Triplets

[Leppermessiah]

i was listening to some Iced Earth [img]graemlins/notworthy.gif[/img] and if there are any IE fans in here, maybe you can answer this for me. How the hell can they play triplets and gallops as fast as they do???!!! [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] Fast like in Disciples, or in the Alive in Athens version of the path i choose (toward the middle/end) its just crazy... is Jon just really really good? or is there like a special way to do this? (special pick or something?) anyway, this just baffled me.
Rock on. [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: Triplets

Practice the galloping slowly at first with a metronome, and then gradually build up. Or, practice songs with "slower" galloping, such as "1776", "Stand Alone", "The Hunter", and "Dragon's Child". Then, work up to the fast thrashy stuff like "Violate" and "Disciples Of The Lie" like you mentioned.

I use my super-worn-down Dunlop Gator picks to perform the rapid galloping and alternate palm muting:


I just can't seem to get rhythmic and fluent with new picks, so I just wear the hell out of them first, and then I can play properly.

[khabibissell]

Re: Triplets

Seems that heavy picks (1.0mm and up) are best for fast, accurate playing. This is personal preference of course, but I'd definitely suggest trying one. Also, practice with a steady pulse, such as a metronome. This will give you a strong sense of timing and rhythm. You can definitely develop bad habits if you practice without one (believe me, I know! [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] ). It's amazing that after a while you'll notice how much time you really have between clicks when you're playing in time, and the speed you desire will develop quickly. Also, try to focus on economy of motion in your picking hand. Hope that helps.

[VulfgangPfuck]

Re: Triplets

Super heavy picks is your first weapon of the speed gallop attack.

You have to build that kind of galloping speed up over time...use a metronome. Start slow, and practice and progress...it's the only way to do it.

I do it in some of my songs, but I developed my picking attack from being a drummer also. So I have a very "percussive" right hand technique.

Oh...and another good IE song to practice with is "Night Of The Stormrider"...that is once you get up to speed.

[ January 09, 2003, 08:17 AM: Message edited by: WarriorX7 ]

[Leppermessiah]

Re: Triplets

Wow, thanks guys. i can play triplets pretty good, like in Phantom ophera ghost, but disciples speed is just insane. I use the dunlop .88 picks. ill have to try a thicker one. thanks a lot.

[img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[777SteveVai777]

Re: Triplets

2 mm purple Dunlop picks, only way to go for fast picking IMO. 1.14 Tortex for acoustic for me. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

I have tried to go back to 1 mm and 1.5 but I keep coming back to the 2 mm.

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: Triplets

Word, what the hell does a super-shredder like you know about rhythm playing? [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

I mean, come on, 1.14mm for acoustic? What, you have a super-heavy gauge of acoustic strings like 19s or something that can withstand the ravaging power of 1.14mm picks? [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Chameleonfong]

Re: Triplets

I use a coin that's shaped to the shape of a pick.

Cham

[ January 10, 2003, 09:16 PM: Message edited by: Chameleonfong ]

[DeadNight Warrior]

Re: Triplets

The trick is really in the power and accuracy of your wrist (or elbow, depending on how you play). You need to keep your movements as small and precise as humanly possible, but at the same time keep the power in your pick attack. Or you could cheat using some big nasty compression... [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

But yeah, like many others have said, it's a matter of starting out slower, playing to a metronome, and build it up from there. Force yourself to play with minimal movements and precision. Also muck around with dynamics too. If you're playing gallops, practice playing with totally even dynamics, and also things like, accenting that 8th note. Same goes for triplets. You can try accenting every 1st note of every triplet/sextuplet. Also, if you really wanna nail your fast rhythms, don't stick to these basic types. Write yourself some nasty rhythms that'll really test your alternate picking. For example, take a full bar of 8th note or 16th note triplets and just randomly remove a few of them, leaving rests in their place. It'll probably sound like an overflowing rectum, but it'll sure as hell test your playing!! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] Also, write some things like this, that mid-riff or even mid-bar, switch between 8th/16th/whatever notes and triplets. Basically, in the end, you want your picking hand to be able to tolerate any kind of odd rhythm, at any ridiculous speed, with any bizarrely palced accents, with the utmost precision. The way to do that, is to not only practice that, but also practice beyond that.

Have fun. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Black Mariah]

Re: Triplets

That accuracy and speed with a minimum of movement is important. If you go flailing around like a madman trying to get Slayer speed you're going to end up hurting yourself bad. I never practiced with a metronome, I find them generally useless. What I did when tryin to learn anything fast was get it down slowly, then just GO FOR IT. If you find yourself screwing up, just back off a bit. DO NOT try to outdo your physical limits though. One thing to keep in mind is that for really fast gallops it's best to stick with a strict alternate picking pattern. This can "feel" really weird since you have ones landing on an upstroke, but it helps a lot.

*EDIT*
My picks end up looking like that after a while too. I use those bigass black 2mm gator grips. I stopped using those thinner picks because I kept tearing them. [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[ January 11, 2003, 01:08 AM: Message edited by: Black Mariah ]

[Leppermessiah]

Re: Triplets

Is that how that fast gallop is played? With a down-up-down--up-down-up--down-up-down instead of all down-up-down?? [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img] thanks again for all the help guys.

[img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[777SteveVai777]

Re: Triplets

LOL, I can't rememeber what guage I use, but i know it's a heavier guage.

[DeadNight Warrior]

Re: Triplets

Originally posted by Larry:
Is that how that fast gallop is played? With a down-up-down--up-down-up--down-up-down instead of all down-up-down?? [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img] thanks again for all the help guys.

[img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I play gallops as down down up down down up down. Imagine it as being constant 16th notes, which would be down up down up etc...Then use the same picking pattern but replace the 2nd note in every four with a rest...if ya follow. So it'd be: down *rest where the upstroke would be, all the while moving your pick back in to position of course* down up etc..

Of course, if you can play it the other way as well, that'd be good. But the way it "should" be done is the way I just explained.

[ January 12, 2003, 05:47 AM: Message edited by: DeadNight Warrior ]

[Leppermessiah]

Re: Triplets

Yea, thats how i play them. the other way was really weird, and almost impossible.

[DeadNight Warrior]

Re: Triplets

Well that's how they "should" be played, but also, it'd be good to be able to play it the other way too. Just because it's a slightly odd picking pattern in relation to the note lengths, and if you can really nail things like that it can free up your alternate picking more, so you're not confined to more basic picking ideas.