Hello guys...I've just started an alternate picking exercise and there is one thing that i'm not sure of. Since it's an alternate picking lesson, clearly i have to use alternate picking all the time (up, down, up down,). But the thing is, i'm used to actually using economy picking and alternate picking together. At some instances, when i'm playing a scale or an exercise, it is natural for me to actually go "up, up" when picking (even when there is a string skip). I actually find it easier that way although for most of it, i use strictly "up, down, up, down".
So should i strictly use alternate picking for the whole exercise since it is an "Alternate Picking Exercise"? Thanks in advance

Mixing them up is your ultimate goal, as you will choose what technique is most comfortable or best sounding for the specific lick.
But if you want to practice alternate picking, you have to strictly practice alternate picking, just as the other way around with economy picking. If you are doing this exercise in order to practice your alternate picking, I would advise you to do just that (play it strictly with alternate picking)

If you feel it is difficult to play the whole lesson using alternate picking, that is great. It means you are breaking off habits, letting your fingers and pick move the way you want it to.

edit:
of course, you should also be able to play the exact same things using strictly economy picking

Yeah, as Sollesnes said.

Playing a run using 100% APing will give a different sound to playing it via economy, for instance, so there IS reasoning to just practice AP.

You have to be able to do BOTH as effectively, neither technique is "better". They do sound differently and can be more effectively used in different contexts.

If it's an alt. picking lesson, nail it as such!

Hey man! Many thanks! Alrite , i guess i have a lot to work on But just one question, when i practice with a metronome, is it really CRUCIAL that i have to play an exercise or a lick at that tempo until i MASTER playing it at that tempo? As in playing it cleanly and flawlessy before i actually go faster? I know it's probably a dumb question, but i had to ask anyway




Yeah i guess you are right...Well, i better get busy Thanks dude!



Yes, i have to admit, it is really HARD to fix bad habits. Especially if you haven't been practicing correctly and keep making mistakes. Just another question, I realize that i maneuver my pick mostly using my fingers instead of totally from the wrists when i alternate pick. Is that bad? My wrists make most of the bigger movements for my right hand like for example if there is a string skip or when i am trying to alternate pick faster...thanks again

The way you can play it internalize in your fingers as you speed up. So you just bring your mistakes along the way, making it faster with the mistakes included. It's not a dumb question.
There are various theories on this, for example Shawn Lane used to advocate you to occasionally play the lick as fast as you can, then slow down, thus being able to easier nail the slower parts before increasing your base speed. I used to do this as well, when I practiced playing fast.


It's not a bad habit, it's just something you haven't learned to do. Picking using a thumb motion or wrist motion is just a matter of taste and comfort. There are great, fantastic players doing both circle picking and from the wrist. For myself, I find picking from the thumb allows me to relax more in the arm, instead of having to move all the large muscles for just a small pick movement. I do however usually do that for alternative picking, while I use my wrist more for economy picking, which is my generally preferred way of picking (for the same reason people prefer alternate picking. I don't want every note to sound the mechanical same ).

Yes - this is crucial. If you can't play it comfortably and well on one tempo you won't be able to play it at a faster one. Practice until you can play the exercise well and without mistake (clean, in time with the metronome, comfortably).

IF it's the alternate picking exercise you should use strict alternate picking to perform it (for the sake of practice).