www.alternatepickingtech.com

Alternate Picking, alternate picking tech.com

www.alternatepickingtech.com

Hi and Welcome. The alternate picking website alternatepickingtech will be closing down very soon. Thanks for all the emails and correspondence. Alternate picking is an amazing technique to master and will always enhance your guitar playing. Alternate picking is not a gimmick like sweep arpeggios and tapping but a tried and trusted technique that works when any guitarist is under pressure. Alternate picking is effective because the string is always plucked and hence sustains its tone. Alternate picking is essential for any guitar style. Alternate picking is about changing musical gears smoothly confidently and effectively. Alternate picking is not tremelo picking which is mov ing the fretting hand to a frenetic tremelo. Alternate picking is about mastering rhythms in the right hand and then exploiting them. Alternate picking is really only understood when ODD and Even alternate picking strokes are comprehended, eg, 3 per string or 4 notes per string. Alternate picking catches people out here when they improvise because the are MIXING ODD AND EVEN Alternate picking strokes and hence putting a spanner in the works! Alternate picking then turns in ECONOMY PICKING and there is 2 of the same stroke etc.

              Thanks,

                        Alternate Picking, alternate-picking tech.com

Altenate picking relies on an understanding of the odd and even basic principal. Many people buy the videos, books, dvds, etc but dont progress because of this very reason. Alternate picking is economy of motion and not "cut up" into gimmicky get something for nothing guitar licks. Having said this it is best to learn alternate picking, economy picking [for chordal work...can be very useful] tremelo picking [ if you employ distortion on your guitar etc] and sweep arpeggios. Alternate Picking has helped me to learn guitar to a very high level in a pretty short time because I can play under pressure straight off the bat. This and the ability to change musical gears is alternate pickings real usefulness. Alternate picking has got a bit of a bad name due to 80's guitar shredders but if you study great players then you will find that many Jazz, Country, World and other various musicians employ alternate picking for its sheer proffessionality and effectiveness. Alternate picking is great for chords and melodies and arpeggios as well as scales. Alternate picking is used in all styles of guitar because alternate picking gives one fluidity and flow in their playing. Alternate picking is really misunderstood by many and complain that is "unemotional" etc......This could'nt be further from the truth....because..alternate picking is essential for any type of guitar playing...and only..alternate picking [or good fingerstyle] will see the pro player through when under pressure. With alternate picking there is no need to worry about "special" effects etc because alternate picking will always pluck the string producing sustain. Alternate picking works amazingly on electric as well as acoustic guitar. For great alternate picking try, John Mclaughlin, Al di Meola Acoustic. Or electric try Shawn Lane for awesome alternate picking technique. BUT This is only half the story.....check jazz, country, blues.....yes blues it is all in there. Alternate picking is the guitarists dream sustainer really. Anyway thats enough boring you with alternate picking......

          Thanks,

                  Alternate picking, alternate-picking tech.com 2008

Alternate picking tech is now only 3 pages long and soon will be com[pletely removed. This alternate picking site was originally put together for my students. Alternate picking is a strange thing to teach and get across because of it constantly being misunderstood.  A new Alernate picking site is being constructed for acoustic and clean guitar focusing ojn the alternate picking style of Jazz/Fusion.

           Thanks,

                     Alternate Picking, Alternate picking tech.com

  Alternate Picking essentials

1: Don't bend the thumb [when alternate picking slow or fast]
2: Float across ALL 6 Strings [ when alternate picking]
3:Follow  a straight line [alternate picking ease]
4: Pick from a "relaxed" wrist [don't tense when alternate picking]
5: know your up/ down stroke [odd/even Groupings]
6: Extended fingering  e.g from 3 to 4 notes per string [Will throw predictable patterns].
7: Metrenome, Build Tempo gradually e.g 90 to 180 Bpm
8: Practice against the clock
9:Repetitions  2000+
10:Heavy gauge pick Favoured for alternate picking
11:Tremelo on 1 to 6 strings
12:Angle Pick, 45% to 90%
13:Don't Strain! Warm up first! Lightly stretch and slowly Alternate pick single string exercises to chromatic  ODD/EVEN 3s 4s [ alternate picking requires the guitarist to build speed and flow to change all musical gears]
14: last note of previous string and 1st note of new string are the TWO to Focus on!
15: General problems occur with "Down pick"
descending and "Up pick" ascending. ALTHOUGH:
This might be the oppsite way aound for you.
16] Understanding "Inside Picking" and  "Outside Picking".
17] FRETTING HAND= Needs MASTERY for alternate picking synchronisation       

If you have a good alternate picking technique already then you may need to look at your fretting hand if you are still having any problems. With alternate picking most people only investigate their right picking hand....BUT For a lot of lplayers their left hand is sometimes very sloppy and relying on the tremelo [not alternate picking] of the right hand to pull them through. Alternate Picking relies on the synchronisation of the right and left alternate picking and fretting hand.

WHAT IS ALTERNATE PICKING? For anyone not sure..........................

 Alternate picking is the constant use of picking wih an upstroke followed by a down stroke. Which stroke you start with depends on the character of the phrase that you are about to play. You might find it easier to start on an upstroke for one phrase and a downstroke for another phrase.This will make more sense as you progress with the basic practice exercises. The key is to start on a single string and then progress to adjacent strings  and finally move to skipped strings. All the time working on Repetitive rhythms. The most difficult thing is crossing from one string to another whilst keeping a smooth transition in progress. This is why the Fundmentals are KING!

Always practice SLOW for all alternate picking excerses and try to alternate pick real music as this will rely help when it comes to performance.

http://www.youtube.com/user/flatpicking

Posted by alternatepicking at 19:44 | Comment (1) | Trackbacks (0)