alternate picking

[tpcsk8infosatan]

I need advice!!!! I don't know if my technique is bad or not. Up until this point, when I'm alternate picking and I'm changing strings, I tend to do another downstroke on the next string, even if my last stroke was down. If anyone gets what I am saying, please tell me: should I change my habits? Should I be picking up and down constantly no matter what I am playing? I don't know how bad my technique is but I feel like I am being limited because of my habit. Please post some advice for me. Thanks.

[Sandman_96707]

I do that too and have never found it limiting.

[SteelSlider]

Hi tpcsk8infosatan
First, practice your alternate picking slow, very slow.
Do it many times, how many is up to you, then when you can do it several times without a mistake, pick up the speed a bit, then pick it up again and again till your at the right tempo.
What your going through, we all have gone through. It's a normal thing to do. Just slow down, and when you have the picking right, like ya want, then speed up.

As ya gain more expericene and confindence, you'll do your alternate picking without even thinking about it.
It's funny in a way, your hands just do it, but ya need to get the basics down right.

Of course, there are times when you will leave one string on a down stroke, and down stroke the other. If what your doing now isn't right, try to correct it. What you ultimatly want is to leave one string, ie: E on an up stroke, and hit B on an up stroke. Or, leave B on a down stroke, and hit B on the same stroke. Just that fraction of a second your saving will sound good. Try to get your picking down so you can make adjustments in your strokes, before, you change to another string. I know it sounds hard, but keep at it and one day, you'll do it. Really.

Once you get that alternate picking down, your speed on solos will really pick up. There are more types of picking to learn later, after you master the alternate. It'll never seem to end, but the more you learn, the better you'll be.
Good luck and keep us up-to-date on your progress.

[tpcsk8infosatan]

Thanks for the advice, steel slider, but I'm confused as to what you're telling me to do with my technique. In the example you gave me, if I am doing a downstroke, and the next string is below it, do i do another downstroke (and vice versa)? But that raises some new questions: if I am doing a downstoke and going to a string above the one i just hit, do i do another downstroke? What if i am doing an upstroke and then going to a string below the previous one? Should I just not worry about it and pick up and down consecutively no matter what strings i hit, or should I just do what I have always done and do another downstroke whenever i change stings (even though i feel like the latter is limiting me)? UGH!!!!!!!! I'm just confused now. I really need to find a cheap instructor....

[SteelSlider]

Hey again tpcsk8infosatan
Please accept my apology for confusing you.
My only excuse is I have casts on both hands and was trying to hurry with that post to you because my hands were tired and aching. Guess I'll lay low for a while. Sorry.

Anyway, about your comment on an instructor.
Shawn, who owns this site, is an instructor, for a living.
He has a lot of pages posted around here on all topics. The home pages has scores of links to various techs and tips and scales and other goodies.
Here's the home site URL.

http://www.cyberfret.com/index.php

There is a very good 'Site Search' link on the homepage. He has tons of stuff.

And here is a page on Alternate Picking.

http://www.cyberfret.com/classic/alt_picking.htm

I hope it helps. If not, repost and I'm sure Shawn will assist you.

I'll be around, but just reading, not posting. Again, Sorry to confuse ya, m'friend.

[cyberfret]

Picking direction has a lot to do with the rhythms that are being played. So it is not as simple as saying always use constant down and up picking. But if you are playing a scale, and you are keep a constant rhythm like 8th notes or 16th notes....then yes, I would make an effort to pick consistently down and up. I guarantee you will never be able to pick as fast or as accurately by playing double downs when you switch strings. Sandman_96707 says that he has not found it limiting. It might not be now, but at a certain point that will be come a barrier.

The reason that a lot of people fall into the habit of picking down every time they switch strings, is because it is easier and feels most natural at first. But it is those players that concentrate on the details rather than just going with the flow that really see progress. Playing a scale with consistent down and up picking will take concentration, but it is worth the effort.



Here are a couple of exercises to try.

First play a scale playing 2 times on each note...down on the first,
and up on the second. This will really give your right hand the
feel of playing with consistent down and up picking.

d = down pick
u = up pick

E:----------------------------------------------
B:----------------------------------------------
G:----------------------------------------------
D:------------------------4-4-6-6-7-7--etc..----
A:------------4-4-5-5-7-7-----------------------
E:----5-5-7-7-----------------------------------
d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u


Try playing the first 5 notes of a major scale using alternate
picking. Repeat this over and over.

E:-----------------------------------
B:-----------------------------------
G:-----------------------------------
D:-----------------------------------
A:---------4--5--7--5--4-------------
E:---5--7-----------------7----------
d u d u d u d u
|
this is the one to watch out for...pick it up)



Try the same thing on the 1st and 2nd strings.

d u d u d u d u
E:---------4--5--7--5--4------------------
B:---5--7-----------------7---------------
G:----------------------------------------
D:----------------------------------------
A:----------------------------------------
E:----------------------------------------



The when you do play an entire scale using alternate picking,
say "down, up, down , up" in your head until you get it. And
watch out for the places where you would normal flub your
picking direction.

E:----------------------------
B:----------------------------
G:----------------------------
D:------------------4--5--7---
A:---------4--5--7------------
E:---5--7---------------------
d u d u d u d u
|
This is the one to concentrate on. Natural tendency will be to
pick this down.





Like I said, picking direction has a lot to do with rhythm. So check out these lessons as well.

Reading Rhythms - This only goes through 8th notes, but I am completely re-writing this lesson and it will include everything from ....16th notes, triplets, different time signatures etc.

http://www.cyberfret.com/reading/rhythms/part-1/index.htm

http://www.cyberfret.com/reading/rhythms/part-2/index.htm

Also I would go through the basic strumming lessons. The will give you some insight into rhythm and picking (strumming) direction.

http://www.cyberfret.com/techniques/strumming/101/index.htm

http://www.cyberfret.com/techniques/strumming/basic-44/index.htm



--Shawn

[tpcsk8infosatan]

Thanks for the advice. I've already read all your lessons on rhythm, and I think I'm understanding now, but I'm not sure how the rhythm lessons quite fit in to my alternate picking technquies. For now I think I'm just going to pick up and down constantly though and if the speed that I'm playing slows down (e.g. I'm going from eighth notes to a couple of half notes), then I'll just do more downpicking. If anything is wrong with this strategy, please let me know, but I think I'll be fine doing this for a few months, then learning more techniques once my skill and speed pick up.

[mjamer]

I wouldn't exactly call it wrong per say, but bad practice. Read some of Jamey Andreas' (http://www.cyberfret.com/power-practicing/index.php) articles on practicing and technique. If you short-cut yourself now, then they'll only be bad habits to break out of later.

Just be strict in your practices. If you want to master alternate picking, then be strict and only do 'd u d u' no matter what you're doing. How you practice sticks with you when learning songs or writing your own material. There are other picking techniques, but alternate-picking is the first one you should master. Trust me, learn it well and it will feel just as natural alternate picking over parts you slow down on as it does now when you down pick.

Like cyberfret said, even though some folks haven't seen a draw back from not learning to alternate-pick properly eventually they will.. it's inevitable (imo). If you know that you'll eventually have to learn to do it correctly either now or later, why not learn it right now? heheh.


mjamer

[Coffee]

tpc

Sounds like you've got some major stress going there. If you're stressed about what you're doing, you can't move forward. Remember this, when you're learning to alternate pick you are not trying to play a song. Do the exercises cyber suggests and relax. Do it slow. You can't force it. All motor skill, whether wielding the wild plectrum or learning to ride a bike, is not a matter of determination, it is a matter of building the connections between the brain and the movement so they become automatic. It is not a matter of striving and aggravation, its a matter of relaxing and doing it right slowly so that the brain/movement connection becomes automatic. Do not try and speed it up. Speed will come automatically when you've put the time in. When I decided to do this I actually took the time to play no fingerings and played about 20 open notes on each string one after the other at a very slow speed. Then reduced the number to 8 then 4 etc. Practice alternate picking for 3 minutes, then forget it and just fool around on the guitar, then go back for 3 minutes. Don't let yourself get stressed. If you do, put it down, go for a bike ride or a walk (not Mechwarriior, too stressful) and come back later. It will work.