I Couldn’t Play 300 BPM Until I Learned This..

Introduction
How do you take something as challenging as 300 bpm improvisations over chord changes and make it sound fluid and effortless? Sit tight, relax, and give me a few minutes to dive deep and help you change your playing.

Breakthrough in Playing Fast Lines
My biggest breakthrough with fast lines is related to how I imagine those lines—how they sound and feel. It’s about finding an approach that allows for an effortlessly flowing execution.

Here’s what I discovered:

1. Comfort and Efficiency
   I want my lines to feel as comfortable as possible. This means finding the most efficient way to practice arpeggios and scales to get the sound and technique I want. This includes considering whether you’re alternate picking or using legato techniques like hammer-ons and pull-offs. Are you playing arpeggios on two strings or more? Perhaps you’re using sweep picking.Personally, I wanted to emulate the sound of a horn player and enjoy the legato style of players like John Scofield and Allan Holdsworth. Now, I’ll show you some powerful tips on how you can apply this to your playing.[Please pick that like button—it really helps with YouTube!]
2. Finger Awareness
   Be aware of which fingers you use when playing arpeggios and scales. For example, with a C major exercise, staying aware of finger choices helps prepare for the next shape:
   • For C major triad, prepare your fingers to transition smoothly.
   • Transitioning with the second and fourth fingers, and barring where necessary.
   This awareness leads to playing efficiently and achieving a good sound from your fingers.
3. Sound and Technique
   How you play influences the sound. For instance, if you want a different sound, like a more legato feel rather than a sweeping one, you can skip a string:
   • Use this approach to avoid a sweepy sound and achieve a different, smoother tone.
   Reverse-engineering the efficiency of movement helps create the desired flow in your playing.
4. Right-Hand Technique
   For right-hand technique, anchoring your hand and tilting your pick can greatly affect your sound. Playing with a floating hand and a flat pick can sound messy and uncontrolled. Anchoring your pinky and tilting the pick can provide a more controlled and pleasing sound.Experiment with different methods to find what works best for you. Minimal arm movement with wrist-based picking is often more effective.Let me know in the comments below what your approach is and what discoveries you’ve made about right-hand picking efficiency.
5. Legato Approach
   For a legato sound:
   • Use slides and pull-offs.
   • Pick once, hammer on, then pick again.
   • Leave room for hammer-ons or pull-offs to achieve a smooth, flowing sound.
   Practice scales with both alternate picking and legato techniques to explore different sounds.
6. Phrasing and Accents
   When learning tunes, think about accents and phrasing:
   • For example, when playing “Donna Lee” by Charlie Parker, think about how accents, hammer-ons, and pull-offs affect the sound.
   • Practice with different articulations to create contrast and flow in your phrases.
   There’s no difference between practicing an arpeggio, scale, melody, or soloing in real-time. Keep your intention of being relaxed and articulate, making your phrases sound exactly as you imagine them.

Conclusion
Connecting ideas fluently on the instrument requires a specific mindset. It’s about the idea and how you imagine that sound being projected, not just technique. Whether you’re inspired by B.B. King or Allan Holdsworth, each player has a unique vision.

I invite you to explore my Galactic Modern Guitar program, linked in the description below, for guidance and resources to solidify your harmonic and melodic knowledge, and to work on your technique in a musical way.

If you’re interested in a great arpeggio workout, click this video:

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