Re: Effective picking exercises for speed and accuracy?
I concur with all the previous responses - it might seem counterintuitive but practicing at slow tempo and getting proper technique ingrained in your muscle memory is a key to unlocking faster and more accurate playing. There are many books or online resources (check out the TablEdit files here at the cafe) with scale and arpeggio exercises that are perfect for this type of practice. Or you can pick fiddle tunes you've memorized and play these at a stately pace. Using a metronome or backing tracks to provide a steady beat is really, really helpful as well. Many metronome apps for smartphones include a feature that slowly advances the tempo after a certain number of beats. Strummachine.com is another great tool for practicing and it has a similar tempo incrementing feature (NFI).
"Well, I don't know much about bands but I do know you can't make a living selling big trombones, no sir. Mandolin picks, perhaps..."
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