Technical Freedom - Tackling Weaknesses Part 1 : Linear Picking

Tim Mirth helps you find and fix the physical weak points in your playing, with the goal of perfect synchronization between your picking hand and your fretting hand at any speed. The first half of the class works through the concepts and stumbling blocks behind clean technique; the second half is a guided set of exercises for linear picked lines (alternate picking or fingerpicking).

What's covered

• Why playing fast starts with hearing fast, and why technique should support the music rather than define it
• Analysis of picking motion — arm vs. wrist vs. the Benson-style "knocking" motion — and how to apply it to your own playing
• Pick grip firmness, picking angle, and picking location for better tone and dynamics
• Fretting-hand fundamentals: playing right behind the fret, light finger pressure, and economy of motion
• Posture, what "relaxed" really means, and the one-motion swarm approach to fast phrases
• How better technique directly improves your time feel
• Guided practice through the exercises, including sextuplets, with a 3-step approach and metronome work

The exercises are designed to be practiced for 4 weeks, 15 to 25 minutes a day. Included with the video is a book describing the exercises plus a progress sheet to track your work. Running time: 1 hour 19 minutes, with a 16-page PDF. This is Part 1 of a series — future classes address legato, one-note-per-string, hybrid picking, and musically applied technique.