Todd Simpson - Shred Journey

"0 to 60, an Introduction to Alternate Picking”

Introduction

Welcome!

In this course, I'll be showing you how to get started with "Alternate Picking". In this lesson, I will try to assume nothing. We will start at the very beginning and work out way up. The goal of this series is to take you from 0 to 60 BPM (Beats Per Minute) and beyond. Once you can keep your alternate your picking steady and go across strings, you are ready to begin working up your speed. All it takes is practice.

Please do not use any sort of profanity or try to start any off topic discussions that don't pertain to our coursework here. If you fail to adhere to this policy, you may be removed from participating in this class. I can't wait to get started and begin hearing feedback from you. Lets do it!

Todd

Quick Vocabulary: "Beats Per Minute" (Per: Wikipedia.org)

Beats Per Minute is a unit typically used as either a measure of tempo in music, or a measure of one's heart rate. A rate of 60 bpm means that one beat will occur every second. One bpm is equal to 1/60 Hz.

The BPM tempo of a piece of music is conventionally shown in its score as a metronome mark, as illustrated to the right. This indicates that there should be 120 crotchet beats (quarter notes) per minute. In simple time signatures it is conventional to show the tempo in terms of the note duration on the bottom. So a 4/4 would show a crotchet (or quarter note), as above, while a 2/2 would show a minim (or half note).

In compound time signatures the beat consists of three note durations (so there are 3 quavers (eighth notes) per beat in a 6/8 time signature), so a dotted form of the next note duration up is used. The most common compound signatures: 6/8, 9/8, and 12/8, therefore use a dotted crotchet (dotted quarter note) to indicate their BPM.

Exotic time and particularly slow time signatures may indicate their BPM tempo using other note durations.

BPM Related External links:

• Online BPM calculators
• Freeware BPM calculator
• An accurate algorithm to measure BPM automatically
• BPM & Key Database

Music sample:

120 BPM tempo, Example of a basic 4/4, 120 BPM tempo - Play sound

Metronome

It is very important that you learn to work with a “Metronome”. What is a metronome you ask? Good question. Here is a good definition from Wikipedia

A metronome is any device that produces a regulated aural, visual or tactile pulse to establish a steady tempo in the performance of music. It is a useful practice tool for musicians that dates back to the early 19th century.
(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metronome )

Metronomes now exist in software form, either as stand alone applications or often in music sequencing and audio multitrack software packages. In recording studio applications, such as film scoring, a software metronome is often used to generate a click track to synchronize musicians. So your metronome can be a physical device used to count time or a computer program that runs in software. Either way is fine. The important thing here is that you get used to playing in sync with a timed rhythm. It will make your picking more even and stable and help you work out the synchronization between your right and left hand. In addition, you will be able to measure your progress as you increase the speed of the metronome pulse. So whether you buy a stand alone metronome, like the one pictured below, or download one for your PC, Mac, or iPhone, just make sure to have one handy. We are going to be working with a metronome in later lessons.