I've always wanted to learn some their songs and solos as well as some of Obscura's solos but I only have 22 frets on my guitar.

The thing about Necrophagist's songs is the patience required and the fact that I can't figure out how some of it is picked. It has to be easier than I'm making it. There are kids all over youtube covering this. Is it all economy picking or, as I have expected since the music is fucking nuts, a mixture of everything? My apoyando isn't spot on yet but it seems like a necessity for playing this shit. It's a weird thing to pull off cleanly at higher speeds but I can definitely do it. If it's not, I'd love to know because I hate spending too much time trying to figure out a tiny piece of a song as I feel like I could be doing something *more productive* like writing my own music and developing my own style. Plus, it feels like learning the entire song will drag like it's immediately begun to.

Any tips would be awesome. Thank you.

There isn't much advice that can be given. Try to play each part slowly, and figure out what is most comfortable and works best at the slow speeds, *then* build up your speed, and piece it together part by part.

I'm primarily a fingerstyle bassist and wouldn't dare attempt stuff that fast with a pick.

Yes, and it took a damned long time. I have to admit, I didn't even start playing guitar playing metallica/slayer all that, I actually started with a song called "Extreme Unction". Necrophagist is simple if you can play it slow and realize your right hand is as important as your left, there is a lot of legato and using your palm like a madman. It's definitely an intense band, I feel very comfortable with a lot of their riffs but their solos are a little insane.

I should point out, Psycroptics first two albums had some crazy guitarwork which in my opinion, is a lot trickier than Necro. Joe has that goddamn hybrid picking and he picks certain notes in certain ways, needs a great guitar under not too high gain and with both bands, your flaws will show, fast. Work slow for weeks, then pick it up from there.

About "wasting time", you're not. After you learn a few songs, your playing will drastically improve. That technical riffing is somewhat easier for me now, although its still difficult to write a good song the way some of the other bands do.

Sweet. Thanks a lot for the input. Very helpful. One thing that's becoming very obvious is how I've kept my playing from expanding by not playing anything that isn't perfectly economical. Since going outside of that frame I've found more freedom.