# Slipknot's Psychosocial



## joshuallen (Oct 30, 2009)

Recently, I hurt my left hand, so I am stuck practicing right hand techniques until it heals. I was working through Slipknot's Psychosocial very slowly and I noticed something I was doing with my right hand that I wouldn't have otherwise noticed:

The song (in A-E-A-D-F#-B) stars with a riff consisting of two eighth notes on open low A followed by four fast sixteenth notes on that same string (sixth fret, open, open, 5th fret), the last being a pinch harmonic. Anyway, that riff is repeated with variation a few times. I always had trouble playing it two handed, even at half speed, and focusing on my right hand I finally figured out why, I have been picking that first sixteenth note with a down stroke, so the pattern is down, up, down, up (it's so fast, there's no way to do all downstrokes, not for me anyway). But that last up is supposed to be a pinch harmonic. if there's a way to do a pinch harmonic with an upstroke, I haven't figured it out, so I have been taking an extra half stroke to get on top of the string, and since the riff is so fast, I always mess it up, knock my pick against the string, etc. So I realized that if I started on an upstroke, that would solve the problem for me. So now I practice down, down on the eights, then up, down, up, down, very slowly to try to train my hand. What's tricky is when the add more 16th runs in front of that. you have to count back and practice starting at the right place or you'll be off when you reach the pinch harmonic.

Anyway, just something I noticed, see if it helps you out at all, or let me know if you have your own way of getting this riff out.


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Oct 31, 2009)

You can do pinch harmonics on an upstroke. Use the tip of your index finger.


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## joshuallen (Oct 31, 2009)

I'll have to work on that. It's only recently I could do it with any consistency on the down stroke.


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Oct 31, 2009)

I find it a pain in the ass to do it on a downstroke. It could be that the upstroke is easier for some people. At any rate, if you exercise pinch harmonics, it will get easier.


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## joshuallen (Oct 31, 2009)

I find it a pain in the ass, too--I just assumed it one of those things that would always be a pain in the ass. Thanks for the tip, I'll try working on it on the upstroke.


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## AvantGuardian (Nov 2, 2009)

I think for this riff, the harmonic is actually played an octave higher than you describe, so it is the 6th fret on the 4th string (or 5th if you're playing it on a 7). That throws a string skip into the riff and makes it a lot easier to play two consecutive downstrokes because you skipping down two strings for the second downstroke (the pinch harmonic). That's how I play it at least. Hopefully that makes things easier for you. Trying to hit an upstroke pinch harmonic in a riff that fast would be a challenge to say the least.


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## joshuallen (Nov 2, 2009)

That's probably the way to go. Now the trick is to practice not accidentally hitting the string in between.


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## 777 (Nov 2, 2009)

why dont you just start the riff with an upstroke?


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## joshuallen (Nov 2, 2009)

That was my original plan. It's strange to retrain your hand to start on an upstroke, for me. My hand always wants to start on a down stroke. Either way I end up doing it, I'll have to slow down and train my hand to cooperate. Maybe that's the real issue: slowing down and learning a riff the right way before trying to attempt it full speed. I guess I'm impatient. I've noticed there are many riffs, though, that are difficult to do at say half-speed. It's hard to hear how it should sound slowed down. Especially for off-beat stuff. Slipknot does a lot of riffs starting in strange places in the measure.


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## 777 (Nov 2, 2009)

Just a suggestion, because he actually plays 2 downstrokes then alternates it, learned this riff a while back and thats how i play it now.

I know your pain man im really impatient too, since i started music college now ive so much more understanding of why we practise so slowly my hand relaxation and accuracy have improved tenfold

Im talking about playin slow for like 2+hrs at a time then speeding up thats the kind of stuff we should all be doing before attempting riffs beyond our current capabilities.

Good luck with the song tho man


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## lcsper (Nov 7, 2009)

777 said:


> Just a suggestion, because he actually plays 2 downstrokes then alternates it, learned this riff a while back and thats how i play it now.



That. Also remember that upstrokes are inherently weaker than downstrokes so that not only will be easier to pull off, it will probably sound better too.


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## joshuallen (Nov 7, 2009)

True. I'm just now starting to be able to play again. My hand is finally healed. It only took complete immobility and 800mg of ibuprofen 4x a day. I'm looking forward to tackling this song and others again. Slowly.


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## lcsper (Nov 8, 2009)

Ouch... I'd get guitar withdrawals hahaha.


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## TonalArchitect (Nov 8, 2009)

lcsper said:


> That. Also remember that upstrokes are inherently weaker than downstrokes so that not only will be easier to pull off, it will probably sound better too.



98% of the reason is our "all downstrokes like James Hetfield" approach to rhythm, though. 

Some different picking exercises to build equality (not just UUUUU...) are drum stickings. 

Just convert R (right) to D (downstroke) and L (Left) to U (upstroke).

Like this:

DD UU DD UU repeat for a long time

UU DD UU DD (the reverse)

DUDD UDUU (a paradiddle. Pickadiddle?)

DUUD UDDU (inverse)

DDUD UUDU (reverse)

And here's a long one for kicks:

DUDUDD UDUDUU DUDD UDUDUU DUDUDD UDUU


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## lcsper (Nov 8, 2009)

While that is also true, you have to remember that when you do upstrokes your are not only acting against gravity but you are also picking from a different angle. Nice exercise though, good to break off the routine Alternate Picking habit.


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## TonalArchitect (Nov 14, 2009)

Not to dredge up the thread, but that assumes that 1.) gravity's impact on your picking hand is that intense, and 2.) you're picking angle is so severe that practice won't help the difference.


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## joshuallen (Nov 14, 2009)

Good exercises. I'll give them a try. I definitely feel like I get stuck doing all down or all down-up. Breaking out of that habit could only be good.


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