Playing really fast with a pick - thicker or thinner strings?

[JasonNL]

Hey guys,

What kind of strings are easier to play real fast on? Thin (40-100), medium (45-105) or thick (50-110)?

[JustDavid]

I'd vote 'thick'; less string excursion so less of a moving target.

[Floyd Eye]

That would be true if you were just picking open strings. When you add into the equation the amount of effort it takes to fret a note cleanly, I would say light gauge strings would be easier ( as long as the action is low). That being said, I use mediums (.45-1.05)

[JasonNL]

Well, in this case it would be mostly fast picking, not so much fast fretting, I think I'm going to stick with 50-110s and practice more, thanks for the input guys!

[SwamiRob]

What kinda stuff you playing, for hardcore and fast punk I find it easy with a heavyish (.88 nylon) pick and 110 strings, I play close to the neck too. It's all about what's comfortable too, what's your picking technique like at the moment? What picks do you use, where do you pick on your bass, do you use your arm or wrist more etc?

[Jazz Ad]

To me strings don't really matter but for speed I prefer a softer pick.

[JasonNL]

The stuff I need the fast picking for is raw, kind of simplistic, black metal, I'm currently using 50-110 DR Hi-beams tuned to EADG and a .88mm Dunlop Tortex pick (the green one).

[darkstorm]

Same as guitar. Lighter gauge is preferred by more players for fast music and easiest fretting then other gauges.

[::::BASSIST::::]

Probably just use the same gage you always use. For me thats 45-100 or close to it. The key to playing fast with a pick is to use a thin pick. I like .67mm.

[JimmyM]

doesn't matter what gauge you use. some will be faster with thick strings, some with thinner.

[nic salsus]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

doesn't matter what gauge you use. some will be faster with thick strings, some with thinner.

Indeed.....and ALL will be faster if they spend less time worrying about strings and more time practicing.

[SwamiRob]

Uhuh, with that setup I'd advise to play fairly close to the neck and put more power through your wrist then your arm, with thick strings and plectrums your gonna hurt yourself after a while if you strum it like a normal guitar, especially playing fast.

[Floyd Eye]

When I was first learning to play guitar back when I was a kid, I removed the neck pick-up from my SG, dropped the strings right down onto the fretboard and used super thin picks ( sometimes cut myself out of a butter dish lid). Sure I could pick fast, but it sounded like crap. Thin picks are sloppy ( at least when I use them they are). I would use a quarter before I would use a thin pick. Regardless of who you are, with a little practice, a thicker pick is way more articulate.

I don't need to pick any faster, but plenty of songs would be much more difficult to play if I tried doing them fingerstyle.

[SwamiRob]

It depends how much of it you use, I use .60 dunlop nylons when I play guitar and I hardly use any of it, just the tip. I shred way better with them, and single notes are really clear with it too, even really heavy chuggy palm muted chords are nice and clear and powerful.