Methods for pick players to build strength,speed and stamina!?

[descendent22]

Me being the descendents fan that I am was watching their movie documentary called " Filmage." During it there's some segments with the original bassist of the band Tony Lombardo. Unlike Karl Alvarez who is an amazing fingers style player, Tony is a pure pick bassist. He plays mainly all down strokes and shockingly you would think he was a finger style if listen to his tone. Anyway he also has great speed and stamina which was developed from a custom 2 lbs weight wrist band that he used to strap on his wrist while practicing or warming up at home. Being the fisherman he is he used fishing weights and duct tape to make the wrist band and he would strum for hours. When it came time to play without it his wrist and forearm obviously didn't have that added extra weight anymore and he would be playing super fast. I think this is a clever idea and it's something I been meaning to do for a while now but I haven't. Does anyone else have any methods like this for your playinga,a.

 

[BassFishingInAmerica]

Without trying to brag, I consider myself an expert with a pick. I've never used any type of wrist strengthening method, like you mentioned. Just the act of playing has been enough to aquire stamina and speed. I use all up/down picking. Seems like making all down strokes would only limit speed, and you would need more stamina, because you'd be doing twice the work. Methods I use for building speed are playing up/down, varying rhythms on a single muted string; string skipping; scales up and down; alternating scales; alternating chromatic scales; and, I will also do all up picking or all down picking. Everyone has their own methods. You can try whatever works for you. Just giving my opinion. A weight on my wrist would just make my wrist tired.

 

[descendent22]

Without trying to brag, I consider myself an expert with a pick. I've never used any type of wrist strengthening method, like you mentioned. Just the act of playing has been enough to aquire stamina and speed. I use all up/down picking. Seems like making all down strokes would only limit speed, and you would need more stamina, because you'd be doing twice the work. Methods I use for building speed are playing up/down, varying rhythms on a single muted string; string skipping; scales up and down; alternating scales; alternating chromatic scales; and, I will also do all up picking or all down picking. Everyone has their own methods. You can try whatever works for you. Just giving my opinion. A weight on my wrist would just make my wrist tired.

Thanx for the post, I apreciate it. I currently don't use any weights methods but to gain some speed I would like to give it a try.i made the conversion to being primarley a pick player a couple years ago. I still play with my fingers a good amount but I've grown so accustomed to being pick 1st that I play pick on almost everything now. It just feels more comfortable to me. The whole point of your wrist being tired because of the weights is kinda the point because when I take the weights off and play regular I'm gunna be used to that extra baggage but it won't be there. That's how your speed and staminate built up

 

[BassFishingInAmerica]

Thanx for the post, I apreciate it. I currently don't use any weights methods but to gain some speed I would like to give it a try.i made the conversion to being primarley a pick player a couple years ago. I still play with my fingers a good amount but I've grown so accustomed to being pick 1st that I play pick on almost everything now. It just feels more comfortable to me. The whole point of your wrist being tired because of the weights is kinda the point because when I take the weights off and play regular I'm gunna be used to that extra baggage but it won't be there. That's how your speed and staminate built up

All I can say is try it, and see if it works for you. I'd just be cautious of the long term effects.

 

[MalcolmAmos]

In rhythm guitar we were taught that to have no sound on the up stroke was a waste of motion. You have to recover from a down stroke why not play something on the up stroke. It was called alternate picking.

I think I would try that before the weights.

My two cents...

 

[descendent22]

In rhythm guitar we were taught that to have no sound on the up stroke was a waste of motion. You have to recover from a down stroke why not play something on the up stroke. It was called alternate picking.

I think I would try that before the weights.

My two cents...

I alternate pick all the time. I don't think you guys are understanding the point of the weights. I alternate pick, down stroke, grace note, palm mute whatever else that is included in pick style. I'm a pick player. I'm just saying what I saw Tony Lombardo saying in a interview on how he used weights to build his speed. It's just like if your strength and conditioning your body. Runners put weights on their feet and train with them and then come time for the big race or whatever they don't use the weights and their feet are lighter and quicker. That's the whole point. Has nothing to do with alternate picking. And I'm just voicing my opinion on how I think it's a cool idea andI'm gunna try it out to see if it really has a big effect