Alternate Picking for Guitar

The main problem with alternate picking comes when you are picking a note in the opposite direction of the next string that you´re going to. For instance, if your last note was a downstroke on the G string, and your next note is an upstroke on the D string, then your pick has to travel a more complicated path than if you are picking up on G and down on D. What to do?

Some people just refuse to let their picking hand do the more difficult move, by trying to put a hammer or a pull off to time the direction of the pick to a more favorable direction. But let´s concentrate on what to do if you are using the versatile alternate picking method. Since we don´t want to limit the note choices, or string choices, in any way, we have to just get good at dealing with the problem.

Practice going back and forth between two strings picking in the opposite direction, for example, in 2nd position, play a C note on the 3rd string/G string (4 th finger on 5 th fret) with a downstroke followed by an E note on the 4th string/D string (3 rd finger on 4 th fret) with an upstroke. Repeat the C and E one more time.

Next, bring the C down to a B on the 3rd string/G string (2 nd finger on 2 nd fret) with a downstroke, followed by the same E on the 4th with an upstroke. Repeat the B and E. Just to make a slightly musical pattern, do the same thing, but change the B down to an A, doing the same pattern. To make the pattern symmetrical, return the A back up to a B and play B,E,B,E, just like the second pattern.

It will take a lot less time to play this than to read about it, so try to muddle through this explanation to get to the actual notes, it´s not hard to play this as long as you don´t try to play it too fast.

As with all exercises, do it slowly and as accurately as possible at first. Doing this exercise addresses one of the most important points about practicing and improvements, it will be tricky at first but as you stay determined and focused you will build up your speed and master this important skill.

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