FAQ
1. Which Badass course should I start with?
If you’ve grabbed yourself a copy of the Mega Badass Bundle then here's what to do.
I recommend starting with Legato Gym. Most people will probably want to jump into picking straight away but the Fretting Hand is what holds you back from developing hand synchronisation. A weak picking technique may keep you slower than you want but an unreliable, weak fretting hand will completely hold you back from good hand sync! No matter how solid your picking is, if your fingers can't keep time and hold their position then you'll never be able to sync both hands up.
Take the time to go through Legato Gym and really get your fingers under your control once and for all!
From there, now you're ready to match up your reliable fingers to the picking hand. So dive into Badass Alternate Picking. If your sync is still unreliable, go back and make sure that it's not your fretting hand that is behind the beat or rushing.
Remember: Weak fingers cannot stay in time! Only when you are sure that your fretting hand is competent should you attempt to play complex licks. Your fretting hand doesn't need to be super fast and super elastic but it should at least be competent and reliable with its timing and control.
Once you’ve familiarised yourself with the material and are practising the advice and licks, start applying it to Badass Hand Synchronisation. The licks in this course are designed to cycle purely for synchronisation and speed. Depending on what level you are, you can play along with the backing tracks or, if you need more of a challenge, you can play to a metronome at higher tempos.
2. How should I practise the material in your courses?
The same way you would with anything you practise. Some people prefer strict practice schedules with a certain time allotted to every exercise. Some people work better by focusing on less things but for a longer amount of time ie. go with the flow and play until they’ve had enough.
If you’re focusing on developing a particular technique it can often be better to just immerse yourself in it and give yourself time to experiment until you feel the technical concepts taking shape, rather than to try and squeeze everything in. This is the way I’ve always made the real leaps in my guitar playing.
There’s no right or wrong way here. Look back at your guitar playing history and try and identify what has always worked best for you and keep it along those lines.
3. Do you provide a structured learning programme?
No. I specialise in detailed instruction to help people develop specific techniques and correct any bad habits that prevent them from realising these techniques.
This is something that benefits people who already have some history of guitar playing but are stuck on certain obstacles that they cannot move past on their own.
Think of it as complementary instruction that deals with the physical mechanics of guitar playing, something which is an addition to the rest of your guitar practice.
4. Do I get lifetime access?
YES you do! Stream then online anytime!
5. I can tremolo pick on one string but how do I apply it to string crossing?
You need to develop and then drill the mechanics needed to cross strings – these mechanics are taught in Badass Alternate Picking and Badass Inside Picking. A useful tip to apply to string crossing is to maintain the same angle on all strings, which I demonstrate in this VIDEO
6. I use too much energy when I pick – how can I correct this?
Firstly, check that you’re not holding the pick too hard with a rigid out-stretched thumb. This can force you to have to ‘muscle’ the pick through the string due to the angle. Here is a VIDEO I made about this subject.
Next, look to see if you’re moving your entire arm as one. Some forearm and even elbow activation is common during high speed picking but this is usually allied to some wrist movement and rotation. However, if your arm is moving up and down like a rigid iron bar with no wrist or forearm rotation at all then you’re using your entire forearm as a lever, which will tire you out in no time.
7. I just can’t sweep pick at all – what am I doing wrong?
The chances are that you’re separating each individual pick stroke – even if you think you’re not. This is especially common when you try to practise sweep picking at slow tempos. Watch this VIDEO here to fix this problem once and for all!
If you’ve got that sorted – then it’s just time to learn the right mechanics for the rest of the job – Badass Sweep Picking is designed to take care of that.
8. I can’t use my pinky – it’s too weak.
You can. The problem is that you haven’t been using your pinky all these years so it’s no surprise that it’s weaker than the rest. Download The Warm Up for FREE and get started on the fretting hand drill. When you’ve got some progress happening, then you’re ready for Legato Gym.