How to tremolo pick consistently?

[TrustKrusher231]

I guess I was born to be a blues bassist or something, because I keep doing this thing where I start picking up slightly slower than I pick down and it creates a weird swing rhythm (which is obviously not preferable when trying to play a Slayer song). I don't really have this issue when playing mid-tempo or slow and I always use alternate picking, so I'm wondering if there are exercises or practice things I can do to play more "straight" at high speeds.

 

[two fingers]

Metronome. Scales playing four 1/16 notes for each note. Slowly increase speed when you're steady at the previous speed.

There are no free lunches or shortcuts.

 

[Lobster11]

This might also be a good time to examine your picking technique in case that's where the problem is. For example, it might be that your upstrokes are slower than downstrokes because you're grabbing more of the string with the pick or because the angle of the pick is different when striking the string.

 

[One Way]

You might try holding the pick so a rounded corner strikes the string vs the pick's point striking the string, I find this works better for me.

I played 6 and 12 string guitars with a pick for many years prior to playing bass. I mostly play bass finger style however when using a pick I noticed a fair amount of drag (possibly pick flex?) when striking bass strings with the pointy end of the pick which affected my timing. I experimented with the way I hold the pick and adjusted to strike the strings with the rounded end plus I contact the strings with the pick at a slight angle to the string so the round corner of the pick rolls over the string.

I find my note timing is much better with these two pick technique changes when playing bass vs guitar. You might give it a try.