Alternate Picking Guitar Lesson
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In this lesson we're going to learn the basics of alternate picking, and why it's important for things like speed building, rhythm and timing with your guitar playing (and especially with lead/soloing).
If, up until now, you've been only down picking your riffs and licks (which most beginners do - I did), you'll really appreciate learning to alternate pick - you'll be able to pick a lot faster and with better timing. Apply it to any lick you play.
So how does it work?Simple - instead of just down picking a string, you pick using up and down stroke movements (e.g. down-up-down-up-down-up etc.).
Now, when applied in practice, you'll have to get used to the extra control needed with the physical aspects of alternate picking. One of these is keeping your picking "sweep" tight around the string you're playing - we'll look at this, and the others, over the course of this lesson.
I'm aware that there will be absolute beginners needing step-by-step exercises, so I'm going to start very basic and then you can progress in your own time as we move on...The basics of alternate picking on guitar
If you can be self-disciplined with your timing, you'll master this very quickly. Timing is the ability to pick consistently to, say, a click track or a beat and stay in time with the rhythm.
Take a look at the exercise below. To start with, just down pick the bottom E string, copying the rhythm in the audio example (click the diagrams to hear examples):
Now, we're just going to fill in the short gaps between each down stroke with an up stroke. You have to use an upwards motion anyway to get back in place for the next downstroke - just use that upward motion to add another pick stroke:
What helped me with rhythm when I first started was to count the down strokes in groupings of 4 and then add in the up strokes as the "and" in between. It might help you too... try it!
Now follow the same procedure for the other strings
Each string will feel different when alternate picking. You'll notice that you have to keep your picking sweep tight around the string to avoid picking any unwanted strings above or below.
At first, you'll accidentally hit strings around the string you're supposed to be picking - it just takes time - start slow, and build up speed gradually using a metronome.
Speed is the last thing to master - first, focus on perfecting your timing and string accuracy, then, and only then, can you speed up.Alternate picking while changing string
Sounds obvious... but you need to learn to change string, like you would in most riffs, and not let it interrupt the picking rhythm. Beginners can often get "derailed" when they try to change string during a lick.
Take a look at the exercise below - we're going to play the minor pentatonic scale, using alternate picking. To start fairly simply, we're going to allocate 4 picks per note starting from the bottom string (down-up-down-up *change* down-up-down-up *change* etc.)...
Click the diagram to hear the
audio (I'm actually playing A minor pentatonic,
starting at fret 5 on the low E string) and try to keep the timing
constant as you change notes and strings:
Now try one pick per note
Let's try a different scale for this - the major scale. Using one pick stroke per note, play through the major scale below. Remember, use a metronome to speed up gradually.
OK, once you're comfortable with playing the above exercises at a speed you're happy with, we can move onto something a little more complex!
More complex alternate picking exercises
Creative soloing jumps around scale patterns, rather than playing them in a linear kind of sequence.
You need to be able to alternate pick smoothly with irregular string switches - the average listener will just hear a sequence of notes, but you, as a lead guitarist, have to physically negotiate jumps between strings and fret intervals.
Take a look and listen to the exercises below. These are soloing phrases that make use of all 6 strings of the guitar. Try them out yourself keeping that strict, down-up-down-up, picking motion.
It'll take a while to co-ordinate your pick and fret hand changes on patterns over more than a couple of strings, but keep at it and your "muscle memory" will soon kick in!
Exercise 1 (click tabs to hear)
Exercise 2
You can also use a good finger trainer to help develop your picking speed and timing.
Taking stock of what we've learned
Hopefully, after taking time with the exercises in this lesson, you should be confident with the core physical aspects of alternate picking. Now it's time to apply it to the scales and licks you learn.
Eventually, it'll become second nature - your picking hand will naturally know the distance it needs to move to the next string, or even skip a string.
The more time you spend practicing, and the wider variation of phrases and movements you challenge yourself with, the more this technique will sink in and become second nature.
Thanks for your time and patience!
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