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Posted by: Guitar1969 Jul 10 2008, 10:40 PM

Well I have spent alot of time APing so now it comes natural, which is cool. Problem is I was watching one of Kris' old videos where he was allowing the exception and recommended the lick be played with only downstrokes for the effect. I couldn't do it - Kept going back to AP unconsciously. I kept trying to do just downstrokes but had to keep thinking about it and it screwed me all up.

Anybody have a hard time going back to downstrokes only when playing fast runs of individual notes when needed.

Can most guitarists switch techniques easily as needed?

Posted by: Enucleation Jul 10 2008, 11:07 PM

Rapid downpicking is actually quite difficult. I wouldn't say you are alone in your stressing. Try some Metallica, Master of Puppets especially. Also I find a certain riff (is it the prechorus) in Creeping Death to be a difficult downpicking riff, I use it sometimes to gauge my progress.

I think the riff is
-----5-------5-------------
0-0-3--0-0-3--0-0-33333

Well I can't remember exactly but if you hear the song you will probably know it.

Posted by: TreyDeschamp Jul 10 2008, 11:11 PM

If your trying to play fast alternate picking is good

Posted by: MickeM Jul 10 2008, 11:13 PM

Knowing your AP is a very good thing. It's easier to go from fluent AP to learning DP than the other way.

Posted by: swingline Jul 10 2008, 11:24 PM

Without a doubt.

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Jul 10 2008, 11:57 PM

With DP it goes the same as with AP. The time and effort you put into it, the better you will be

Posted by: Fsgdjv Jul 11 2008, 12:07 AM

I don't alternate pick exclusively, only for "fast" runs, otherwise I just pick in some way without thinking about it, mostly alternate picked, but sometimes I pick two upstrokes in a row or two downstrokes. I like to not think about it, just think about the sound, and yes I can change between different types of picking quite easily if I'm thinking about it. I suppose it's because I don't alternate pick exclusively.

Posted by: Kapto Jul 11 2008, 02:25 AM

Someone correct me here if I'm wrong. J. Petrucci learnt from E. Johnson to sound the same starting licks with upS or Ds. So the thing is to learn something no matter if you start with Us or Ds the aim of the exercise is to be able to play it both ways and make it sound with the same feeling.

Posted by: Marcus Siepen Jul 11 2008, 10:37 AM

Alternate picking is great, economy picking is fine, downpicking is awesome in rhythm playing, so you should be able to use all of those techniques, depending on what you want to play. Don't just focus on one of them, practice them all.

Posted by: Bogdan Radovic Jul 11 2008, 10:46 AM

Well once you got the AP down you'll with more ease adapt to DP etc...

Posted by: Muris Varajic Jul 11 2008, 01:48 PM

+1 Absolutely.

Posted by: Pablo Vazquez Jul 11 2008, 10:15 PM

+1, I agree!!

Posted by: Xose Pineda Jul 18 2008, 02:13 AM

and what's better to begin? AP strict, or economy picking? Some people says that best to beginners is strict AP. Why?

Always being wondering about this...

Posted by: Muris Varajic Jul 18 2008, 03:15 AM

Because AP contains constant moves up,down,updown etc.
And for a beginner that is probably more natural way to start your journey.
Plus you would shift to economy with less problems
instead of starting with economy which has odd type of picking
considering the notes you're getting.
But as said above,do not focus on just one picking type,
play them all and you'll have no limitations.

Posted by: Xose Pineda Jul 18 2008, 03:58 AM

but... running down a scale, let's say C Major... the "natural" way I tend to go is to sweep between strings when possible. Feels odd to me "to break" the sweeping. Is it bad?

Should I focus on AP when learning / running scales?

Let's say a simple scale begining:

So... for the very beginner... which main pick technic? (I know we've to learn all, but asking for the main).

Hope the post is legible...

Cheers!

Posted by: Muris Varajic Jul 18 2008, 12:47 PM

That's because you somehow started with economy.
Now you should focus more on alternate
but it might be hard to go back again on economy.
That's why it's always better to start with AP.

Posted by: Xose Pineda Jul 18 2008, 03:30 PM

Then was I right naming the technics? The one that I think is strict AP is the way to go then... maybe I was into economy 'cause less movement involved... dunno. I've to burn my pick and learn MK's fingerstyle

Thanks for the advices Muris... very helpful as usual mate.

Cheers!

Posted by: Muris Varajic Jul 18 2008, 03:59 PM

The names were right,you're welcome tho.

Posted by: Xose Pineda Jul 18 2008, 11:51 PM

So hard !!

Strict AP'ing feels so hard in situations like the one I wrote before...

I see hard times coming... hours and hours to get rid of the (now I know the same) economy picking, where I'm falling.

Posted by: Daniel Realpe Apr 26 2010, 12:56 AM

you are right!

one should move between techniques without any problem,

just don't any technique is the end all be all, they are just that, techniques

Posted by: Marcus Siepen Apr 27 2010, 10:22 PM

Alternate picking is a very important technique, but it is for sure not the only one. You should be able to play others as well, pure downpicking for some rhythm stuff for example, or economy picking for some leads. If you only do alrernate picking you will only limit yourself