Alternate Picking
All of the songs you have played so far have involved a downward pick motion, indicated by a a. With the introduction of eighth notes, the technique of down and up ( s ) picking is used. This is called alternate picking, and is essential for the development of speed and accuracy. In alternate picking, use a down pick on the beat (the number count) and an up pick off the beat (the "and" count).
Pick Symbol
This is the symbol for pick motion. It appears beneath the staff along with a series of a and s symbols that indicate the direction you should pick the notes.
Note that the pick symbol a (for playing single note down strokes) has one line of the vee shaped symbol thicker than the other so it will not be confused with the strum symbol t (for strumming chords).
Play the following Rock Riff using alternate picking.
Hush Little Baby is a traditional children’s song which makes use of half notes, quarter notes and eighth notes. Use alternate picking when playing the eighth notes in this song.
Know Your Guitars…
Acoustic Cutaway
As well as the standard acoustic guitar, there is another version called a Cutaway, where part of the body of the guitar is cut back and reshaped along the side of the fretboard. This makes it easier to play notes high up on the fretboard, which is great for playing lead solos on an acoustic guitar. Many players who switch frequently between acoustic and electric prefer to use an acoustic cutaway.
