So the ramp is basically keeping your fingers plucking at a consistent depth, for lack of a better term. Just trying to better understand and improve speed myself.
1 Like
A few people mention doing scales and increasing speed over time. This has worked for me, even for the “second” type of not fast enough. I use a drum beat clip on Ableton and increase it by small increments, blah, blah, but…. I also found that sometimes it’s better to play a single note very very lightly, barely audible. I start slowly increasing speed incrementally focusing on keeping the lightest touch possible., this helps me to stay relaxed. I use a fun drum beat as well, something I can really get into, find that helps also to stay nice and relaxed in my hand. Once I reach a bit faster than what I was going for, I start playing a little harder and louder. So far this seems to work , good luck!
2 Likes
Yeah, check this out she displayed the perfect example of consistent back stop to generate speed, it’s especially effective with 16th ghost notes.
3 Likes
Charles Berthoud just released another video on building up speed:
2 Likes
For me what has helped, echoes a bit what Charles said in the video, “You cannot start running with just walking a bit faster”. I’ve been trying for quite some time to get my picking hand up to speed. And what has helped is playing songs out of my current league, just trying to keep up. Quite a few songs by Opeth have some nice sections of (for me at least) fast 16th notes, couple with syncopated rhythms where you also have to gallop a bit. Am I playing it completely clean? No, but is it getting better? Yes, most definitely. I tried the whole working with a metronome, at comfortable speeds, but I never moved past comfortable. Now I’m forcing myself a bit more and I do see improvements. My stamina has become better and my fingers feel a bit more loose.
3 Likes
I just use a pick
1 Like
Thank you so much for posting these links here, Ferk! I will try this. I read her book Learn Faster, Perform Better, which Josh recommended in one of the modules. I didn’t know she had a YouTube channel. This looks very useful.
I have problems fretting some songs in normal tempo. My left hand is not fast enough, but it is a question of practice. It depends on the song, but it is totally my fault, because I try too many things, and some that are more difficult I practice less and leave them for later.
I’m catching up on old messages in the forum, and now I’m glad for doing so, otherwise I would have missed this. Thanks 
2 Likes
Oh my, this was so impressive! I doubt very much I could ever get that good in my lifetime. So amazing!
2 Likes
Very good video, thanks for sharing! That pre-shifting technique looks very useful.
I want to grow up to be like her, 
Believe it or not she’s much slower now and focus more on tone, her younger videos were more sped and accuracy, impressive but no soul,
1 Like
If you’re looking for a good one to work on this (knowing that you’re a Cure fan), Fascination Street is fantastic for working on moving your fretting hand aronud and for slides. I’ve seen tab for it that has it played on the E and A string but it should all be on E.
1 Like
I love that one! I haven’t played much with a pick, but I think this song sounds better with a pick. This one has been on my list for quite some time, while I practice easier ones. But it is one of my favourites!
Picking is pretty important on this one, that’s how you get that background clicking sound that Simon is making. I play this one with one of my strumming picks (guitar) thats only a .46mm. I wouldn’t just practice easier tbh. Pushing yourself well past your comfort zone is how you move the window for what is your comfort zone. I’d give it a go, if you need to… I remember struggling to keep up with it for awhile… I’d just slow it down to 50 - 75%. The slides and staccato really crank the difficulty. I’d skipp the staccato notes and just play through till you’re comfortable.
I know that I’ve seen @howard give tips on playing this one. He’s going to have better advice than I do.
2 Likes
You’re totally right about this!
Once someone said a pick is a great pre-amp. Besides the pick, I think Simon uses some pedals to get that gritty sound. A Fangler and some others?
2 Likes
That’s when you know it’s gig ready. I usually play +10% to +20% speed for a few days on new songs on the set list and when I back it down to 100% it’s like the Matrix Bullet Cam. I’m more relaxed.
3 Likes
I gave it a go now. It is fun to play, though my plucking is uneven (not used to playing with a pick). But it is fast to memorise, and fun to practice. I’m still trying to find the best way to hold the pick for me. Keeping it in an angle to increase the grittiness for this bass line.
I didn’t realise how much noise the pick it makes. I took the headphones off for a moment and was surprised. I hope the neighbours couldn’t hear me (it’s midnight here). 
I will continue tomorrow.
At least the muting is very easy for this song!
1 Like
No your advice was good! I actually don’t play Fascination Street, my main Cure practice riffs are A Forest, Disintegration, Play for Today, Just Like Heaven and a bassline I made up for Cold.
For picks - starting with a thinner pick is easier until you are used to it, and then moving up to a larger one will give you more control and (IMO) better bass tone. I like 1.0-1.14mm tortex or 0.88-1.0mm ultex dunlops myself - nice medium size picks. I usually recommend people start out at 0.5-0.6mm tortex guitar picks.
2 Likes
Most of the time, I use a .72 Dan’s guitar pick or the 1.0. If I’m looking for a more solid thud, I’ve got them in the 1.5 also. They are jazz pick shaped but regular pick sized with grippy texture and tapered from the top down to the point.
I use the .72 as my main pick on guitar with the .46 Dunlops purely for strumming.
2 Likes
I jumped in on this and started practicing it yesterday. It’s fun! It’s also my first foray into using a pick. It’s a good time overall!
2 Likes
Increasing speed above 100% works! But only if you are already able to get to 100% 
It’s true that then when you go back to 100% feels like you are playing in Easy mode 
1 Like