How do I improve my alternate picking?

by James
(Iligan City)

Question: How do I improve my alternate picking?

Answer

Alternate picking (a constant down-up-down-up picking motion) is one of those techniques that you just have to keep doing until it becomes second nature.

Ok, easier said than done, so here are some practical tips.

1) Every new guitar scale you learn, start by playing the basic boxed pattern using alternate picking. The more scales and patterns you learn, the more "fodder" you'll have to work on your alternate picking.

2) Make scale runs a major part of your practise time... again, using strict alternate picking.

3) Combine alternate picking and string skipping. This is where you jump over a string to get to the next desired note in a scale. E.g.

-----6--------------------
--------9--7--6-----------
--8-----------------6-----
-----------------8--------
--------------------------
--------------------------

4) Tremolo picking - this is simply alternate picking at high speed.

5) There are some great downloadable tools out there to help improve your alternate picking. Two of my favourites are...

The Ultimate Metronome

Finger Trainer

Work on your alternate picking every day and apply it to every new scale pattern you learn. Please do explore the scales and lead sections on this site for more in depth lessons, exercises and techniques.