Guthrie Govan Discussion :: View topic - Ney Mello picking technique
Help support this site by shopping at Amazon through our link.
Guthrie Govan Discussion Forum Index

Guthrie Govan Discussion
The Official Guthrie Govan Discussion Board

www.GuthrieGovan.co.uk

 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

 

 
Ney Mello picking technique
Goto page 1, 2  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Guthrie Govan Discussion Forum Index -> Techniques, Theory, and Musical Education
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Lord Bile



Joined: 11 Feb 2005
Posts: 13
Location: Prague, Czech Republic

PostPosted: Mon Feb 14, 2005 7:58 am    Post subject: Ney Mello picking technique Reply with quote

Hello, new here, great forum.

I'm experimenting with different picking techniques, as mine's pretty bad, and came across this teacher/player called Ney Mello who seems to explain his quite well. I'm not sure of all the intricacies of it, but essentially it's a turning-door-knob wrist movement (rather than a flat side to side one) with action from the elbow and forearm thrown in as well. I think the idea is that you don't pick solely from the wrist and use larger muscle groups to drive the whole motion. Your picking hand floats over the guitar and the whole thing is supposed to give you the best possible range of motion and the lowest chances of tensing up your muscles when playing faster.

Was wondering if anyone has successfully used this style of picking or even taken lessons from Ney himself? He's got some negative comments on other guitar forums, but I'm not prepared to take those as gospel. Just wanted a bit of feedback before I invest any serious time in this approach. Cheers.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
bill®



Joined: 11 Sep 2004
Posts: 72

PostPosted: Mon Feb 14, 2005 8:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ney is a bit hardcore and definitely a somewhat arrogant guy, but in my opinion everything he says about picking technique is as true and 'correct' as anything anyone has ever said about picking technique. He's really looked into it.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Carlo



Joined: 13 Sep 2004
Posts: 408

PostPosted: Tue Feb 15, 2005 6:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think Ney Mello is a joke esp. after hearing him.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Lord Bile



Joined: 11 Feb 2005
Posts: 13
Location: Prague, Czech Republic

PostPosted: Tue Feb 15, 2005 8:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Do you mean his music is a joke or his technique? I haven't heard him play so I've no idea. It doesn't make any odds to me if his music isn't up to scratch, just interested in whether his ideas on picking technique hold any water.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
art



Joined: 19 Apr 2005
Posts: 69

PostPosted: Sat Sep 17, 2005 5:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry for dragging this post back up.

I use the principles book that Ney seemingly endorses, and have found the 'principles' of it to be very good, but the pick hand isn't very well covered.

Ney Mello seems to reign on the GP forums and I seem to have gained a similar view to Carlo and Bill (well the arrogant part anyway).

He talks as if he really is up there with the greatest of players (Mclaughlin etc) but has little to show for it, a crappy website and 'wammie' nominations.
Having listened to the few clips availble from him (unless you want to buy his album there isn't much) I first got the impression that he was ok, but just kind of 'world music-ish rambling' nothing with too much content. I then found the clips he did with some Robert Keeley pedals and was shocked.

http://www.neymello.com/mp3/Keeley_MetalZoneMT-2.mp3 is probably my favourite

http://www.neymello.com/mp3/Keeley_MelloWahPlusMT-2.mp3 is also pretty bad.

Ok so metal might not be this guys forte, but he talks about a whole lot of stuff that would give the impression that he at least LISTENS to what he's playing. He has talked about the three complex ways of bending (but never described what they are), and how these motions cannot be properly conveyed with words over the internet (so hey fly out to him and pay $100 an hour for a lesson), yet in the first example his bending is pitiful.

He has also claimed to have the best and most insightful DVD on picking technique coming out 'very soon'. Picking is another thing that's apparently far too complex to even attempt to properly convey in words. This DVD has been coming out 'very soon' for over 3 years now.

I have yet to see ANY video clips of this guy playing, just some mp3 clips which all seem to be varied in ability and style, leading me to believe that the better ones probably aren't him.

I'm done with this guy, he's like the kid that says "I know the answer, but I'm not telling", or the blackmailer that needs "just a little more money, then I'll destroy the evidence". He has never proved himself, yet has convinced many that he is a world class player.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Lord Bile



Joined: 11 Feb 2005
Posts: 13
Location: Prague, Czech Republic

PostPosted: Sun Sep 18, 2005 4:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh dear. Those clips are wretched, especially the first one. You'd think you'd want to put the best examples of your playing on your own website. Kind of makes me doubt his ideas on technique a bit. As you say, it is weird there are no video clips of him anywhere, especially when, if he was really good, a decent clip on website would presumably bring in more business. Maybe you shouldn't have to prove anything, but it would be nice to see a bit of "evidence" to justify hefty lesson prices.

Btw, this DVD has been postponed again 'cause his bank got taken over and the funding pulled. Not sure I'd want to spend $100 or so on a DVD anyway.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
art



Joined: 19 Apr 2005
Posts: 69

PostPosted: Sun Sep 18, 2005 6:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It won't happen, believe me.
He makes huge posts about not letting todays society stop anyone from doing things, and how we unconsciously hold ourselves back, yet it has been over three years and he hasn't been able to complete an instructional video.
Jamie produced a self made DVD in far less time.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Carlo



Joined: 13 Sep 2004
Posts: 408

PostPosted: Mon Sep 19, 2005 6:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

...hehe...like I said...he's a bit of joke...or the very least...a quack

I haven't looked at his website in ages..but I took another quick gander. Wow, he really talks himself up. And after hearing those Ney clips art posted, all I can say is pathetic. If I were any of his followers who hung by his every word, I'd feel completely cheated.

There are better technique books out there from more credible and capable musicians, I wouldn't bother wasting my time with this guy. Even if he was a good guitar player, I still wouldn't be able to tolerate such an arrogant personality (well it seems that he's full of himself).


Ironic how some of the most accomplished musicians on the planet (Guthrie, Garsed, Hoesktra, Howe, Holdsworth...etc.), are always the most humble.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
frankus



Joined: 13 Sep 2004
Posts: 1100
Location: Chelmsford/Arachnipus

PostPosted: Mon Sep 19, 2005 10:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Carlo wrote:
Ironic how some of the most accomplished musicians on the planet (Guthrie, Garsed, Hoesktra, Howe, Holdsworth...etc.), are always the most humble.


Not ironic at all, IMO. For me humility means viewing yourself in a wider picture.

A vain person must ignore some parts of the picture to maintain a favourable image, in doing so they forsake understanding that. If an artist is boastful of his work, he's negligent of areas he might grow into. An intelligent person will figure that out and forfend against it.


Going full out on the pseudo-Japanese imagery now.. Bert Quok, Monkey-Magic stylee, Frankus wrote:

For although the king fisher is the finest of birds, it will not eat if it regards it's own reflection in the rippled waters.

_________________
Fabulous powers were revealed to me the day I held my magic Suhr(d) aloft and said "by the power of great scale!"

I have the power!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Carlo



Joined: 13 Sep 2004
Posts: 408

PostPosted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 12:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

frankus wrote:
Carlo wrote:
Ironic how some of the most accomplished musicians on the planet (Guthrie, Garsed, Hoesktra, Howe, Holdsworth...etc.), are always the most humble.


Not ironic at all, IMO. For me humility means viewing yourself in a wider picture.

A vain person must ignore some parts of the picture to maintain a favourable image, in doing so they forsake understanding that. If an artist is boastful of his work, he's negligent of areas he might grow into. An intelligent person will figure that out and forfend against it.



I never looked at it that way.....well spoken and very true.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Chumbo



Joined: 11 Sep 2005
Posts: 4

PostPosted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 11:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Damn! I must be great then, 'cause I think I'm shit! Yup, that's how humble I am Laughing
Cheers,
Chumbo
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
frankus



Joined: 13 Sep 2004
Posts: 1100
Location: Chelmsford/Arachnipus

PostPosted: Mon Sep 26, 2005 4:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Chumbo wrote:
Damn! I must be great then, 'cause I think I'm shit! Yup, that's how humble I am Laughing
Cheers,
Chumbo


I'm thinking Bill and Ted's encounter with So-Crates..

The greatest wisdom is in knowing you know nothing at all
Dude, that's us.. excellent!!

It seems to me the consciencious guitarists, identify their weaknesses and develop methods to remove those weaknesses. I have a list as long as my arm of the things I want to put into my playing, but I lack the experience to disect it and the time to follow those tweaks to see a result. Sad
_________________
Fabulous powers were revealed to me the day I held my magic Suhr(d) aloft and said "by the power of great scale!"

I have the power!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
art



Joined: 19 Apr 2005
Posts: 69

PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2005 2:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Alternatively you can build upon your strengths, although you will need enough strengths to not become monotonous.

I know for a fact that Mattias Eklundh finds things that many players find very simple to be difficult. He has a real problem playing in other peoples styles, but his own style is unbeliveably good.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Tuddsound



Joined: 26 Jun 2005
Posts: 30
Location: NY State, USA

PostPosted: Wed Jan 18, 2006 4:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You guys should check out Ney's latest clip. He absolutely shreds on acoustic! I plan on purchasing his picking DVD when it is finally finished. Whether you feel he is arrogant or not, the man knows how to pick.

Tudd
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
bill®



Joined: 11 Sep 2004
Posts: 72

PostPosted: Wed Jan 18, 2006 11:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tuddsound wrote:
You guys should check out Ney's latest clip. He absolutely shreds on acoustic! I plan on purchasing his picking DVD when it is finally finished. Whether you feel he is arrogant or not, the man knows how to pick.

Tudd


So where is it?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Guthrie Govan Discussion Forum Index -> Techniques, Theory, and Musical Education All times are GMT
Goto page 1, 2  Next
Page 1 of 2

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum



Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group