Alternate picking is as important to a guitarist as alternating strides are to a sprinter. Imagine a sprinter leading with his right leg twice in a row!
Simply put, alternate picking is the most
Alternate picking is as important to a guitarist as alternating strides are to a sprinter. Imagine a sprinter leading with his right leg twice in a row!
Simply put, alternate picking is the most economical of picking techniques. True alternate picking involves strictly alternating upstrokes and downstrokes. Variations arise with economy picking, which uses occasional parallel pick strokes when changing strings, or sweep picking, in which several strings are articulated with one pick stroke.
The following exercises should be practiced along with a metronome. Start slowly heavily scrutinizing your pick hand for consistency. Make sure you relax your wrist, elbow and shoulder. Tension in any of these joints will impede fluidity. Also, be sure to breath normally, as holding your breath may lead to an increased heart rate, which often causes musicians to rush.
In addition, practicing slowly will help you to synchronize your fret and pick hands. Many guitarists try to burn right away, but when learning new techniques, the wise musician will heed this saying: “The slower you go, the faster you’ll get there.”
PREPARATION
Before we begin, consider your equipment, specifically the weight of your pick to the thickness of your strings. The higher your string gauge is, the heavier your pick should be. A light plectrum on heavy strings will make it difficult for your pick hand to keep up with your fret hand, as will a heavy pick on light strings.
But most important you should select a pick that sounds right for you. If they all sound the same, you aren’t listening hard enough. In general, the heavier the pick, the darker the tone. Also, sometimes picks can benefit from modification by, for instance, sanding down an edge to create a more cutting tone. In the