# AI Wiki - Music - Shred Techniques ## Concept Shred is fast, technically demanding lead guitar. Wikipedia lists its tools: alternate picking, sweep picking, tapping, legato (hammer-ons and pull-offs) and the whammy bar, often with harmonic minor and diminished scales, string skipping and wide intervals. Its history runs from 1950s [[AI Wiki - Music - Jazz Music|jazz]] players who already swept arpeggios (Les Paul, Barney Kessel, Tal Farlow), through Ritchie Blackmore and Uli Jon Roth in the 1970s, to Eddie Van Halen's "Eruption" (1978), which made tapping mainstream, and the neoclassical players of the 1980s: Randy Rhoads, Yngwie Malmsteen, then Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert, Jason Becker, Marty Friedman and many others. Grunge and nu-metal pushed it out of the mainstream in the 1990s, but it never went away. Each technique solves one problem: how to play many notes per second **cleanly**. Alternate and economy picking handle scale runs, sweep picking handles arpeggios across strings, tapping and legato let the fretting hand (and a picking-hand finger) sound notes without the pick, and sequences turn scales into musical patterns. The basics they build on (alternate picking, hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, bends, vibrato) are in [[AI Wiki - Music - Guitar Lead Techniques]]; the genre context is in [[AI Wiki - Music - Metal Music]], the rhythm side in [[AI Wiki - Music - Metal Rhythm Guitar Techniques]]. Speed is a by-product. Every exercise here starts slow, with a metronome, and every one should sound clean before it gets faster. ## Three notes per string: the shred scale layout Pentatonic boxes have two notes per string ([[AI Wiki - Music - Pentatonic Scale]]); shred players often lay seven-note scales out as **three notes per string (3NPS)**. Every string has the same number of notes, so picking patterns repeat identically on each string, and a position covers two octaves and more. A natural minor from the 5th fret, 3NPS: ```fretboard scale: A minor shape: 3nps position: 1 labels: intervals title: A natural minor, 3 notes per string, from A (frets 5-10) ``` On the low E string: A B C (frets 5, 7, 8); A string: D E F (5, 7, 8); D string: G A B (5, 7, 9); G string: C D E (5, 7, 9); B string: F G A (6, 8, 10); high E: B C D (7, 8, 10). The stretch from fret 5 to 9 or 6 to 10 is the main physical demand. Learn it slowly, one finger per fret where possible. The theory behind the scale is in [[AI Wiki - Music - Minor Scales]]. ## Alternate picking Strict down-up picking, as described in [[AI Wiki - Music - Guitar Lead Techniques]]. Wikipedia notes it is "essentially required" at very high tempos, because the hand never makes a wasted motion and the downbeats always fall on downstrokes. The hard part is **[[AI Wiki - Music - Guitar Setup and Maintenance|changing strings]]**. With three notes per string and strict alternation, the strokes flip on each string: D U D on the low E, then U D U on the A string. Ascending, the last downstroke on the low E leaves the pick between the E and A strings, but the next note is an upstroke on the A string, so the pick has to hop over the A string and strike it from the other side ("outside" picking). In other places the pick has to fit between the two strings it is playing ("inside" picking). Most alternate-picking problems live at these string changes; economy picking (below) and [[AI Wiki - Music - Hybrid Picking|hybrid picking]] (pick plus fingers) are two ways around them. Troy Grady's Cracking the Code project made this visible: it films expert players "in close-up slow motion", sometimes revealing movements the players didn't know they were making, and coined terms such as "escape motion" (the pick path that leaves the string plane after a stroke, so it can cross to the next string without hitting anything). The practical lesson: film your own picking hand in slow motion with a phone, because what you feel and what you do often differ. Wrist motion is the usual starting point; forearm rotation and elbow motion are also used by fast players, often combined. Find the motion that stays relaxed at speed. Pick choice, grip, anchoring and Grady's downstroke and upstroke escape motions are covered in [[AI Wiki - Music - Picking Technique]]. ## Economy picking Economy picking combines alternate and sweep picking: alternate on each string, but when crossing to the next string, continue in the same direction. Wikipedia describes it as "designed to maximize picking efficiency by combining alternate picking and sweep picking". With three notes per string ascending, the pattern is D U D, D U D, D U D: the pick finishes the last downstroke already moving towards the next string. Descending starts with an upstroke: U D U, U D U. The 3NPS run below shows both: the first row under the tab is strict alternate picking, the second economy picking. ```chords {title: A minor 3NPS ascending, alternate vs economy} {comment: Row 1: alternate picking. Row 2: economy picking (consecutive downstrokes across each string change)} {start_of_tab} e|------------------| B|------------------| G|------------------| D|------------5-7-9-| A|------5-7-8-------| E|5-7-8-------------| D U D U D U D U D D U D D U D D U D {end_of_tab} ``` Economy picking is smooth on runs with an odd number of notes per string, but it can make the rhythm uneven: the two consecutive downstrokes at each string change are faster than a normal stroke, so notes rush. Practise it with a metronome and accent the beats. Wikipedia lists Frank Gambale (author of *Speed Picking*), Eric Johnson and Zakk Wylde as economy players, and Yngwie Malmsteen, Paul Gilbert and Jason Becker among those who use alternate picking for scales and sweeping for arpeggios. ## Sweep picking Sweep picking plays one note on each of several adjacent strings with one continuous stroke, like a very slow strum, while the fretting hand plays the notes one at a time. Wikipedia: "the guitarist plays single notes on consecutive strings with a 'sweeping' motion of the pick." It is mainly used for fast [[AI Wiki - Music - Arpeggios|arpeggios]]. What makes it work, from Guitar World's sweep lesson: - **One motion, not separate strokes.** "Lightly drag your pick across (push down, pull up) the two strings so that there's very little resistance." - **Only one note sounds at a time.** "Only one string should be fretted at any time (this is key!)." If notes ring together, it "will negate the desired effect and sound like you are simply [[AI Wiki - Music - Strumming Patterns|strumming]] a chord". The fretting fingers lift (or roll, when one finger covers two strings at the same fret) as soon as the next note sounds. - **Muting is the hard part.** "When it comes to sweep picking, muting is the key to cleanliness." The picking hand's palm follows the pick and covers the strings already played; the fretting hand's spare fingers cover the rest ([[AI Wiki - Music - Muting Techniques]]). - **Synchronise the hands.** Pick and fretting finger should hit the string at the same moment. - **Build up in strings, not tempo.** Keep the metronome at one tempo and go from two strings to three, four, five and six: eighth notes, then triplets, sixteenths, quintuplets, sextuplets. - **Moderate gain.** Guitar World recommends just enough gain for even volume and sustain, "but not so much that string muting becomes an impossible battle". A three-string A minor 7 arpeggio (A C E G) at the 12th fret, played as two triplets: three downstrokes up the shape, three upstrokes down. The high E string has two notes (12 and 15), so the pick changes direction there with one down and one up stroke. Fingers: ring on the G string (14), middle on the B (13), index then pinky on the high E (12, 15). ```fretboard chord: Am7 frets: 11-16 labels: intervals title: Am7 at the 12th fret: the sweep shape lives on the top three strings ``` ```chords {title: Three-string Am7 sweep} {time: 4/4} {comment: G14 (A), B13 (C), e12 (E), e15 (G), back down. Start at 60 bpm in triplets; the downbeat notes are G14 and e15} {start_of_tab} e|--------12--15----------|--------12--15----------| B|---13----------13-------|---13----------13-------| G|14------------------14--|14------------------14--| D|------------------------|------------------------| A|------------------------|------------------------| E|------------------------|------------------------| 1 trip let 2 trip let 1 trip let 2 trip let D D D U U U D D D U U U {end_of_tab} ``` Wikipedia credits jazz players with the first sweeps in the 1950s, Ritchie Blackmore and others in the 1970s, and the 1980s shredders with making it famous; Guitar World singles out Frank Gambale as the most systematic sweep player and Malmsteen, who modelled his runs on Paganini's violin playing, as the name most tied to it in [[AI Wiki - Music - Rock Music|rock]]. ## Tapping Two-handed tapping uses a picking-hand finger to hammer notes onto the fretboard, usually combined with fretting-hand hammer-ons and pull-offs. Guitar World: "a pick-hand finger sounds a note by tapping the fretboard on a specific string and fret". Eddie Van Halen made it famous with "Eruption" on Van Halen's 1978 debut, though it has a long history (Harvey Mandel, Steve Hackett, Emmett Chapman's Stick in 1969, and Paganini's similar techniques on violin long before them). Technique, from Guitar World and Guitar Player: - **Tap with the index or middle finger**, firmly, just behind the fret, like a hammer-on. Van Halen tapped with a straight index and palmed his pick; holding the pick and tapping with the middle finger is the other common option. - **Pull off sideways**, flicking the string (up or down) so it keeps vibrating, exactly like a fretting-hand pull-off. - **Anchor and mute**: rest the picking hand's thumb on the top of the neck near the low E, and use the palm to keep the lower strings quiet. Some players put a hair tie or a string dampener near the nut. The classic tapped triplet on the B string, as in Guitar Player's "Eruption"-inspired figure: keep the fretting index on fret 5 (E), tap fret 12 (B), pull off to 5, hammer fret 8 (G) with the pinky. The three notes B, E and G spell E minor. Change the tapped note and the fretted notes to move the arpeggio: tap 13 (C) over the same 5 and 8 gives C major (C E G); tap 15 (D) over 7 (F#) and 10 (A) gives D major. ```chords {title: Tapped triplets on the B string: Em, C, D, Em} {time: 4/4} {comment: t = tap with a picking-hand finger, p = pull-off, h = hammer-on. Each group is one beat of triplets} {start_of_tab} e|--------------------------------|----------------------------------| B|t12p5h8-t12p5h8-t13p5h8-t13p5h8-|t15p7h10-t15p7h10-t12p5h8-t12p5h8-| G|--------------------------------|----------------------------------| D|--------------------------------|----------------------------------| A|--------------------------------|----------------------------------| E|--------------------------------|----------------------------------| Em C D Em {end_of_tab} ``` ## Legato runs Legato means playing many notes per pick stroke, with hammer-ons and pull-offs doing most of the work: pick only the first note on each string. It sounds smoother and less percussive than picking; Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Allan Holdsworth are classic examples. Wikipedia also notes that economy can be "achieved by the use of legato". The requirements are fretting-hand strength and evenness: every hammered or pulled note should be as loud as a picked one, and in time. The 3NPS layout suits legato too. A descending A minor run, picking only the first note on each string: ```chords {title: Descending legato run in A minor (3NPS)} {comment: Pick the first note on each string, pull off the other two. Ends on the root A (low E string fret 5) with vibrato} {start_of_tab} e|8p7p5----------------------| B|------8p6p5----------------| G|------------7p5p4----------| D|------------------7p5p3----| A|---------------------------| E|------------------------5~-| C-B-A G-F-E D-C-B A-G-F A {end_of_tab} ``` Muting is harder in legato because the picking hand is less involved: the fretting hand's index lies across the thinner strings, the picking-hand palm stays on the thicker ones ([[AI Wiki - Music - Muting Techniques]]). ## Sequences A sequence repeats a melodic pattern starting on each successive scale note: instead of running the scale straight up, play groups of three or four notes, each group starting one note higher. They make scales sound like music, build alternate picking across strings and are the backbone of many shred solos. "Fours" in A minor pentatonic, box 1: A C D E, C D E G, D E G A, E G A C, and so on, one group per beat: ```chords {title: Sequence in fours, A minor pentatonic box 1} {time: 4/4} {comment: Groups of four, each starting on the next scale note. Strict alternate picking} {start_of_tab} e|--------------------------------| B|--------------------------------| G|------------------------------5-| D|--------------5-----5-7---5-7---| A|----5-7---5-7---5-7-----7-------| E|5-8-----8-----------------------| 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U {end_of_tab} ``` Other common sequences: groups of three (in triplets), groups of six over pentatonic boxes (the classic fast "sextuplet" rock lick), and scale degrees in [[AI Wiki - Music - Intervals|intervals]] (thirds, fourths). Sequences in thirds of a 3NPS scale are a standard alternate-picking workout. ## How to practise safely and cleanly Shred is a high-load activity: thousands of small, fast, repeated motions. The general rules are in [[AI Wiki - Music - Ergonomics and Injury Prevention]] and [[AI Wiki - Music - Metronome and Speed Building]]; specific to shred: 1. **Clean before fast.** Use the tempo at which every note is clean, even and relaxed. Raise it by a few bpm only when that is true three or four times in a row. The Music Practice plugin's speed trainer steps a metronome up towards a target tempo; log the clean tempo for each exercise as its own note. 2. **Short, frequent sessions.** Guitar World suggests "just two minutes every day" per sweep exercise. Ten to fifteen focused minutes of technique a day beats an hour once a week ([[AI Wiki - Music - Deliberate Practice for Musicians]]). 3. **Tension is the signal.** If your forearm, shoulder or jaw tightens as the tempo rises, drop the tempo. Picking with a death grip and playing through fatigue are the commonest routes to overuse pain. 4. **Stop at pain, and take loss of control seriously.** Musician's focal dystonia (painless loss of control of a specific movement while playing) affects roughly 1% of professional musicians in clinic-based estimates, and intensive practice is the main proposed risk factor (Rozanski et al., 2015). Amateurs are rarely affected, but a finger that stops obeying in one passage needs a specialist, not more repetitions. 5. **Record and film.** Distortion and speed hide mistakes in real time. Listen back at half speed ([[AI Wiki - Music - Recording Yourself]]) and film the picking hand in slow motion. 6. **Practise on a clean or low-gain tone too.** It exposes uneven legato, ringing strings in sweeps and missed notes. 7. **Isolate, then combine.** Practise one hand (legato without picking, a muted picking-hand pattern) before both together; practise one string change before a whole run. 8. **Warm up**: start each session with slow, easy playing ([[AI Wiki - Music - Warm-Ups and Technical Exercises]]). 9. **Make it music.** Apply each technique in a lick or a solo over a backing track ([[AI Wiki - Music - Playing with Backing Tracks]]); speed with no [[AI Wiki - Music - Melody and Phrasing|phrasing]] is the commonest criticism of shred. ## Common mistakes - Speeding up before the slow version is clean; practising mistakes at speed. - Sweeps that ring together like a strummed chord (fingers not lifting, no palm muting). - Uneven economy picking: notes rushing at the string changes. - Weak hammer-ons and tapped notes that disappear under the picked ones. - Too much gain, which hides noise until it's recorded. - Tension creeping in at higher tempos and staying unnoticed. - Learning techniques as tricks without using them musically. ## Key Points - Shred tools: alternate, economy and sweep picking, tapping, legato and sequences, usually on 3NPS scales and arpeggios. - Alternate picking: strict down-up; the difficulty is in string changes; film your hand to see your actual motion. - Economy picking: alternate on a string, keep going the same way when changing strings (D U D, D U D ascending in 3NPS). - Sweep picking: one stroke across several strings, one note sounding at a time, muting with both hands; build up from two strings to six. - Tapping: a picking-hand finger hammers and pulls off; the B-string triplet tap 12, pull to 5, hammer 8 spells E minor. - Legato: pick the first note on each string, even volume on every hammered and pulled note. - Practise clean before fast, in short daily sessions, watching for tension; stop at pain. ## Open Questions - Which picking motion (wrist, forearm, elbow) comes naturally to Sébastien? Worth filming before choosing exercises. - **Answered** ([[AI Wiki - Music - Guitar Scale Systems|Guitar Scale Systems]]): How early should a returning player start 3NPS scales, given the stretch, versus staying with pentatonic boxes? After pentatonic boxes 1-2 and two or three CAGED positions are fluent, starting high on the neck with fingers 1-2-4 and short, pain-free sessions. - Is economy or strict alternate picking the better default for someone who also plays rhythm-heavy metal? - **Answered** ([[AI Wiki - Music - Motor Learning for Musicians|Motor Learning for Musicians]]): How does practice of fast motions in short bursts compare with gradual tempo increases in the motor learning research? No head-to-head study exists; tempo patterns made no difference in Henley (2001), varied tempo marks strong practisers, and fast repetitive motions use a different (continuous) control mode, so use ladders for note sequences and short bursts near target tempo, with rests, for the motion itself. ## References - Wikipedia, "Shred guitar": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shred_guitar - Wikipedia, "Alternate picking": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternate_picking - Wikipedia, "Economy picking": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_picking - Wikipedia, "Sweep picking": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweep_picking - Wikipedia, "Tapping": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapping - Guitar World, "Sweep picking: how to get started with this awe-inspiring guitar technique": https://www.guitarworld.com/lessons/sweep-picking-how-to-get-started - Guitar World, "How to two-hand tap like Eddie Van Halen": https://www.guitarworld.com/lessons/how-to-two-hand-tap-like-eddie-van-halen - Guitar Player, "How to tap like Eddie Van Halen": https://www.guitarplayer.com/lessons/eddie-van-halen-tapping - Troy Grady, "About Cracking the Code": https://troygrady.com/about/ - Rozanski, V. E., Rehfuess, E., Bötzel, K., & Nowak, D. (2015). Task-Specific Dystonia in Professional Musicians: A Systematic Review of the Importance of Intensive Playing as a Risk Factor. *Deutsches Ärzteblatt International*, 112(51-52), 871-877. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4736554 ## Related - [[AI Wiki - Music - Metal Music]] - [[AI Wiki - Music - Metal Rhythm Guitar Techniques]] - [[AI Wiki - Music - Guitar Lead Techniques]] - [[AI Wiki - Music - Muting Techniques]] - [[AI Wiki - Music - Arpeggios]] - [[AI Wiki - Music - Minor Scales]] - [[AI Wiki - Music - Pentatonic Scale]] - [[AI Wiki - Music - Intervals]] - [[AI Wiki - Music - Metronome and Speed Building]] - [[AI Wiki - Music - Deliberate Practice for Musicians]] - [[AI Wiki - Music - Warm-Ups and Technical Exercises]] - [[AI Wiki - Music - Ergonomics and Injury Prevention]] - [[AI Wiki - Music - Recording Yourself]] - [[AI Wiki - Music - Playing with Backing Tracks]] - [[AI Wiki - Music - Hybrid Picking]] - [[AI Wiki - Music - Electric Guitar]] - [[AI Wiki - Music - Percussive Fingerstyle]] - [[AI Wiki - Music - Picking Technique]] - [[AI Wiki - Music - Motor Learning for Musicians]] - [[AI Wiki - Music - Guitar Scale Systems]]