitely impossible for me
Now you're just showing off. 🙂
Gypsy jazz technique?
Pretty much! But any USX motion will work for this example. You just need a picking motion that escapes on upstrokes, and then you pick only evens on every string, while fretting the phrase in the usual way.
@@troygrady I'm practicing this technique and increased my skills a lot
Love it ...
That is ill
Way over my paygrade...
Comes with a side of fries😋
Ok
wtf
Not gonna lie I dont practice this 4's lick. I'm like Buckethead. Triplets all day. It's gonna take some time. I hear you at 210-214BPM? It's not possible, as the point of this video using the advanced technique youre doing. But I'm gonna attempt the normal version at a decent tempo of 200 by the end of the day.
Common sense picking. You will naturally do this as you progress. Its not really a secret.
the fast way and the slow motion way are playing diferent notes
They are not. The slow motion is showing you what I'm actually doing. The trick to this technique is that you are occasionally picking on a different string than the string you are fretting. The reason it works is because the muted note and the fretted note, combined, sound like the correctly picked note.
Amazing how your face twitches are sped up too! It's like you sped up the recording. But you wouldn't do that, because that is lame.
Can't tell if joking, so I'll address: This is obviously not sped up, but it's definitely slowed down so you can see what's going on. In fact, the entire point of this video is to demonstrate how you can dramatically simplify complicated phrases, making it easier to play them up to speed, with the technique outlined in the description.
Ugh, clickbaited. 1st 5 years tech
No bait here. You're getting a pretty detaile description of a technique that not many people know about, along with very clear slow motion video of exactly how it's supposed to look when done correctly.
@@troygrady I've been doing this for like 33 years man. I used to gig with the Dillinger Escape Plan,, I can do some weird shit.
@@troygrady IE first 5 years level stuff. I was expecting something harder.
@@troygrady just saying, if you have been playing since 89 at age 10, it's nothing insane. I suppose I should finally just teach.
@@KelticKabukiGirl Demonstrate then
awful!
What are those pickups?
Zexcoil