alternate picking lesson for guitar with video

Alternate Picking- Video Lesson

Apr 22nd, 2007

There are many picking techniques guitarists use when playing guitar. An there is no “right” answer on which technique you should use. In fact, many guitarists use different picking techniques for different situations. But the focus of this lesson will be on alternate picking. This is one of the most widely used picking techniques and it is essential for any guitarist to be comfortable with alternate picking.

The tendency of most novice guitar players is to play most down strokes. Or randomly play down and upstrokes. Training yourself to use alternate picking takes a bit of time and practice. But once you get it down you will see that your chops will be faster and more fluid. Below is a video of some helpful exercises to help you master alternate picking.

Note that these exercises will use strictly alternate picking, though in reality many guitarists may use a combination of alternate and sweep picking for these. But for the sake of this exercise use strict alternate picking. The tabs for these exercises are located below the video. Also note that in order to get the most out of these, and any guitar exercise you NEED to practice with a metronome. If you don't have one i put 2 links to two great, cheap, metronomes at the very bottom of this post, under the alternate picking exercise tabs.

G amjaor Scale

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-------------------------2---4---5---4---2---------------------------------------
------------2---3---5-------------------------5---3---2-------------------------
----3---5---------------------------------------------------5--3-----------------

Chromatic exercise:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------1--2--3--4-
---------------------------------------------------------1--2--3--4---------------
-------------------------------------------1--2--3--4----------------------------
-----------------------------1--2--3--4-------------------------------------------
---------------1--2--3--4---------------------------------------------------------
-1--2--3--4-----------------------------------------------------------------------

-4--3--2--1----------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------4--3--2--1---------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------4--3--2--1-------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------4--3--2--1-----------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------4--3--2--1---------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------4--3--2- 1
Move up to 2nd fret and repeat pattern. Go all the way up to the 12th fret

4th alternate picking exercise:
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----7--8--7--5--7--8--7--5--7 –etc…-------6--8--6--5--6--8--6--5 –etc..
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and try this too:
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-7--8--7--5--6--8--6--5--7--8--7--5--6--8--7--5—etc.-------------------
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and lastly:

----------------7--8--7--5----------------6--8--6--5--------------------------
--7--8--7--5----------------6--8--6--5----------------7--8--7--5 –etc.------
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Getting a metronome will be one of the best investments you make if you are serious about playing guitar. Here are a few great, relatively cheap, metronomes: