Alternate Picking Guitar Lesson

In this alternate picking guitar lesson you will learn why it is by far the most important picking technique you should learn. No matter what other techniques you decide to apply in your playing you will find that it is the mainstay for all guitarists. Guitarists like Steve Morse and Al Di Meola use it almost exclusively in their playing, claiming that it is the only guitar technique that will allow a player to achieve the purest tone possible.

It's up to you to decide which picking techniques you will incorporate into your own playing, but if you master nothing else, master the technique of alternate picking. It will add to your style a great sense of clarity and a sharp unmistakable tone.

The concept is simple. Your pick hand uses a down-up-down-up etc. pattern continuously for the duration of whatever lick or riff you are playing.

This can be difficult when playing licks containing only one note per string such as arpeggios, and also riffs that skip strings. That is why techniques like sweep picking, economy picking and hybrid picking were developed.

A good way to get your pick hand accustomed to this technique is to simply play any open string on your guitar using the alternate down-up-down-up pattern described above. Practice switching strings without stopping. When you feel comfortable moving your pick hand from string to string while using the technique then it is time to start adding some fretted notes with your other hand. For some great exercises that will help sync up your right and left hands check out my guitar lesson on building finger strength.


Alternate picking guitar lesson exercises.