proper uppicking technique - yikes I can't do this

[CarolM]

I've been playing away at the guitar since last February, teaching myself how to read and going through Mel Bay 1 and Hal Leonard 1 and 2, plus working out jazz tunes on the side for more interest.

So I finally crack open Mel Bay 2, and come across this proper picking exercise..I thought I was doing good at this already, but I don't do like they say. If I'm on C, first position 5th string, and go to the open D, they would both be down strokes for me. It seemed easier that way. The proper technique is to uppick the D per Mel Bay. So far I've just been doing whatever seems natural.

Anyway, I can't believe hard hard it is! Am I going to totally doom any hopes of speed on single note lines if I don't learn it this way?

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

"Strict alternating" picking is down-up-down-up...

"Economy" picking will allow for sweeps -- you play multiple strings with a single down stroke or up stroke (depending on whether you are ascending or descending).

Both techniques are good to know.

If a picking style is tripping you up, slow way down until you can play it, then gradually move your metronome up bit by bit.

[Sphere]

Both ways are valid, but if you're just starting to learn, I highly recommend sticking with strict alternate picking first. It will help you develop solid timing and good articulation, among other things.

[bako]

I would suggest spending some time alternate picking open strings, one string at a time.
When that feels natural then start working different string combinations while maintaining alternate picking.

Sometimes there are too many elements to think about at once.
One solution is to address them one at a time until they happen more automatically.

[JonnyPac]

Originally Posted by bako

I would suggest spending some time alternate picking open strings, one string at a time.
When that feels natural then start working different string combinations while maintaining alternate picking.

Sometimes there are too many elements to think about at once.
One solution is to address them one at a time until they happen more automatically.

+1

[CarolM]

Well it's already getting better. It freaked me out a bit when I first realized it was not what I was used to doing..

[ten left thumbs]

The value in the down-up stuff is not that you do it the most efficient way. The value is not that it really matters whether it's down or up. the value is that it makes you accurate in what you are doing, and that you learn a passage one way and always practice it that way.

Speaking as one who was a disbeliever until very recently.

[JakeAcci]

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

"Strict alternating" picking is down-up-down-up...

"Economy" picking will allow for sweeps -- you play multiple strings with a single down stroke or up stroke (depending on whether you are ascending or descending).

Both techniques are good to know.

If a picking style is tripping you up, slow way down until you can play it, then gradually move your metronome up bit by bit.

Spoken with maximum practicality!

[bobby d]

There was a rock guitarist in my area that never used alternate picking and he was surprisingly very good. Nothing but authoritative downstrokes worked for him, but he lacked the ability to play 16th notes at a medium tempo.

Starting on one string will help to get the feel before skipping to the other strings. Also practicing on upstrokes - only - will help make them stronger.

[CarolM]

Originally Posted by bobby d

There was a rock guitarist in my area that never used alternate picking and he was surprisingly very good. Nothing but authoritative downstrokes worked for him, but he lacked the ability to play 16th notes at a medium tempo.

Starting on one string will help to get the feel before skipping to the other strings. Also practicing on upstrokes - only - will help make them stronger.

well to clarify I *do* use alternate picking, just not all the time.

[bobby d]

Originally Posted by CarolM

well to clarify I *do* use alternate picking, just not all the time.

OK, after rereading your first post I see that you just felt it was odd to use an upstroke in one particular instance.

Alternate picking just has a natural rhythm to it for me. I use sweeps for some arpeggios but never really cared for more advanced sweeping techniques. Am I off track again? lol

[CarolM]

Originally Posted by bobby d

There was a rock guitarist in my area that never used alternate picking and he was surprisingly very good. Nothing but authoritative downstrokes worked for him, but he lacked the ability to play 16th notes at a medium tempo.

That would be bad. I play in western bands and the highpoint of good lead playing is when they rip out some fast clean runs, Leon Rhodes-style. I think the guy I work with now may have some basic technique problems because his runs sound so choppy. I'd hate to be locked in like that.

[JakeAcci]

More considerations:

say we have a two stringed guitar

these all present different challenges, assuming all a consistent rhythmic value with no rests:

1. Doing a downstroke on the lower string than an upstroke on the higher string

2. Doing an upstroke on the lower string than a downstroke on the higher string

3. Doing an upstroke on the higher string then a downstroke on the lower string

4. Doing a downstroke on the higher string then an upstrpoke on the lower string

5. going down-up on the lower string then down-up on the higher string. Or the same but from higher string to lower string. Or same but up-down rather than down-up

6. Doing three notes on each string in any configuration.

For anybody who is invested in alternate picking, I think these are all good things to think about. I've found practicing short bursts of each, rather than long scales, to be helpful.