[Jan]

Same problem here, picking 4 notes at each stroke at 160 is the fastest I can play with RELATIVE (= poor, to be honest) accuracy. I would sometimes go up to 170 but since my accuracy suffered, I decided to give it up and slowed down. I'll have to try the burst method now (by the way, I figured it out myself some time ago but never really used for REGULAR practice).

[guitarplayerone]

you are racing the metronome.
your current speed gains are a result of getting 'hyper-warmed-up', as opposed to any permanent gain in technique.
slow down to 120, and work up to 160 in 8 BPM increments ONLY when you NAIL 16th notes for a few minutes in a row in a given bpm.
yes, I know it's ego-bashing to go from 210 to 120- ive been there. Do it. your technique will thank you in the long run

Unless you are a MACHINE with 16th notes at 160, I wouldnt even try to go up to 180, forget 200 and beyond until you nail the notes perfectly. any longer than that, and you are just playing as fast as possible and hoping your hands sync up, thats not how you build speed, thats how you increase sloppiness...

This concept is something that I resisted for a long, long, time, but when I finally gave into it, is when I really developed speed:
if you are not 100 percent accurate, you cannot play at the tempo. it RUINS technique, technique isnt something that is forced into your hands as you push them to the limit, it is something that comes out naturally as a result of large amounts of CORRECTLY practicing relaxed, and completely accurate.

Unless you aren't aiming for complete control, which is fine, and usually the case in black metal, and some other genres. But I like my technique to have the ability to go in between 'utterly robotic' and 'relaxed fast playing'

it comes through in your sound when you are struggling, is what I'm really saying...
my

[Santuzzo]

Great ideas here !

I recommend recording yourself to a click while picking at what you think is your "clean" top picking speed. Then use a slow-down software and listen back to check if it really is clean.

I just did that and I was amazed......at higher speeds, I was sometimes not picking 4 but only 3 notes per beat....so, clear sign to slow foen the speed drastically and build it up again.
I found out, I can tremolo pick clean at about 160BPM, but I have to work on my stamina there.
I'm doing this open string exercise (ex.nr.25) out of Stetina's "Speed Mechanics" book and I will now record myself regularly playing this at my top speed to see if it really is clear and accurate !

[Apophis]

nice idea

[Santuzzo]

I been working on this exercise for tremolo picking out of Troy Stetina's Speed Mechanics book (exercise 25).
And instead of getting better, it just seems to get worse.
This is so frustrating
I don't know why that is? 2 weeks ago I could play that exercise faster and at much more ease...I really don't understand this.

It's driving me nut, even to the point of having fits of rage.

I also noticed, I can motsly get rid off all the tension in my picking hadn/arm/shoulder, but my lower back will tense up.
Practicing while sitting seems to help, but I think, I should practice while standing most of the time....

Anybody else have this???