When I started practicing seriously, I was studying with a dude who was totally obsessed (and still is, to the point of confounding himself with him) with John Petrucci.

One good thing I have learned though and I remembered, so I thought it would be of great use to everyone, would be his advice regarding picking direction:

When you learn a lick involving picking, practice it starting with a down stroke and continuing accordingly and after that, start with an upstroke and continue accordingly. This will not only develop great alternate picking flexibility, but it will also be a means of saving oneself in the middle of a song onstage, when a mistake is made and the picking direction is altered - the chances of picking things up from the point in which the mistake was made, will greatly increase.

Have you guys ever tried this? Does it feel awkward?

I don't but I do notice I naturally start some phrases on an upstroke, and it does help avoid inside picking (one of my many weaknesses)

I agree that this is good point because learning the same lick with different picking direction is like learning two different licks. Anyway...personally i was always up to keep 100% consequence while practicing so the altered picking problem never really bothered me. I was always trying to build a habbit of good picking direction to the rhythm assignment. I this this also work well.

Can't agree more with this. I also learnt this from John Petrucci's Rock Disclipline clinic. I used to practice those exercises in both ways and I usually try to be able to play the same ideas starting with different pick directions. This is something that beginner students should really have in mind. Well done reminding this Cosmin!

Definitely a great and very useful exercise. In fact that's another thing Steve Vai taught me in the lessons - practice your scales starting on an upstroke.

Lead Guitar picking. This is what I had to do for my teacher years ago.

U=up
D=down

#1 is low E

1-DuD 2 DuD 3 DUD 4 DuD 5 DuD 6 Dud
6-UdU 2 UdU 3 UdU 4 UdU 5 UdU 6 Udu

1-DuD 2 UDU 3DUD 4 UdU 5 DUD 6 UDU ---6 UDU 5 UDU 4 UDU etc

I had to do same direction and alternate and variations there of.

1-UDU 2DUD 3 UDU ect....


I also had to organize my own scales- 2 notes per string, 3 notes, 4 notes and 5 notes and 6 notes and practice sweep and alternate picking on each.

I had to play/ practice the scales:

Every note bent 1/2 all the way up and down and full step.

I had to Vibrato every note up and down

I had to gliss every note up and down, both ways

I had to pull off every note up and down

and I had to hammer every note up and down.

Consistency of every note was required

If I start getting to sloppy I go back to this regimen.

EDIT: I forgot I had to sequence everything too.

Here is a lesson designed to help with playing a lick starting with a downstroke and then repeating it again with a upstroke.
It is useful to have this flexablility when one is improvising or playing live. This was a helpful lesson for me when I was working with my alternate picking. Certainley a bit awkward at first but once you get it down it just sticks with you.

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guit...upstroke-focus/

This is a very good example - I have practiced it a lot last year myself



There you go! If Steve Vai and John Petrucci said it, it must be good

And I find when I don't have a decent amount of time to warm up I only do scales and lines starting with an upstroke.
It insures that I think or at least am conscious of what i'm doing while I'm warming up.
Warms up the brain as well as the hands.

This one is totally great I will most definitely try it myself. You know, I have this book written by a dude called Jon Damian - 'The guitarist's guide to composing and improvising'. The very last thing in the book that you should practice is.... turn your guitar with the neck viceversa - as you would be a leftie - try to play

Jon Damian is a really creative guy and a very interesting player.

*I had a girlfriend who played lefty. When I was at her place I'd mess around on her upside down (for me) strung stratocaster. At first it was a little difficult. Then it was kind of fun. Then I started to see (and hear) things in a whole different way. To this day I can still sort of 'play' simple songs and solo a bit on a lefty's axe if I have to.

Hehe, Ken, I was sure you knew about this guy I will re-read his book, because frankly, when my mom gave it to me as a present back in 2006, I haven't understood that much out of it.

He's a complicated guy. I don't understand 1/2 the things he talks about.

Another great book, if you're into the more philosophical and psychological aspects of guitar playing is Mick Goodrick's "The Advancing Guitarist" http://books.google.com/books/about/The_Ad...id=atImsISqYCsC
I cannot recommend this enough!

Haha Thank you again, man! It's on the list!

Sure! They are the kings!!