I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis on 2006 and since then, I've been slowly losing all. the feeling and motor control in my right hand. This has meant endless dropped picks due to the fact I simply can't tell where I'm holding it, how my hand is moving and if I'm actually in the right place to play what I want. Having something fixed like this could be an absolute blessing for me, so thanks Ola for demoing this. I'm definitely going to be getting one!
@@DMulisha13 pretty nicely actually. It's not quite the same as a traditional pick (obviously) but it has made playing a heck of a lot less frustrating. It's good exercise too, to keep my brain remembering I have fingers and how it should use them.
You're not alone brother. I have Neuropathy. Can't feel feet or lower legs. My fingers tips are somewhat numb and my dexterity is for s...t..I gave up on guitar for a while but now back. Even though fingering is less accurate, I'll be damned if a disease is going to keep me from playing. Got some Dunlop picks with ridges and use the pick as an extension to my first finger extending a few millimeters past the fingertip. Keep going man. Your journey gives me strength to continue to fight. Music is life :)
@@hanovergreen4091 I've found the grip tape used in skateboards to be really good if you can trim it down enough to fit on a pick. Just a low grain one otherwise you'll wear your fingerprints off 😉
I don’t know.... If you look at Troy Grady’s research on picking, there seems to be many “right” ways to pick. I think a standardization of technique actually will kill what innovation the guitar has left as an instrument. Gave you a like anyway...lol. If a person wants to change their technique, fine. Your picking may hold you back in some ways, but it may contribute to your tone, say. As long as your technique is physically healthy, I say go for it. Instruments like violin have physical constraints that limit proper technique to a standard. One of the reasons the guitar is so flexible is that you can play it in a variety of ways.
If your tone is incredible but your technique suffices for your style, then maybe it IS holding you back. You can only experiment until you find what works best. Sometimes you also need someone to help you improve and not be so narrow-minded thinking that your way is the best way when you haven't even explored every possibility. So, this is a good thing, this Pick Max thing.
Anyone notice how different it sounds him holding the pick the 'right' way to how he usually sounds. The classic Ola chug sound goes away when he uses the pykmax
My picking technique is the same as Ola's and if i try to pick like the supposed normal...the guitar sounds scrappy and thinner to me. But picking Ola's way is more difficult to play standing up.
As someone who is entirely self taught, as long as you can tremolo pick and cross pick who cares what your technique is. For example Marty Friedman, dude has the weirdest picking technique but is an absolute world class guitarist.
@@aiden_macleod "Used to be"?! It's only been 3 years since Wall of Sound, he's still rocking as ever! Oh and as to his gigs with the Japanese Tv, he's one of those rare occurrences where a human being does whatever he feels like doing without giving a rats' ass about keeping some fake public image. PS: Here's the link to Wall of Sound: ua-cam.com/video/zZ59zQgwrEI/v-deo.html That should change your mind.
I’m a believer in the idea that a person’s tone goes beyond just gear and also has to do with their fingers and how they pick or pluck the strings. I think this is a nice tool for any who would want to use it or are struggling, but on the other side I think too many people sound the same already. Lol. Variety is the spice of life. 🤘
For years I used to pick, gripping with my middle finger . Until Fast Eddie Clarke from Motorhead moved in next door to my mums house and eventually showed me the way 😎 Couldn't believe it!
I have tendinitis in my right wrist. When it is really bothering me, I use this to help relive the pressure. Esp for acoustic gigs when it is really acting up. So glad you have that strat, what a beauty.
Alexander Malmberg in the 90s, I was playing 5-6 nights a week and one particular evening I was in a very cold bar. By the door. I woke the next morning and couldn’t move or feel my right hand. The doctor said I over compensated and popped a tendon into my muscle and nerve section of my wrist. Ever since, when it gets too cold for my hands or I play a little too hard at a show, it will flare up. Causing the numbness and such. So, long story short, yes guitar playing was a direct contributor to it. But environmental conditions assisted.
Thanks Ola! Literally just what I needed right now. Am a newer guitar player, and biggest thing I've been struggling with is figuring out how I like to hold the pick haha, hopefully this helps
I used to pick like Ola for the first 20 years of playing. Then, I was playing guitar hero and picked differently with the controller. I switched after that.
Troy Grady has shown us that great picking can be achieved in a multitude of configurations. I can’t say this will be the solution for everyone but, the best thing I’ve found to help me play a passage the way I want to, is to close my eyes and feel my way through the picking motion and forcing my hands to make corrections on their own instead of my eyes helping guide them. I worry less about every detail on the mechanics of the technique and let my hands figure it out. I just try and stay focused on eliminating tension , and trying to be as economical with the movements as possible, making sure I’m connected to the pulse and no matter if it’s a lead or riff section, learning to groove it all the same. We always hear “practice slow” but more or less the phrase might work better if we think of it as “practice in slow motion”, as if someone took a clip of you playing it and slowed it down . You only need to fret hard enough to make the string make contact with the fret. You’re fingers will tell you when they are ready to go faster, give them the chance to. Lastly learn to think faster than what you are playing, and listen to the music you are learning at faster and slower tempos, it’ll give you a more detailed picture of what you are learning.
As a corrective tool, if someone wants to use the "correct" form of right hand technique, this will work wonders. But yeah like Ola said, it is not for everyone, only for some.
I feel like my picking efficiency isn't the best because I feel like I haven't been using the most proper technique all this time, so I wonder if it'll help me?
I have nerve issues with my right arm due to a failed disc, and I got one of those a while ago. It's fantastic. I don't use it all the time, but when I have flare ups and a couple of my fingers go numb I can use that to keep my alignment and also reset it when I find myself dragging my thumb across the strings. It helped a ton when I had lessons and my instructor has some weird technique with what appears to be a hyperextended/double-jointed thumb tip, and I couldn't figure out if I was even holding the pick right. A lot of videos with lifelong guitar players seem to surface where the players with close-ups of the playing have similar backward thumb extension. So, this helps. :-)
@@eddyray666 Maybe it surprised me because I am a former drummer haha... Seriously speaking i wasn't expecting the SD 59 trembucker (if he hasn't changed it) to be that "chugging", but probably is because of my inexperience.
There are pros and cons for how you play vs the conventional way. I had a friend that played like you...it gives you really good percussive definition, thanks to a large arc of pick attack to the string. Whereas, the conventional way is easier to control for intricate maneuvering. Do both!
I’ve been using the pykmax when I play electric guitar for a few years now. It gets rid of the discomfort I experience in my index finger. I’m glad I discovered it.
Ola, you’re my long lost little brother! I have the exact pick pick attack as you. When I started in the 80’s, I didn’t have the resources the kids have today. I had a few people tell me that I was holding the pick wrong. But like you, I said “fuck you” this works for me! I put the guitar down for almost 30 years. Just picked it back up. I still use the reverse attack. It gives you the best chugs ever! You can’t replicate that chug with a “standard” attack. But like you, I’ve run into obstacles. Solo alternate runs, sweeping, etc. I’ve been trying to make it work. But I also favor upstrokes as a result of my reverse attack. And considering 99% of guitarists have a “standard” attack, that means everything is backwards for me. So it takes me twice as long to figure out a picking pattern as a result. Not very efficient. You are right. This device will look absolutely silly to most guitar players. But for guys like us, it could be a very useful tool. I am trying like hell to adopt a standard pick grip and attack. But relearning everything you know is a daunting task. I’ve even committed to using only a standard pick attack for weeks at a time. But then I start missing my “chugs”. So my hope is to become proficient at both. Reverse attack on the EAD strings and moving into a standard attack as I move towards the floor GBE strings. This may just compound my problem. But my stubborn Germanic attitude once again says “fuck you” , sometimes too a fault. I want to thank you for this video. I know it doesn’t speak to everyone. But it certainly spoke to me. 🤘🏻
Guitar height adjustment is far more important for proper picking. The real problem is that nobody wants to look like a geek while playing resulting in "egoic carpal tunnel syndrome".
i have the tosin abasi style, 90 degree, hitch hiker's thumb. i've always held my pick "mirrored" in a way kind of similar to the way ola is holding his normally. with the textbook pick holding posture, i also notice some things are easier, and harder. i suggest to all players to try all angles, even a parallel pick-to-string angle, when learning techniques or just jamming around. this goes for anything though, not just picking. fretting also has a lot of stigma around "proper" technique, and there's many ways to get many different tones using different strengths or angles of engagement. play around with all aspects of playing, and you'll find "your way". the best part is that you can always adapt "your way" in the future. you have no reason to stick with it, just as you have no reason to change it. art is a wonderful thing.
I pick the same way as you Ola. For me i think it was a shortcut to get faster downpicking and galloping chops. Angled pick gives less resistance and i find the alternate picking a huge hassle. I will test one of those and see if it can conquer muscle memory. A good evening to you all.
This is actually really cool! I find the majority of my students take 1 to 2 weeks to get used to a good posture without this tool, but there’s still a small percentage that still go back to old habits. I feel Pykmax would force them in a good way!
" percentage that still go back to old habits" lol just let people play like they want to. Some of the biggest guitar heroes out there have terrible picking technique but still kicks ass, why ? Dont buy this crap folks please
That’s not the point. Many guitarists have a unique style that works for them for sure, and some of these are famous guitar heroes. But that’s mainly because of their creativity and songwriting skills - If you look at their technique, you’ll still find weak points. On the other hand, look at the most technically proficient players in the world: Rick Graham, Tom Quayle, Stephen Taranto just to name a few. Look at how they hold the pick. I can’t see why somebody can’t benefit from being able to play cleaner, faster, more in control and more relaxed, which this posture provides. In the end it all serves the player’s creativity, but better to reach a certain technical level than not being able to play something you have in your head because you’re limited by your posture and technique
This is... good... But only about as good as training wheels on a bicycle. Reason why I say that is that it doesn't force you to use the correct segments of the thumb and index finger on the pick. I already saw two people applying this tool differently... If the control of the pick exists on the JOINT of the index finger instead of the tip, it 1) limits the highly beneficial microadjustments of picking movement you can get and 2) causes all of the fingers to be closer to the strings which makes it easy to bump strings. To avoid this, many players end up flexing all of the rest of their fingers backwards and introducing tension on the top of the hand. ^This is the problem with the "fist" guitar grip and this tool won't fix it. Only proper understanding of the mechanics going in will fix it. That said, I did see another comment regarding people with disabilities. Brilliant use case. 🙂
I have really sweaty fuckin' hands and I drop my picks all the time when I'm strumming really hard or trem picking. This could be a game changer for me! Thanks Ola!
I actually hold it upright when standing up and down when sitting down. I thought I would be holding it "normal" later on but never changed so I just stayed with that form, haven't noticed yours lmao, nice to know it isn't actually "wrong"
Hey Ola! A little anecdote from my side: I started exactly the same way as you. I was holding the pick backwards, because it felt like I could play faster. And I was right at some point but other techniques suffered from it. I didn't had a teacher at that time so I checked tutorials/videos etc. on how to hold it correctly. How I fixed it? Well, I was on a busines trip and at that time I took my guitar everywhere with me, if I was away from home for more than a few days. And after work, I locked myself in the hotelroom and played "dry" for hours non-stop, just to make the new unnatural feeling a natural thing. The PYKMAX might have helped me at that time but I got it with patience and endurance. I also have a question for your FAQs (or Q&As? :P): I struggle a little bit with the main riff of "Cowboys from Hell". I play it the original way with the A5 powercord (E - G - E - G, A5 - G - A5 - G) and not the popular single note version around the 3rd and 5th fret. I lack some speed on my fretting hand and I feel getting tired pretty fast. Beside keep on practicing: are there excercieses or other things you would recommend for tackling such problems? Anyways, great videos/content. I enjoy your uploads a lot!
Hello Ola! I have a weird obsession of writing in swedish, but maybe with London accent. Just discribed to Your channel...been stalking for years, so now I thought...what a heck. You have to pay Your house and kids hobbies also, so it's a little what I can do. I have on Solar, ordered the A2.6 TBR, and now I have 3 Solars at my basket! What the hell! And I do play RR-style guitars in my bands...but still. Maybe one for my son. But keep on going, and taking my money with new cool looks of Solars. Hälsningar från så kära granne Finland!
Your video proves that whatever the guitar you use you can play Metal, for as long as it has an humbucker close to the bridge and the right amount of distortion.
Don't be a robot my friend! The way you hold your pick is how your tone is yours. It's your way. Own it. And give me an autographed poster of you. Much love man
I angle my pick backward as well. I chose it early on because it achieved greater string grind, making riffs heavier without needing more gain. I do switch to forward tilt when playing higher strings, though.
I grew up playing backward-slant as well as my natural pick position. I've never been big on sweep picking short of "circular", 3-note/string crossing technique. I've had to go back and learn to angle the pick forward for certain licks/phrasing. Will I ever be Michael Angelo-forward pick-shred fast? Nope. I just use what works. I may check this thing out for my boys as players starting out. Thanks for the vid Ola and all the best from the Bay Area. MK
Nice little thing. I started taking lessons again after over a decade, and my instructor did also tell me my picking technique isn’t “correct,” but I found the standard way to hold it so foreign and I almost couldn’t keep up. I recently discovered though that it’s the same way Herman Li from Dragonforce and even Tosin Abasi hold their picks, how the thumb isn’t straight but bent in a bit. So my way has been validated. But this thing help me fine tune it a bit. Excellent share!
I'm no pro, but messing around with pick technique at the moment. I just bought Dunlop Jazz III picks, because they're smaller and force you to hold it closer. I found that "correct hold" makes me faster and tighter in chugs, as well as it anchors more accurately. Added bonus is that the jazz III are carbon fibre and bite the strings aggressively. Of course, for me it's easier to relearn a technique than it is for a pro. I have a day job and don't rely on nailing things to eat 😂
I suppose I'm kind of an oddball when it comes to picking technique. I hold the pick in a fairly normal way, but I slant it depending on what I am playing. I slant the pick forward (the normal way?) and my thumb leads the way for aggressive alternate picking or chugging. I use more of a neutral flat position with the pick for strumming chords and melodic alternate picking. Then I slant the pick backward (like Ola) and my index finger leads for down picking stuff like the master of puppets main riff. I don't even conciously think about changing how I pick I just do. Plus I play cleaner and more accurately by doing so. I'm probably just a doofus who is doing it all wrong, but it's worked so far.
Back slant picker reporting in. This actually might be good for me. I have NEVER felt comfortable holding the plectrum and it's honestly kind of chaos across the strings. This could possibly help to remedy that to some degree if I could be forced to hold the pick the "normal" way and keep the digits from spazzing out like they tend to do.
I actually pick both ways. I hold the pick the traditional way for sweeps, and the backwards way for chugs. The best of both worlds! They should can make a product to help people hold it the "wrong" way lol.
This is a really great review. My index finger was amputated and I’ve been thinking trying one of these to try helping my technique out, definitely have to check one out!
I never noticed my own picking style until you mentioned this once before.I don't angle my pick like you but I hit the strings at an angle sometimes rather than 90 degree strum it gives slightly less resistance to play faster. There are some rhythms that I actually use lighter pick for , for some reason when I play TheTrooper I always shatter tip of pick lol. I like .5 pick mostly or cool pick when I go lighter cause I like that grip feature it has
If you listen the treble in the attack of the pick angle at the beginning of the video is greater angled forwaed rather than backwards. But MEH I hold my pick with thumb index and middle finger. Greater control especially when using all down fast muting.
You literally have the exact same picking technique I had for the first 9 or 10 years of my playing I think! So i know what you mean with the alternate picking, I forced myself to hold it the "proper" way in the end just so I could improve my alternate picking.
It will help if you struggle too keep holding the pick without dropping it, keep it facing the right way without it rotating and maybe help if you are often gripping the pick too tightly...
I've seen so many crazy picking techniques. I think we are all just different and unique. I hold my pick with my thumb, index and middle finger. Had some guy at a shop tell me I was wrong to hold my pick the way I do so I went on to match him note for note with my technique and I actually sounded way cleaner than him. We're all different, do what's comfortable for you
Troy used to pick the same way too until he was analyzing LARS LANNERBACK's playing and saw he picks 'normally'. I hold it 'backward' too and, yeah, it definitely makes sweeps a lot harder but it's easy to stay with if you're only doing a little sweep here and there. If you're doing really sweepy stuff then it's a lot easier to hold it 'normally' until that section is over.
I think I am the perfect candidate for this little thing. Been playing for over 25 years and I 've broken my right wrist twice and my forth finger on the same hand once. I' ve lost pretty much all sense of my three fingertips. I need really good warmup to start having total control of my pick, I tend to squeeze the shit out of it when I am cold. This could be helpful....
I started on bass, and then learned guitar. I play guitar like a bass player, wonky asf. But after 22 years, it's just a habit and works for me. Helped me develop a unique style.
JImmy Hendrix Picked that way, and me when i started playing used to play like that aswell, but i couldn't do pinch harmonics, so basicaly that was the reason to change the way i hold the guitar pick :D
I used to play with the pick between my thumb and middle finger. Pinch harmonics made me switch as well. Although I remember being able to get them somehow involving my pinky finger! Lol
I always thought angling the pick backward was more normal. Thats a pretty handy tool.... You dont have to adjust your grip on the fly. And you don't have to choke up on the pick for a better grip.
It's very slight, but IMO your natural picking stance gives a slightly harsher attack, more clarity. I prefer it, it's ideal for metal. It's also possible that you're just not achieving that same possible attack in the "correct" stance the Pykmax puts you in yet, and that may come with practice. Keep doing you, bro.
While I get the idea, and it could be useful for some beginners indeed, imagine if you gave one of these to everyone. Everyone would sound the same even more. There's not really a wrong way to pick, everyone has their style. Maybe it can be a limiter for some stuff, but not everybody wants to be a generic ultra fast instagram player. You, Marty Friedman, and plenty of others can play just fine with 'weird' picking, and that's what makes you yourself. I naturally play kind of similar to Hetfield (maybe because I essentially learned to play by playing Metallica I unconsciously adapted to what made it easier for that), lots of downpicking, holding the pick with 3 fingers, and I actually switch from angling the pick backward or forward depending on what I play (downpicking vs galloping/tremolo). I don't even think about it, just noticed it one time I decided to record myself.
Way back im 2006 i bought a instruction video with michael angelo batio. He calls olas pick technique banana thumb. Its all in the motion. Holding the pick does control the wrist when sweeping. You can feel the difference. Hold the pick the a fidget spinner
Ola, dude, my guitar teacher taught me to hold a pick the same way you always have. It makes my lead guitar playing sound more aggressive, and soulful, and it allows me to play super fast rythyms with killer heavy grooves. Everyone holds there pick different, James Hetfield uses three fingers for Pete's sake, and he created some of the fastest riffs in the history of metal. Too me this thing picmaster thing is a gimmick, plus, it's literally constraining any musician from playing the way they are comfortable with. Cool Vid As usual Ola. I just could never use something like this personally. Sweep picking is something I literally don't care about, because it's not how many notes you use, but how you use the notes you play, that's always been my perception since I realized I'm far more of a lead guitarist. Take Care Man. 🤘🏻🎸🤘🏻🎸. Later.
The best thing for guitarists and bass players who use picks to know is that there is no “wrong” way to pick, apart from the wya that hurts you. Avoid having your wrist at a 90 degree angle and only move your wrist to play (except for when strumming ofc) and you’re good.
For odd picking techniques, watch some videos of Frank Zappa playing solo's. He barely uses his wrist at all, instead he often holds two fingers on the pickguard and just uses the thumb and index finger to move the pick. I agree it can be good for a beginner to learn one basic technique, but I doubt there is a "best" one.
Just so folks know, the point of Pykmax isn't necessarily to force everyone to use the same technique, it's also meant to be an ergonomic alternative for folks with disabilities or people who want to switch from picking to 4-finger tapping quickly without playing around with the pick too much. Looking at their website it's not super obvious but I just wanted to mention this since there are legitimate reasons to use this and it's not necessarily just for beginners (though obviously that's one of their intended customers). I didn't hear that mentioned in this video so I highly recommend folks check out the video Tsunami Films did on Pykmax if you're looking for more info! 🤘
For those from EU countries likes me that are asking about online EU dealers/resellers for this one I can say for sure that, for the moment, you can only find and buy the Pickmax from Amazon USA (and seems to me "googling" here and there that right now this is the main if not the only official Pykmax online reseller) BUT you will notice that clearly highlights the fact that they could delivery with the "AmazonGlobal Priority Shipping" option to get your order even in EU within 2-4 days. A pros for sure to do not suffer from the extra-EU standard shipping times and the commons customs hitches that Amazon could bring almost to zero because is Amazon (LOL). The cons is that this shipping option price is as the same as the Pykmax price SO, personally since i'm not so sure that this could really help me to overcome some picking issues that I have I would keep looking around EU shops and see if something will show up, sooner or later: Ola didn't mention that this is the NEW version of Pykmax that in the USA has been for sale only a couple of months ago. The first Pykmax version that came out in 2014 has got pretty low sale ratings in the past years and so many bad reviews from buyers that you can still find around the web and this bad feetback concerns USA sales or where PickMax get the Major numbers of reviews (og advertising kind) also from musicians favs online magazines. In EU the feetback was even worse! So methink that EU online music shops don't really care to stock something that is yet "weird" and that show to fail yet once in sales. If we get it there is not hard for anyone to get to my same conclusion or that it will be for sale via Amazon EU wharehouses
We're really sorry that we don't have a better option yet for Europe. We're working on this. Please help us by contacting Thomann to request that they stock our product.
Wow I pick exactly the same as you ola and have come across the same issues especially with fast alternate picking and sweeping clarity. This actually may be a useful product.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
HEY YOU! Thanks for watching!
My mother subscribe also your channel
*You're welcome Ola XD*
Hey thanks to give us this cool video
Ola Englund yes you mate and thank you to for the new video
This is some good shit sir (:
I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis on 2006 and since then, I've been slowly losing all. the feeling and motor control in my right hand. This has meant endless dropped picks due to the fact I simply can't tell where I'm holding it, how my hand is moving and if I'm actually in the right place to play what I want. Having something fixed like this could be an absolute blessing for me, so thanks Ola for demoing this. I'm definitely going to be getting one!
This will.work for you!
A year later, how did it work?
@@DMulisha13 pretty nicely actually. It's not quite the same as a traditional pick (obviously) but it has made playing a heck of a lot less frustrating. It's good exercise too, to keep my brain remembering I have fingers and how it should use them.
You're not alone brother. I have Neuropathy. Can't feel feet or lower legs. My fingers tips are somewhat numb and my dexterity is for s...t..I gave up on guitar for a while but now back. Even though fingering is less accurate, I'll be damned if a disease is going to keep me from playing. Got some Dunlop picks with ridges and use the pick as an extension to my first finger extending a few millimeters past the fingertip. Keep going man. Your journey gives me strength to continue to fight. Music is life :)
@@hanovergreen4091 I've found the grip tape used in skateboards to be really good if you can trim it down enough to fit on a pick. Just a low grain one otherwise you'll wear your fingerprints off 😉
I don’t know.... If you look at Troy Grady’s research on picking, there seems to be many “right” ways to pick. I think a standardization of technique actually will kill what innovation the guitar has left as an instrument. Gave you a like anyway...lol.
If a person wants to change their technique, fine. Your picking may hold you back in some ways, but it may contribute to your tone, say. As long as your technique is physically healthy, I say go for it. Instruments like violin have physical constraints that limit proper technique to a standard. One of the reasons the guitar is so flexible is that you can play it in a variety of ways.
This must be pinned
check out matteo mancuso's right hand technique. so different.
If your tone is incredible but your technique suffices for your style, then maybe it IS holding you back. You can only experiment until you find what works best. Sometimes you also need someone to help you improve and not be so narrow-minded thinking that your way is the best way when you haven't even explored every possibility. So, this is a good thing, this Pick Max thing.
Ola's statement that it was easier for him to sweep when he used the prosthetic matches what Troy deducts in his videos.
Kill innovation? How? Music is all about the notes that you play ... not tone. Technique just makes sure you can actually play the notes lol
It’s a strap on for your picking hand
lol how does this have 0 comments
@@hollow3122 because no one replied to it
H O T
I thought it's just a capo with pick holder when I saw it the first time
Anyone notice how different it sounds him holding the pick the 'right' way to how he usually sounds. The classic Ola chug sound goes away when he uses the pykmax
It sounds better.
My picking technique is the same as Ola's and if i try to pick like the supposed normal...the guitar sounds scrappy and thinner to me. But picking Ola's way is more difficult to play standing up.
I learned also Ola's way and later i forced myself into the regular one. Yes chuggs sound better the Ola way.
Yea chugs sounds thinner when you hold it the "right way". That's why I always hold the pick like Ola to make chugs sound thicker and heavier
@@Swedishoutlaw "thinner" is just an easy way of saying "more articulate"
I think it also could help guitar players with some kind of disabillity
Yes. I've always had good technique, but my disability has been effecting how I hold the pick. This makes a lot of sence to me
I work with American Combat Vets and Luiz, this actually is something to look into. Great idea. Check out a program called Guitar For Vets.
@@JohnDoe-pq8yw awesome, man
I can see how this can help me... always looking for new devices for my disability.
Yeaa handikap pick up 🤣
As someone who is entirely self taught, as long as you can tremolo pick and cross pick who cares what your technique is. For example Marty Friedman, dude has the weirdest picking technique but is an absolute world class guitarist.
Used to be. Now he plays KISS covers on Japanese television.
@@aiden_macleod "Used to be"?! It's only been 3 years since Wall of Sound, he's still rocking as ever! Oh and as to his gigs with the Japanese Tv, he's one of those rare occurrences where a human being does whatever he feels like doing without giving a rats' ass about keeping some fake public image.
PS: Here's the link to Wall of Sound: ua-cam.com/video/zZ59zQgwrEI/v-deo.html
That should change your mind.
@@aiden_macleod You don't 'un-become' a world class guitarist.
@@Defsolid I got goose bumps
@@dirface technically Jason Becker did.
That's a super-cool Fender. I always love seeing you play it.
At first glance I thought he stole it from yngwie malmsteen, then I saw it wasn't quite aged enough
Actually, since it holds the pick, it would definitely help with dropping the pick on stage.
Tom_E Calm_7 so u will drop the whole thingy together..
@@darkmotherboard272 With a grip like that it would be much harder thoughg.
just fingerpick, it's a lot harder to lose your hands
@@horstherbert35 100% .
If u play in stage u usually have pics on the mic stand or placed under the pickguard
I’m a believer in the idea that a person’s tone goes beyond just gear and also has to do with their fingers and how they pick or pluck the strings. I think this is a nice tool for any who would want to use it or are struggling, but on the other side I think too many people sound the same already. Lol. Variety is the spice of life. 🤘
Marty Friedman laughs hysterically at this.
Edit
If you want to learn his technique you'll need a hammer and a crowbar.
For years I used to pick, gripping with my middle finger . Until Fast Eddie Clarke from Motorhead moved in next door to my mums house and eventually showed me the way 😎 Couldn't believe it!
That's way cool
Quite a few players grip that way. EVH does, James Hetfield grips with his thumb, first and middle finger.
@@Lord_Raptor 🤙It was working for me great! But I wasn't getting the tone and alternate picking was trickier 😸
Eddie paid some visits to your mums house, I presume? Thats how you got acquainted?
@@DecontructRecreate I'd let him bang my mom for some free guitar lessons. lol
I have tendinitis in my right wrist. When it is really bothering me, I use this to help relive the pressure. Esp for acoustic gigs when it is really acting up. So glad you have that strat, what a beauty.
Did you get tendinits because of playing guitar or some other reason?
Alexander Malmberg in the 90s, I was playing 5-6 nights a week and one particular evening I was in a very cold bar. By the door. I woke the next morning and couldn’t move or feel my right hand. The doctor said I over compensated and popped a tendon into my muscle and nerve section of my wrist. Ever since, when it gets too cold for my hands or I play a little too hard at a show, it will flare up. Causing the numbness and such. So, long story short, yes guitar playing was a direct contributor to it. But environmental conditions assisted.
Buy a squeeze ball it will help get past that type of pain
@@yohanonshine4664 yes, but that type of exercise can also make the tendon bigger. I have some stretching exercises that work really well.
Thanks Ola! Literally just what I needed right now. Am a newer guitar player, and biggest thing I've been struggling with is figuring out how I like to hold the pick haha, hopefully this helps
Ola: "i have a wierd picking technique"
Me: picks exactly the same way
And we have to hang our guitar higher up when we play standing...and also pinch harmonics are more difficult.
@@marshallzingkhai889 I hold it the same way, but I just flip the pick really quick when I harmonic pinch.
Same
I used to pick like Ola for the first 20 years of playing. Then, I was playing guitar hero and picked differently with the controller. I switched after that.
Michael Savides guitar hero is what got me in to guitar lol
These picks are amazing for bass when u use one of these on the bass you can pick, finger, tap, and slap your way outta anything
Troy Grady has shown us that great picking can be achieved in a multitude of configurations. I can’t say this will be the solution for everyone but, the best thing I’ve found to help me play a passage the way I want to, is to close my eyes and feel my way through the picking motion and forcing my hands to make corrections on their own instead of my eyes helping guide them. I worry less about every detail on the mechanics of the technique and let my hands figure it out. I just try and stay focused on eliminating tension , and trying to be as economical with the movements as possible, making sure I’m connected to the pulse and no matter if it’s a lead or riff section, learning to groove it all the same.
We always hear “practice slow” but more or less the phrase might work better if we think of it as “practice in slow motion”, as if someone took a clip of you playing it and slowed it down .
You only need to fret hard enough to make the string make contact with the fret. You’re fingers will tell you when they are ready to go faster, give them the chance to. Lastly learn to think faster than what you are playing, and listen to the music you are learning at faster and slower tempos, it’ll give you a more detailed picture of what you are learning.
This is the best tone i heard from any of guitars you played so far.
As a corrective tool, if someone wants to use the "correct" form of right hand technique, this will work wonders. But yeah like Ola said, it is not for everyone, only for some.
TheAxeMonger I’ve taught a few kids some guitar techniques. I always say, try it like this, but do what is most comfortable for you.
I feel like my picking efficiency isn't the best because I feel like I haven't been using the most proper technique all this time, so I wonder if it'll help me?
The way you pick sounds amazing for upstrokes it is a huge part of your sound imo
I have nerve issues with my right arm due to a failed disc, and I got one of those a while ago. It's fantastic. I don't use it all the time, but when I have flare ups and a couple of my fingers go numb I can use that to keep my alignment and also reset it when I find myself dragging my thumb across the strings. It helped a ton when I had lessons and my instructor has some weird technique with what appears to be a hyperextended/double-jointed thumb tip, and I couldn't figure out if I was even holding the pick right. A lot of videos with lifelong guitar players seem to surface where the players with close-ups of the playing have similar backward thumb extension. So, this helps. :-)
I was just thinking about how my self taught picking has slowed my process for years. It’s like learning all over again.
The strat sounds absolutely killer... That surprised me, considering the type of tones Ola is tweaking!
It's not a fender pickup, so it's definitely not surprising
Sorry but why would that surprise you? It's got a humbucker in the bridge...
@@eddyray666 Maybe it surprised me because I am a former drummer haha... Seriously speaking i wasn't expecting the SD 59 trembucker (if he hasn't changed it) to be that "chugging", but probably is because of my inexperience.
I put a SD TB-5 Custom in the bridge of my Strat last year and HOLY SPIT does this thing chug now!
@@thrashmaniacdrummer5931 Ah, that makes a lot more sense man. I guess you can make any humbucker sound fierce through the right rig. :)
Marty Friedman has a weird right hand technique but sounds like nobody else
He sucks .
@@liquid7315 how tho
There are pros and cons for how you play vs the conventional way. I had a friend that played like you...it gives you really good percussive definition, thanks to a large arc of pick attack to the string. Whereas, the conventional way is easier to control for intricate maneuvering. Do both!
I’ve been using the pykmax when I play electric guitar for a few years now. It gets rid of the discomfort I experience in my index finger. I’m glad I discovered it.
Heaviest strat tone EVER! I always hear that dimebag influence when you're riffing. Love it
Ola, you’re my long lost little brother! I have the exact pick pick attack as you. When I started in the 80’s, I didn’t have the resources the kids have today. I had a few people tell me that I was holding the pick wrong. But like you, I said “fuck you” this works for me! I put the guitar down for almost 30 years. Just picked it back up. I still use the reverse attack. It gives you the best chugs ever! You can’t replicate that chug with a “standard” attack. But like you, I’ve run into obstacles. Solo alternate runs, sweeping, etc. I’ve been trying to make it work. But I also favor upstrokes as a result of my reverse attack. And considering 99% of guitarists have a “standard” attack, that means everything is backwards for me. So it takes me twice as long to figure out a picking pattern as a result. Not very efficient. You are right. This device will look absolutely silly to most guitar players. But for guys like us, it could be a very useful tool. I am trying like hell to adopt a standard pick grip and attack. But relearning everything you know is a daunting task. I’ve even committed to using only a standard pick attack for weeks at a time. But then I start missing my “chugs”. So my hope is to become proficient at both. Reverse attack on the EAD strings and moving into a standard attack as I move towards the floor GBE strings. This may just compound my problem. But my stubborn Germanic attitude once again says “fuck you” , sometimes too a fault. I want to thank you for this video. I know it doesn’t speak to everyone. But it certainly spoke to me. 🤘🏻
Guitar height adjustment is far more important for proper picking. The real problem is that nobody wants to look like a geek while playing resulting in "egoic carpal tunnel syndrome".
i have the tosin abasi style, 90 degree, hitch hiker's thumb. i've always held my pick "mirrored" in a way kind of similar to the way ola is holding his normally. with the textbook pick holding posture, i also notice some things are easier, and harder. i suggest to all players to try all angles, even a parallel pick-to-string angle, when learning techniques or just jamming around. this goes for anything though, not just picking. fretting also has a lot of stigma around "proper" technique, and there's many ways to get many different tones using different strengths or angles of engagement. play around with all aspects of playing, and you'll find "your way". the best part is that you can always adapt "your way" in the future. you have no reason to stick with it, just as you have no reason to change it. art is a wonderful thing.
I pick the same way as you Ola. For me i think it was a shortcut to get faster downpicking and galloping chops. Angled pick gives less resistance and i find the alternate picking a huge hassle. I will test one of those and see if it can conquer muscle memory. A good evening to you all.
Someone give this to Willie Adler from Lamb of God.
Saarang Narayan - or Marty Friedman. Have you seen his picking technique? It’s so bizarre. Lol
@@Burnt_Gerbil Came here for this comment. Marty's weirds me out so much.
I pick the same way as Willie and I always get so much crap for it from my friends lol
Also Chris Poland too. That dude holds it super weird
This is actually really cool! I find the majority of my students take 1 to 2 weeks to get used to a good posture without this tool, but there’s still a small percentage that still go back to old habits. I feel Pykmax would force them in a good way!
Are you from the company that sells it?
Why is it spelled like you should be pronouncing it like "Pike-Max?"
Not in any way affiliated with them lol
" percentage that still go back to old habits" lol just let people play like they want to. Some of the biggest guitar heroes out there have terrible picking technique but still kicks ass, why ? Dont buy this crap folks please
That’s not the point. Many guitarists have a unique style that works for them for sure, and some of these are famous guitar heroes. But that’s mainly because of their creativity and songwriting skills - If you look at their technique, you’ll still find weak points. On the other hand, look at the most technically proficient players in the world: Rick Graham, Tom Quayle, Stephen Taranto just to name a few. Look at how they hold the pick. I can’t see why somebody can’t benefit from being able to play cleaner, faster, more in control and more relaxed, which this posture provides. In the end it all serves the player’s creativity, but better to reach a certain technical level than not being able to play something you have in your head because you’re limited by your posture and technique
That back angle on ola’s picking technique is probably the reason his sound is so metallic
I'm happy that you got Fender strat you wanted. It looks and sounds awesome!
Stora mästarehälsningar från Brasilien. The haunted with you are amazing. Keep Exit Wounds alive. And Str...numbers is killer
This is... good... But only about as good as training wheels on a bicycle.
Reason why I say that is that it doesn't force you to use the correct segments of the thumb and index finger on the pick. I already saw two people applying this tool differently...
If the control of the pick exists on the JOINT of the index finger instead of the tip, it 1) limits the highly beneficial microadjustments of picking movement you can get and 2) causes all of the fingers to be closer to the strings which makes it easy to bump strings. To avoid this, many players end up flexing all of the rest of their fingers backwards and introducing tension on the top of the hand.
^This is the problem with the "fist" guitar grip and this tool won't fix it. Only proper understanding of the mechanics going in will fix it.
That said, I did see another comment regarding people with disabilities. Brilliant use case. 🙂
Can you imagine Yngwie using these, having 50 of them clipped up and down his mic stand and kicking them at the audience 100 times a show?
maskedman72 thats a lawsuit time when someone loses an eye
Yngwie Live In Leningrad was 🔥
Lmao
I have really sweaty fuckin' hands and I drop my picks all the time when I'm strumming really hard or trem picking. This could be a game changer for me! Thanks Ola!
Have arthritis thats made holding picks hard so I use my fingers tips .
I’m always looking at different methods I’ll see if I can get one .
I actually hold it upright when standing up and down when sitting down. I thought I would be holding it "normal" later on but never changed so I just stayed with that form, haven't noticed yours lmao, nice to know it isn't actually "wrong"
Hey Ola! A little anecdote from my side: I started exactly the same way as you. I was holding the pick backwards, because it felt like I could play faster. And I was right at some point but other techniques suffered from it. I didn't had a teacher at that time so I checked tutorials/videos etc. on how to hold it correctly. How I fixed it? Well, I was on a busines trip and at that time I took my guitar everywhere with me, if I was away from home for more than a few days. And after work, I locked myself in the hotelroom and played "dry" for hours non-stop, just to make the new unnatural feeling a natural thing. The PYKMAX might have helped me at that time but I got it with patience and endurance.
I also have a question for your FAQs (or Q&As? :P): I struggle a little bit with the main riff of "Cowboys from Hell". I play it the original way with the A5 powercord (E - G - E - G, A5 - G - A5 - G) and not the popular single note version around the 3rd and 5th fret. I lack some speed on my fretting hand and I feel getting tired pretty fast. Beside keep on practicing: are there excercieses or other things you would recommend for tackling such problems?
Anyways, great videos/content. I enjoy your uploads a lot!
Love that Strat! Great video and playing, Ola!
Ola, I absolutely love that strat of yours!
Hello Ola! I have a weird obsession of writing in swedish, but maybe with London accent. Just discribed to Your channel...been stalking for years, so now I thought...what a heck. You have to pay Your house and kids hobbies also, so it's a little what I can do. I have on Solar, ordered the A2.6 TBR, and now I have 3 Solars at my basket! What the hell! And I do play RR-style guitars in my bands...but still. Maybe one for my son. But keep on going, and taking my money with new cool looks of Solars. Hälsningar från så kära granne Finland!
Your video proves that whatever the guitar you use you can play Metal, for as long as it has an humbucker close to the bridge and the right amount of distortion.
That strat is your best bro. In my opinion. Class and tone for miles. Nooooiiiiccccee
Don't be a robot my friend! The way you hold your pick is how your tone is yours. It's your way. Own it. And give me an autographed poster of you. Much love man
I angle my pick backward as well. I chose it early on because it achieved greater string grind, making riffs heavier without needing more gain. I do switch to forward tilt when playing higher strings, though.
I grew up playing backward-slant as well as my natural pick position. I've never been big on sweep picking short of "circular", 3-note/string crossing technique. I've had to go back and learn to angle the pick forward for certain licks/phrasing. Will I ever be Michael Angelo-forward pick-shred fast? Nope. I just use what works. I may check this thing out for my boys as players starting out.
Thanks for the vid Ola and all the best from the Bay Area.
MK
So it looks like Ola ended up buying that strat he was trying out in his birthday guitar shopping video!!
It makes me happy whenever I see medal gods shredding on an HSS strat :)
pretty crazy how much of a tone difference there is between the 2 ways Ola holds the pick.
Nice little thing. I started taking lessons again after over a decade, and my instructor did also tell me my picking technique isn’t “correct,” but I found the standard way to hold it so foreign and I almost couldn’t keep up. I recently discovered though that it’s the same way Herman Li from Dragonforce and even Tosin Abasi hold their picks, how the thumb isn’t straight but bent in a bit. So my way has been validated. But this thing help me fine tune it a bit. Excellent share!
You SOUND good so you ARE good. You are making music and that's what's important. Nothing wrong with your picking at all bro
I'm no pro, but messing around with pick technique at the moment. I just bought Dunlop Jazz III picks, because they're smaller and force you to hold it closer. I found that "correct hold" makes me faster and tighter in chugs, as well as it anchors more accurately. Added bonus is that the jazz III are carbon fibre and bite the strings aggressively.
Of course, for me it's easier to relearn a technique than it is for a pro. I have a day job and don't rely on nailing things to eat 😂
I suppose I'm kind of an oddball when it comes to picking technique. I hold the pick in a fairly normal way, but I slant it depending on what I am playing. I slant the pick forward (the normal way?) and my thumb leads the way for aggressive alternate picking or chugging. I use more of a neutral flat position with the pick for strumming chords and melodic alternate picking. Then I slant the pick backward (like Ola) and my index finger leads for down picking stuff like the master of puppets main riff. I don't even conciously think about changing how I pick I just do. Plus I play cleaner and more accurately by doing so. I'm probably just a doofus who is doing it all wrong, but it's worked so far.
I have hand issues and this product has worked pretty well so far to allow me to have a better grip on the pick
Back slant picker reporting in.
This actually might be good for me. I have NEVER felt comfortable holding the plectrum and it's honestly kind of chaos across the strings. This could possibly help to remedy that to some degree if I could be forced to hold the pick the "normal" way and keep the digits from spazzing out like they tend to do.
I actually pick both ways. I hold the pick the traditional way for sweeps, and the backwards way for chugs. The best of both worlds! They should can make a product to help people hold it the "wrong" way lol.
This is a really great review. My index finger was amputated and I’ve been thinking trying one of these to try helping my technique out, definitely have to check one out!
I was blown away by how much better the tone sounds with the “correct” technique
Very interesting to discover as a future physiotherapist for musicians
I never noticed my own picking style until you mentioned this once before.I don't angle my pick like you but I hit the strings at an angle sometimes rather than 90 degree strum it gives slightly less resistance to play faster. There are some rhythms that I actually use lighter pick for , for some reason when I play TheTrooper I always shatter tip of pick lol. I like .5 pick mostly or cool pick when I go lighter cause I like that grip feature it has
If you listen the treble in the attack of the pick angle at the beginning of the video is greater angled forwaed rather than backwards. But MEH I hold my pick with thumb index and middle finger. Greater control especially when using all down fast muting.
You literally have the exact same picking technique I had for the first 9 or 10 years of my playing I think! So i know what you mean with the alternate picking, I forced myself to hold it the "proper" way in the end just so I could improve my alternate picking.
I hold the pick the same way. I think it's makes your original and your tone sounds Great,doing that
Awesome videos.
It will help if you struggle too keep holding the pick without dropping it, keep it facing the right way without it rotating and maybe help if you are often gripping the pick too tightly...
I've seen so many crazy picking techniques. I think we are all just different and unique. I hold my pick with my thumb, index and middle finger. Had some guy at a shop tell me I was wrong to hold my pick the way I do so I went on to match him note for note with my technique and I actually sounded way cleaner than him. We're all different, do what's comfortable for you
Troy used to pick the same way too until he was analyzing LARS LANNERBACK's playing and saw he picks 'normally'. I hold it 'backward' too and, yeah, it definitely makes sweeps a lot harder but it's easy to stay with if you're only doing a little sweep here and there. If you're doing really sweepy stuff then it's a lot easier to hold it 'normally' until that section is over.
I think I am the perfect candidate for this little thing. Been playing for over 25 years and I 've broken my right wrist twice and my forth finger on the same hand once. I' ve lost pretty much all sense of my three fingertips. I need really good warmup to start having total control of my pick, I tend to squeeze the shit out of it when I am cold. This could be helpful....
I started on bass, and then learned guitar. I play guitar like a bass player, wonky asf. But after 22 years, it's just a habit and works for me. Helped me develop a unique style.
JImmy Hendrix Picked that way, and me when i started playing used to play like that aswell, but i couldn't do pinch harmonics, so basicaly that was the reason to change the way i hold the guitar pick :D
I used to play with the pick between my thumb and middle finger. Pinch harmonics made me switch as well. Although I remember being able to get them somehow involving my pinky finger! Lol
Not a Fender Strat sound fan. But i can't believe how great that bridge pickup sounds! Love it! Nice purchase!
If you're an old guitar player, (on set of arthritis old) it also helps you hold onto the pick.
I remember Misha Mansoor's picking was similar to yours Ola and he also changed it to the "pointing downwards" style
that’s so cool! i’d love to try one
I have the exact same weird picking technique (I'm self taught, so nobody corrected me), I'm glad I'm not the only one.
chaybeez me as well, self taught
Definitely a cool little tool to add to practice.
Also the strat sounds massive. Love it.
You're not alone in this "wrong" picking. Cheers!
And congratulations on that Strat. Sounds incredible.
I always thought angling the pick backward was more normal.
Thats a pretty handy tool....
You dont have to adjust your grip on the fly.
And you don't have to choke up on the pick for a better grip.
It's very slight, but IMO your natural picking stance gives a slightly harsher attack, more clarity. I prefer it, it's ideal for metal. It's also possible that you're just not achieving that same possible attack in the "correct" stance the Pykmax puts you in yet, and that may come with practice.
Keep doing you, bro.
every sound this man is producing on his guitar is very badass and awesome
While I get the idea, and it could be useful for some beginners indeed, imagine if you gave one of these to everyone. Everyone would sound the same even more. There's not really a wrong way to pick, everyone has their style. Maybe it can be a limiter for some stuff, but not everybody wants to be a generic ultra fast instagram player. You, Marty Friedman, and plenty of others can play just fine with 'weird' picking, and that's what makes you yourself.
I naturally play kind of similar to Hetfield (maybe because I essentially learned to play by playing Metallica I unconsciously adapted to what made it easier for that), lots of downpicking, holding the pick with 3 fingers, and I actually switch from angling the pick backward or forward depending on what I play (downpicking vs galloping/tremolo). I don't even think about it, just noticed it one time I decided to record myself.
Way back im 2006 i bought a instruction video with michael angelo batio. He calls olas pick technique banana thumb. Its all in the motion. Holding the pick does control the wrist when sweeping. You can feel the difference. Hold the pick the a fidget spinner
Ola, dude, my guitar teacher taught me to hold a pick the same way you always have. It makes my lead guitar playing sound more aggressive, and soulful, and it allows me to play super fast rythyms with killer heavy grooves. Everyone holds there pick different, James Hetfield uses three fingers for Pete's sake, and he created some of the fastest riffs in the history of metal. Too me this thing picmaster thing is a gimmick, plus, it's literally constraining any musician from playing the way they are comfortable with. Cool Vid As usual Ola. I just could never use something like this personally. Sweep picking is something I literally don't care about, because it's not how many notes you use, but how you use the notes you play, that's always been my perception since I realized I'm far more of a lead guitarist. Take Care Man. 🤘🏻🎸🤘🏻🎸. Later.
How can James Hetfield be the creator of some of the fastest riffs in the history of metal when he just do downstrokes?
The best thing for guitarists and bass players who use picks to know is that there is no “wrong” way to pick, apart from the wya that hurts you. Avoid having your wrist at a 90 degree angle and only move your wrist to play (except for when strumming ofc) and you’re good.
Im wondering if this may help an older working man like myself who's hands aren't what they used to be hold on to my pick.
For odd picking techniques, watch some videos of Frank Zappa playing solo's. He barely uses his wrist at all, instead he often holds two fingers on the pickguard and just uses the thumb and index finger to move the pick. I agree it can be good for a beginner to learn one basic technique, but I doubt there is a "best" one.
Dude,your metaphors crack me up!!!
Cool gear vid' as always 🤘 There's a slight volume/mid tone boost with the Pykmax, most likely the additional mass imho.
Just so folks know, the point of Pykmax isn't necessarily to force everyone to use the same technique, it's also meant to be an ergonomic alternative for folks with disabilities or people who want to switch from picking to 4-finger tapping quickly without playing around with the pick too much. Looking at their website it's not super obvious but I just wanted to mention this since there are legitimate reasons to use this and it's not necessarily just for beginners (though obviously that's one of their intended customers). I didn't hear that mentioned in this video so I highly recommend folks check out the video Tsunami Films did on Pykmax if you're looking for more info! 🤘
"Nope I'm Ola England I do whatever the fuck I want" lol love it!
For those from EU countries likes me that are asking about online EU dealers/resellers for this one I can say for sure that, for the moment, you can only find and buy the Pickmax from Amazon USA (and seems to me "googling" here and there that right now this is the main if not the only official Pykmax online reseller) BUT you will notice that clearly highlights the fact that they could delivery with the "AmazonGlobal Priority Shipping" option to get your order even in
EU within 2-4 days. A pros for sure to do not suffer from the extra-EU standard shipping times and the commons customs hitches that Amazon could bring almost to zero because is Amazon (LOL). The cons is that this shipping option price is as the same as the Pykmax price SO, personally since i'm not so sure that this could really help me to overcome some picking issues that I have I would keep looking around EU shops and see if something will show up, sooner or later: Ola didn't mention that this is the NEW version of Pykmax that in the USA has been for sale only a couple of months ago. The first Pykmax version that came out in 2014 has got pretty low sale ratings in the past years and so many bad reviews from buyers that you can still find around the web and this bad feetback concerns USA sales or where PickMax get the Major numbers of reviews (og advertising kind) also from musicians favs online magazines. In EU the feetback was even worse! So methink that EU online music shops don't really care to stock something that is yet "weird" and that show to fail yet once in sales. If we get it there is not hard for anyone to get to my same conclusion or that it will be for sale via Amazon EU wharehouses
We're really sorry that we don't have a better option yet for Europe. We're working on this. Please help us by contacting Thomann to request that they stock our product.
Thanks Ola Happy new year
I must say, the Strat is looking killer!!
Wow I pick exactly the same as you ola and have come across the same issues especially with fast alternate picking and sweeping clarity. This actually may be a useful product.
I think it's not "really" wrong way to hold the pick like yours, my teacher did it too but he played super fast
That tone sounds amazing