Alternate Picking

Lesson 2/73 | Study Time: 5 Min

Course: Lead Guitar Basics

Alternate Picking

In the previous lesson, the riffs were played with a downward pick motion (a). To increase the speed and accuracy of your playing, a combination of down (a) and up ( s ) picking is used. This is called alternate picking and is very useful for playing eighth notes. The following riff contains all eighth notes, so use alternate picking, i.e.:

Use a down pick on the beat (the number count) and an up pick off the beat (the "and" + count).

Another common ending is used in bar 12 of this example.

Now try examples 7 and 8 using alternate picking. As a general rule always use alternate picking when playing eighth notes.

Previous Lesson Next Lesson

Gary Turner

Product Designer

5.00

Profile

Class Sessions

1- Alternate Picking 2- The Hammer-on 3- Improvising and Scales 4- The Slide 5- The Tie 6- The Bend 7- Vibrato 8- Open String Slurs 9- 12 Bar Blues 10- The Blues Scale 11- How to Read Music 12- INTRODUCTION 13- Pick Tremolo 14- Other Titles in This Series 15- Right Hand Fretting 16- Licks Using Bends 17- The Major Scale 18- Pattern 1 Extension 19- Notes on the Guitar Fretboard 20- The Pull-off 21- Pattern 1 Licks 22- Quarter Note Riffs 23- Rests and Syncopation 24- 12 Bar Blues in A Minor 25- The Natural Minor Scale 26- Using Pattern 1 27- Two Handed Tapping 28- Double Notes 29- Riff Variation 30- Approach to Practice 31- The Chromatic Scale 32- The Release Bend 33- Chord Progressions 34- The Quick Slide 35- Shuffle Rhythm 36- The Quarter Note Triplet 37- Licks Using Release Bends 38- Additional Riffs 39- Notes on the Guitar Fretboard 40- Licks Using the Slide 41- Technique Combinations 42- Tuning Your Guitar 43- Slurring 44- Three Fingered Slurring 45- Lead Guitar Solo Number 4 46- Learning all the Keys 47- Other Improvising Patterns 48- Electronic Tuner 49- The Quick Hammer-on 50- Lead Guitar Solo Number 1 51- The Quick Bend 52- Lead Guitar Solo Number 3 53- Fretboard Diagrams 54- Using Pattern 2 55- Key Signatures 56- Lead Guitar Solo Number 2 57- Technique Symbols 58- Scales 59- Using Pattern 3 60- Using Pattern 4 61- The Chromatic Scale 62- Using Pattern 5 63- The Major Scale 64- Jamming Progressions 65- The Minor Scale 66- 12 Bar Blues Progressions 67- The Minor Penatonic Scale 68- Minor Key Progressions 69- The Blues Scale 70- Major Key Progressions 71- The Major Pentatonic Scale 72- Major Key Progressions 73- More titles by LearnToPlayMusic.com

GDPR

When you visit any of our websites, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. This information might be about you, your preferences or your device and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to. The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalized web experience. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. Click on the different category headings to find out more and manage your preferences. Please note, that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.

Alternate Picking