It is also worth practicing four notes per beat. This involves the use of sixteenth notes. A sixteenth note is equal to one fourth of a quarter note. Since the beat in * time is based on quarter notes, there would be four sixteenth notes per beat. Written below is an example of constant 16th notes. When counting, notice the different sound for each part of the beat - one ee and ah, two ee and ah... etc (written 1 e + a, 2 e + a... etc). Sixteenth notes are only dealt with briefly here.For a more in-depth study of sixteenth notes, see Progressive Blues Lead Guitar Technique, or Progressive Funk and R & B Guitar Method.
Once you are comfortable counting sixteenth notes on one note, apply them to the pentatonic scale, and then try the following patterns which will help your picking technique.