alternate picker ? am i ? Options

[Egln40]

Hi.

Just started with electric and Masterclass.
I am a bit confused about alternate picking. I understand the up down - up down pattern, but..........
How do you manage that when on a down stroke, you go down a string (D to G for example). Do you have to hit the G on a up stroke, or on the way down ?
Thanks for giving me some light.
Eric.

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[Kristofer Dahl]

...so I think it sounds ok and it's pretty fast. However, when comparing to my strictly alternate picking I have got today - the advantages are: More attack, control, and imo better "speedpicking tone" - if there is such a thing.

Basically alternate picking has opened up to things I could not do at the time I recorded the audio clip.

To be honest I'd rather have a maximum speed of 190 bpm (or whatever) with great tone than 230 with bad tone and poor control. No one will here a great difference between those speeds. However, the difference in tone will perfectly audible.

So once again... gor for alternate picking!!!

Kris

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[Josiah]

Economy picking kind of confused me too. I was told it was the way to play fast, so I practiced it with my scales and sequences. After a careful evaluation of the mechanics, I found that there are only rare situations where it would be useful to me. So I went back to alternate picking only to find my picking hand "confused"!

One of the things that I found hard is the timing of hitting two notes in a single down stroke but at othertimes
reversing direction (alternate picking). You actually have to slow down when you economy pick across two stings so the time between notes is equal to the time of reversing direction during the alternate picking of other notes!

Your wrist has to stop during those two economy picked notes (the movement across the strings comes from the elbow), then the wrist has to start again to alternate pick. So the rhythm of your picking hand's wrist becomes a stutter. If you slowly economy pick a passage and watch your picking hand, you will see what I mean. While alternate picking, the wrist maintains a steady rhythm while the elbow simutaniously moves the wrist across the strings.

In other words, when you alternate pick down on one string and move the pick past the string below it, then reverse the direction, there is only an illusion that the wrist moves further down then it does going up because the movement you see of going between strings is a compound movement of the wrist and the elbow at the same time. In actuallity, the wrist itself moves the same distance up and down as if it where picking one string tremolo.

If a passage can be played one note per string, then you can play it faster by sweeping it (economy picking),
but if you must alternate pick some notes, the sweep picking advantage is eliminated because all notes must be played at the same tempo.

Personally, I remain unconvinced economy picking provides a real speed increase and it is definately harder to learn and perform instinctively. I believe most top shredders use alternate picking only. For example, ultra-fast shredders Michael Angelo and Chris Impellitteri are proponents of strict alternate picking (except during arpeggio sweeping).

By the way, I quit practicing sweep picking arpeggios in favor of alternate picking them! I have found it easier to incorporate small parts of arpeggio patterns into my alternate picked melodies if they are alternate picked like the rest of my patterns. An added bonus is that practicing this way has really helped my right hand technique and overall playing speed!

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