Alternate Picking for Lead Guitar

In this lesson we're going to look at alternate picking as a technique, and why it's important for things like speed building, rhythm and accuracy with your guitar playing (and especially lead guitar / 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 faster and with more rhythmic accuracy.

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...

Alternate picking on guitar - the basics

Rule 1: Rhythm is your guide when learning this technique. If you can be self-disciplined with your picking rhythm, you'll master this in very little time.

I'll help you get a good start. 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:

Now follow the same procedure for the other strings!

Each string will have a different feel when alternate picking. You'll notice that you have to keep your picking sweep tight around the string to avoid picking any unwanted strings.

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.

Speed is the last thing to master - first, focus on perfecting your rhythm, timing and string accuracy, then, and only then, can you speed up.

Start slow and speed up gradually using a metronome.

Switching string without losing your alternate picking rhythm!

Sounds obvious... but you need to learn to change string, like you would in most riffs, and not let it interrupt the picking rhythm.

Take a look at the exercise below - we're going to play the minor pentatonic scale, using alternate picking. To start fairly simple, 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 rhythm smooth as you change notes and strings:
 

Let's try a different scale for this - the major scale. Using one pick stroke per note, play through the major scale below. Start slow and speed up gradually using a metronome.

More complex alternate picking exercises

Creative soloing jumps around scale patterns, rather than playing them in a linear kind of sequence. You'll find it beneficial in the long term to apply strict alternate picking.

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 intervals.

Take a look and listen to the exercises below. Soloing phrases that make use of all 6 strings of the guitar. try them out yourself keeping that strict, down-up-down-up, alternate 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, using a metronome of course, and your "muscle memory" will soon kick in!

Exercise 1 (click tabs to hear)

Exercise 2

So 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 amount of time you spend practicing, and the variation of phrases and movements you experiment with, the more this technique will sink in.

Thanks for your time and patience!