Fastest Guitarist Randall Padilla - 23.5 notes per second

[lozevans555]

I'm a big fan of fast guitar playing. But to me when a player goes above a certain boundary, at around 16-17+ notes per second its starts to sound shit and blurry no matter how clean you play it.

Somehow to me 12-15 notes per second sound better.

Might be because the ear can more clearly define each note. Just my thaughts.

What do the rest of you think?

[TiPpATaPpA]

WAAAAUUU

[snake63cardiff]

i think you have a real talent :) but as a fellow guitarist i dont like super fast picking a i tryed it and at first its cool but after awhil its same old D major up and down the scale agen what do you think is it your passion fast picking or just playing the guitar cheers :)

[dodel1]

MAB has 28 NPS andFrancesco Ferrari has 33NPS buddy, you're not the fastest.

Still absolutely above all standards and I liked your video

[TheRitzyRedneck]

malmsteen will always be fastest in my book, even if its proven hes not, ignorant but hey whatever.

[wesmartino64]

using the circular picking technique?

[KittenKiller]

What's that little bit at 3:14? Sounds like a folk song or something.

[panz3rr]

GWR is weird. funny how FOTBB is a standard to calculate speed. why not no boundaries by Micheal angelo...idiots

[randypadilla209]

@panz3rr

It has never been about a single piece- except with them and the FOTBB drama because the ultimate questions is and always will be:

HOW MANY NOTES PER SECOND DID YOU PLAY?

Not what song did you play?...

But I get your point completely, Thank You for posting! =)

[TheHorrorOfYig]

This guy works at a music store in my town. Haven't seen him around, but I remember seeing some local newspaper articles about him.

[abrarlabib666]

are you faster than tiago dela vega? why didnt you apply for GWR?

[randypadilla209]

@abrarlabib666

I did, and they told me I had to play Flight of the Bumblebee. I told them the PAINFULLY obvious fact that:

NO MATTER WHAT SONG YOU PLAY, WE ARE STILL GOING TO BE ONLY CONCERNED WITH HOW MANY NOTES-PER-SECOND YOU ARE PLAYING, PERIOD.

They didn't get that memo apparently and are only concerned with how fast someone can play FOTBB.

Maybe I'll apply for worlds fastest "Star Wars theme" player, or "Happy B-Day song" player. What would be the difference?

[abrarlabib666]

@randypadilla209

yeah you should apply for that

but i still didn't understand the maths. dela vega played 320 beats per minute, and you are playing 1410 notes/min. whats the difference ? between a beat and a note?

[randypadilla209]

@abrarlabib666

Della Vega is playing a piece comprised of only 4 notes per beat at 320bpm as opposed to my 6 notes per beat at 235bpm. His comes out to: 320 X 4 = 1280 divided by 60secs = 21.3

I play 235 X 6 = 1410 divided by 60secs - 23.5 notes per second.

[vmcnick]

Haha, I know how you feel in regards to Lane.. He was on a whole other planet.

So if I wanted to play faster, would you advise me redoing my picking technique? Right now I have a lot of wasted wrist movement. Should I start really slow?

[vmcnick]

I can't even tell how fast it is haha. Past 16 nps it all just sounds like its reaallyy fast. Your picking technique is interesting, you move your thumb alot. Is that the key to your success? And how fast do you think you are compared to lane in his "Not Again" powerlicks video? From 4 minutes on he plays some pretty incredible stuff.

[randypadilla209]

@vmcnick

What an incredibly nice thing to say! My key to picking fast is minimal movement. Think about it: what is quicker? Having to move a few millimeters or 2.5" for each pick stroke? The smallest pick stroke/width = faster playing because you have to travel less distance.

In regards to Shawn Lane and being compared to him, that guy was a master of which I don't even feel it my place to speak on a matter such as comparing myself to him.

[LuixmyDarkness]

225 bpm are 15 notes per second, not 22,5.

the record is 320 bpm ( 21,3 notes per second )

[randypadilla209]

@LuixmyDarkness

Here is some simple math:

225(bpm) X 6 (notes per beat) and this equals = 1,350 notes in one minute. Now please divide that by 60 (secs) for a total of:

22.5 notes per second.

[CR0M3T4LZ0N3]

Two words - Henjo Richter.

[ReinRockz]

mr randall.. whats age you starts practicing guitar and fingering?? 

[randypadilla209]

@ReinRockz

Sept. 11th, 1997 at exactly 4:20 in the afternoon

[dethklok6511]

My computer couldn't handle how metal this video was.

[dethklok6511]

Yous is nots fasters than skwisgaars. No but seriously Dang man!

[MetalupasS666]

god i almost want to quit xp hahaha

[Twixgtx]

damn, your fast as hell! the fastest i can play is 17 nps. 170bpm x6. man i hope to someday be able to compete with you!

[123jozef]

Coolness. Guitarist from Ripon here. Not really a problem playing that fast (especially with a harmonic minor scale using the altered dominant fifth mode). Just not my thing, but Kudos to you for getting in the Guiness Book of World Records! Surely this is only one small aspect of your playing, no?

[rocknfenderguy]

Nice, a guitarist from Modesto. Even though shredding arpeggios isn't my thing, that was pretty impressive.

[boundtogetdown]

5 notes per beat sounds crazier

[HolyReaper123]

Very impressive, looks like your hand hurts at the end of that demonstration lol.

[netandful]

hey dude you are amazing latins rule at guitars, best wishes

[OliverMazur]

<333333 :D

u really give me hope :)

btw im writing this comment with my guitar in my lap :O

btw when playing triplets

6 notes per string, moving from fattest to thinnest string

(every time i change string its downstroke)

at a certain speed (200) my right hand starts to loose the triplet wave

you know wht i mean? it kinda looses control

any idea how i could fix that?

[OliverMazur]

so every time i practice i raise the tempo only slightly throughout the session? or from slow to max every session?

im confused man :( wouldn't that caouse bad habits?

im currently doing it only slowly, 75bpm for triplets

and at the end of the session i try to push my max..start from 190bpm and move in 5bpm increments till as fast as i can...i guess im doin it wrong :D

how did you practice btw? you seemed to reach your speed goals well :D

[randypadilla209]

190bpm? What are you playing that fast!? No, no, no, if you are having problems with 75bpm, you should be no where near 190bpm. The best thing that I can say is wait for the video where all that is answered.

[OliverMazur]

im not having problems at 75bpm :) i practice there because its absolutely perfect there, and i have control over my hand and i can concentrate on economy of motion and removing tension from forearm

i mean the absolute max where i can play is about 200 :D

but there i encounter bad habits like some tension and its not exactly 100% clean

but the video wont be free man...

well maybe i'll find a way to buy it :D

[randypadilla209]

Then you are doing perfectly if you are at that speed. At that point is where you really need to concentrate and focus on being clean and removing tension, the actual finger movement thingy is on auto pilot at that speed and tension and timing become are main focal points. You doing exactly what you should be doing and most likely far ahead of everyone else. You are disciplining yourself, now it is just a matter of time to see the results.

[OliverMazur]

OH :D

cool

well, i dont think i'll have any money for that :/

and i would need my own credit card and all :D

so in conclusion (just in case i didnt missunderstand)

the way to build speed, and still staying accuarate is to every day raise from slow tempo to max? are you sure i wont encounter the bad habits again?

i remember i used to do it that way only in 20bpm increments, and had no improvement for a year. im sick of doing it the wrong way

thanks :)

[randypadilla209]

By g-r-a-d-u-a-l-l-y  each day you practice speed raising the tempo slightly within/throughout your practice. You would want to take a day off or practice speed stuff one day, something else the next. I wouldn't suggest practicing speed, speed, speed each day. Mix it up a bit or you'll burn yourself out.

Believe in YOURSELF. Write three affirmations out and read them aloud to yourself daily, constantly reinforcing the goal: 'I am fast.. I do play clearly..' etc. Believe in YOURSELF.

[OliverMazur]

could you make a video of exactly how i should practice?:D detailed n stuff, im not sure if i understood correctly, maybe i did tho

i understand if you dont have the time or anything, i would appreciate it tho :)

I've practiced picking in so many ways, and all have been wrong, i want to quit practicing wrong and wasting my time on none efficient practice and start making progress

again, i understand if you dont want to or anything

[randypadilla209]

Actually, the past month or so, that is EXACTLY what I have been doing. I am filming The Tao of Shred, which will take the viewer through music theory step by step quickly (you can always rewind in the digital wold!), and then step by step through the physical process, economy of motion, all that, every thing you could think of to make you more efficient, what to practice, how to practice it, ALL that. it will be available late Spring through Chops from Hell.

That is what I have been doing.

[randypadilla209]

My hand will tire after about probably 3, 3.5 min of continued sale playing at maximum speed. I do not recommend that and dissuade others from attempting to play that long at their maximum. The risk of injury is to great.

[OliverMazur]

wow :D

thanks man :)))

so the way to build speed, still staying accuarate is to every day raise from slow tempo to max? are you sure i wont encounter the bad habits again?

example:

excercise one

start from ~50bpm, go up in 5bpm increments to max (could take half hour) (play all speeds for 3-4 minutes)

then take next excercise and repeat

?

and yes i am very determined, i love music. It's the only thing i am good at, and i plan to reach my goals. :)

[OliverMazur]

wont working my speed up too quickly cause bad habits?

i mean

i did my excercises, i kept raising in 2bpm increments, and my playing became sloppier

should mean im raising too quickly

so i decided to start slower to correct the habits i had picked up

[randypadilla209]

Go at a speed that you are accurate at, if 5bpm increases are too much right now, then go slower/smaller increments. Maybe start out at 50-55bpm instead and work up from that. I would practice at a bpm setting that you are playing accurately at for at least 3-4 min and then try increasing the bpm gradually.n Let's say within a 1/2 hour you go from slowest to your maximum, within that time frame.

[randypadilla209]

Great conversing with you Oliver, your questions are the right ones; you are focused in the right direction. You most definitely will see big improvements. That's another thing: DAYDREAM. Daydream like there's no tomorrow, see yourself, HEAR yourself, feel yourself, totally immerse yourself in seeing yourself flying across the fretboard. Believing that way and envisioning it greatly helps. Write out three positive affirmations/sentences that are present tense, read them to yourself hourly.

[OliverMazur]

ok...so i'll skip the one string practicing...

tho im guessing it's good for my economy.

i've done it for several days now, and i feel like i have more sync and my picking hand economy is about as good as it can get

from 65-70 with 5bpm on a daily practice?

im sorry, i dont exactly get wht ur saying

do you mean i should every day start from 65 and work up to 70 untill i feel comfortable?

and just to be clear, i should go ahead and practice on all strings right? :D

[randypadilla209]

I actually have to go back on something I said: i actually do practice chromatic things I will never play publicly. There are some things, such as your efforts on one string that have paid off for you, that work for us individually. Don't let those be the end to themselves, that's all.

On the bpm- start each day at 65-70bpm, and within your practices, raise it 5bpm until you reach the maximum, then break, start over at 65-70bpm and repeat the process.

On all strings that you would use- ☺

[randypadilla209]

When you really focus on your playing, you'll notice slight variations will be needed to play on a different string. My hand shifts ever so slightly to re-position a few millimeters to play on the high E versus the low E.

It's all about economy of motion. Economy of motion is EVERYTHING, the heart of speed and precision.

[OliverMazur]

hey..sorry to bother again

but i have sum questions again :/

anyway...

ive started playing at 70bpm (16th notes)

but im doing it only on one string

would it be a good idea to:

1)master playing @ 70bpm on one string

2)master crossing strings at 70 bpm

and then finally master playing across the strings and only THEN start raising the tempo from 70?

thanks :)

[randypadilla209]

You're not bothering me at all, you're trying to better your playing, no problem at all. I greatly respect that. I have just been really busy and your comment slipped my attention for a few days, excuse me on that.

I would practice they way that you will actually play. Malmsteen said once that he doesn't practice mindless scale exercises that we would never play publicly so why practice them? Made perfect sense to me.

[randypadilla209]

It would be a great idea to start pushing yourself and playing both strings if you are not currently. You're going to play both strings so minds well get used to it and start there.

We will never master the instrument, those that think they are masters have already failed miserably and don't know music. Different genres of music speak volumes that we could never speak individually as a sole person, thus, we could never master the instrument. Segovia said as much.

[randypadilla209]

I would increase the tempo gradually from 65-70bpm in 5bpm increments within your daily practice. There will be a 'sweet' spot where you feel comfortable, I wouldn't look at it as mastering, but more of being comfortable at that region. Then there will be the utter maximum, through daily practice that max will become gradually higher and higher.

ECONOMY of motion as well, don't waste part of your pick stroke bouncing the picking process. You only have to pick a little more than the string width.

[OliverMazur]

ok it all sounds honky dory to me now :D

thanks a bunch man!

[OliverMazur]

ok...

how slow did you start about? :P

[randypadilla209]

@OliverMazur

If you start playing 6 notes per beat, known as a sextuplet, I would start at a comfortable 60 or 65bpm and gradually go up in 10bpm increments. 75bpm, 85bpm, 95bpm, 100, 120, 140 etc. When I reach 100, I go to 20bpm increments so you can hear the increase better; 10bpm increments past 100bpm are too gradual.

[OliverMazur]

and dude..dont push it :D

i would think 220bpm for 4 notes pet beat is enough :D

[OliverMazur]

i mean thats amazing...

think of the work put into this

[OliverMazur]

let's just say that this is pretty friggin fast :D

whats your secret :P

[randypadilla209]

Discipline. There are no short-cuts, secrets, etc. other than practice the right material, focus on eliminating wasted movement, concentrate on economy of motion. And use v-picks, they play way, way faster than regular plastic picks. I have far too much free time on my hands and no parental supervision; 4th of July I am posting 26nps. I am up to 25.2 right now, or 6 note s per beat @ 252bpm

☺

[OliverMazur]

@randypadilla209

whoa :D

but dont tell me you reached that speed by practicing slow? o.O

[randypadilla209]

That is PRECISELY how I attained the level of speed that I have, by practicing very slowly and precisely, 'cause then at higher speeds, it comes out more fluid. All I have done by practicing slowly is train my muscle memory in my hands. And I practiced with deliberate attention to not having any tension in my arm, hand, or anywhere.

[OliverMazur]

@randypadilla209 wow...

all by practicing slow :O

but offcourse you raised the tempo every once in a while?

[randypadilla209]

Yes, correct. The majority of it is playing real slow and evenly. Speed will naturally come in spurts, which at first come often and dramatically, kind of catch you off guard, then more less frequently.

[OliverMazur]

@randypadilla209

wow man

thank you so much for the info

means alot man :)

one last thing tho :D

how slow exactly is slow?

i mean, how should i feel when im playing slow? how slow did you start at?

[OliverMazur]

@randypadilla209

cuz i think i am practicing at the wrong slow speed...maybe too fast, cuz i havent had any progress for the last month :/

[randypadilla209]

Not super slow, think of it like this: Your fastest speed we will say is your top running speed, practice at what would be commensurate with your "walking" speed. Just a normal, steady pace, not too brisk, not too slow.

[musiccalgary]

Great, now try playing music... :)

[randypadilla209]

@musiccalgary

You mean, like the emotionally charged blues instrumental that I just posted? Titled "1522"? A big misconception- ALWAYS from players whose technique levels are beginner or intermediate, or due to simple lack of experience, is that shred heads cannot play emotionally or compose stuff with meaning.

I beg to differ. Now, try listening to the piece that I speak of titled 1522 that I composed and performed.

There is no try, only Do. I don't have to try to play, I simply Do.

[Guitareben]

can you play flight of the bumblee bee faster than della vega? awesome playing anyway :D

[randypadilla209]

This is faster than Della Vegas FOTBB. That piece is comprised of 16th notes, or 4 notes per beat, for a total at any given time of 21.3 notes per second at 320bpm. This is 23.5 I hit 24nps in a room full of demo artists one night during NAMM 2010. I will re-post again at 26nps, or 6 notes per beat at 260bpm.

[Guitareben]

wow awesome, but i was wondering if you could play flight of the bumblee bee at those speeds ^^. give it a try!

[randypadilla209]

@randypadilla209

***Currently at 25 notes per second, Feb. 11th, 2010.***

The 4th of July broadcast of 26nps is going to be easy, I am comfortable at 25nps this moment. The new Kona that I am playing is smooooooooth, plays way faster than my Ibanez.

[TheWhocares233]

@randypadilla209 if you can play faster than shawn lane on his "power licks" instructional video. or faster than rusty cooleys "the butcher" i would easily call you the fastest

[averylicious22]

Are you economy picking or alternate picking?

[randypadilla209]

I am alternate picking. My picking is not like anyone else's that I have ever met or seen.

I look at it like this: The string is what? .009 of an inch thick/wide, right? Then as a matter of economy, I only have +/- .005 that I necessarily have to pick on either side of the string. If the string is only .032 wide, then I should only pick nor more than .050 or so.

To answer the question, I alternate pick throughout.

Thank You for asking.

[RediForKing]

Do you acutally know how fake Marcus paus was? Are there real videos?

[randypadilla209]

No, I was unaware of that.

[RediForKing]

What do you mean?

His World Record of playing apperently 45 nps was withdrawn . In reality he could only play sloppy 16 and a half or smothing.

[TrueRoach]

don't stop posting videos it's a wonderful experince to watch you play. Your amazing when you play the guitar. ROCK ON!!!!!

[Archferumphis]

Very nice! For how long time have you played?

[randypadilla209]

Began 9-11-1997 at exactly 4:20pm.

[pandurate]

what is that quote... truly great people don't belittle others, they make you, too, believe that you can become great. you have a great attitude and you will go far. very impressive

[MusicFederation]

i bet your hand hurt after that LOL.

well done :)

[randypadilla209]

Thank You! Naw, I stretch my finger and hand a lot during practice and randomly during the day, and then 1`st thing, the very first thing I do each day is wake up, plug in, and practice s-l-o-w-l-y, very, very s-l-o-w-l-y, imprinting the muscle memory into my head and hand first thing each day. Practice at least 10-15min each morning 1st thing

I'm sure any of the viewers if they did the same would see a drastic improvement in their speed.

[LordNothingam]

thanks for the advice

[mxcube]

do you use economy or alternate picking?

[randypadilla209]

Strict alternate picking. If you watch my picking hand, I also believe in economy of motion when it comes to picking. Thank You for asking, great, great question!

[jimmy15151]

man youre awesome, i dont know about the world record thing but you sure are fast and clean, can you please tell me what do you do exactly with your picking hand, i see you use a lot only your thumb and index fingers, but do you use your wrist too, a little, a lot, or you dont use it at all to pick except obviously for moving your hand up and down to reach other strings and sweeping?... i would aprecciate a lot that you could tell me your secret hehe :)

[randypadilla209]

On these examples, I used strict alternate picking, with very minimal movement on the actual picking of each note. Practice slowly each morning when you first wake up, paying strict attention to the amount of movement with each pick stroke. There are no shortcuts.

[Kiejzo]

Hey, thats some fast playing!

Can you tell me how you calculate the notes per second?

Like when you played six nots per beat at 220 BPM, you were playing 22 notes per second, but when you played 4 notes per beat at 240 BPM it was 16 notes per second. Idk any info would be appreciated.

[randypadilla209]

Hello Kiejzo: The calculation is as follows- 6 notes per beat X bpm divided by 60 seconds; example:

6 X 100bpm = 600 divided by 60 secs. = 10 notes per second

140bpm X 6 = 840 divided by 60 secs. = 14 notes per second. Same calculation for 4 notes per beat X bpm / 60

[randypadilla209]

Please forgive me for taking so long to reply. Great question! You calculate any speed as such: notes per beat (16th are 4; sextuplets are 6; etc) X bpm divided by 60secs.

notes per beat X bpm divided by 60