Technique Help: Fast Palm Muted Power Chords

I have no problems playing palm muted power chords with all down strokes, but I struggle with the up-stroke when I try to play fast.

With my palm on the strings my pick is angled slightly down, which works good for the down stroke, but not so good for the up stroke. It feels awkward trying to get the pick angled for the upstroke.

Any suggestions? A good example song is Self Esteem by Offspring. I watched the video and it seems he is doing all down stokes, which is a bit too fast for me....or maybe I just need to increase my down stroke speed!

Thx.

For me, being able to palm mute and be able to alternate pick opened up my playing. When you pick while palm muting, are you moving the pick with your fingers or by moving your wrist? I think it will be easiest to get smooth up and down strokes using your wrist. That's what works for me anyway...

For me it helps if I angle the pick back a little bit towards the bridge. I think you have to get the pick in position where it's not committed to a down stroke or an up stroke, right in the middle, then angled back a little for less resistance from the string.

I grabbed my guitar and watched my right hand as I played muting strings, both using a pick and finger picking. While it is not the same thing, I liken it to hitting harmonics at the 5, 7, 12 and 19th frets. To mute I rest my hand on the bridge and let just a little hang over the bridge to lightly touch the string(s), almost like using harmonics, but to mute them. It does not seem to matter if I have a pick or not or what string, I still get the mute using the heal of hand just below the bridge. Use the pentatonic to learn muting on each string or whatever scale you like.

Originally Posted by: Neal WalterFor me it helps if I angle the pick back a little bit towards the bridge. I think you have to get the pick in position where it's not committed to a down stroke or an up stroke, right in the middle, then angled back a little for less resistance from the string.

With what you said above in mind, I was playing around with pick angles and palm muting. I found turning (twisting) the pick so that it isn't parallel to the strings helped me speed up my palm muted picking. The sound is slightly different because the pick rubs on the string a bit and it plucks the string - almost like a violin bow sound followed by the pluck.

Another reminder for me of how much you can vary your tone with different picking techniques.