Alternate Picking

Lesson 3/72 | Study Time: 5 Min

Course: Mandolin

Alternate Picking

All the examples you have played so far have involved a downward pick motion, indicated by a a. When playing eighth notes, a down (a) and up (s ) picking technique is commonly used.

This is called alternate picking, and is essential for the development of speed and accuracy. The technique involves using a down pick on the beat (the number count) and an up pick off the beat (the "and" count). Practice example 10 using alternate picking until you can do it comfortably and then try example 11.

Here are some more examples to help you become comfortable using eighth notes. Remember to use alternate picking and count out loud as you play along with your metronome. Practice each one slowly until you can play it smoothly and evenly and with more confidence.

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Class Sessions

1- The Eighth Note 2- Rests 3- Chords 4- Flat Signs 5- Accompanying a Melody 6- Minor Chords 7- Sharp Signs 8- Learning All the Notes 9- The Major Scale 10- More on Keys and Key Signatures 11- Notes on the Fourth String 12- How to Learn a New Key 13- The Octave 14- Notes on the First String 15- INTRODUCTION 16- Tuning to Another Instrument 17- Tremolo 18- Sixteenth Notes 19- How to Read Music 20- The Blues Scale 21- Relative Keys 22- Minor Keys and Scales 23- Transposing 24- Simple and Compound Time 25- Sharps 26- The Triplet 27- Seventh Chords 28- The Key Cycle 29- Tuning a Mandolin to Itself 30- Rhythm Patterns 31- Double Stops 32- Strumming 33- Syncopation 34- The Lead-in 35- A Natural Minor Scale 36- Using an Electronic Tuner 37- Tablature 38- Notes on the Second String 39- Alternate Picking 40- 12 Bar Blues 41- The Key of C Major 42- The F Sharp Note (F<span class="symbolA">#</span>) 43- The Note B Flat (B<span class="symbolA">b</span>) 44- Major Scales in All Keys 45- The F Major scale 46- Music Notation 47- Swing Rhythm 48- The Slide 49- Notes on the Third String 50- Major Chord Shapes 51- How to Hold the Mandolin 52- The Chromatic Scale 53- The G Major Scale 54- Sequences 55- Eigth Note Strumming Rhythms 56- Higher Notes 57- Key of F Major 58- Using A Pick 59- First and Second Ending 60- The Bar 61- Learning the Notes on the Staff 62- Key Signatures 63- Flats 64- D.C al Fine 65- Time Signature 66- Right Hand Position 67- The Tie 68- Tempo Markings 69- Left Hand Technique 70- Chord Symbols 71- Dynamics 72- Cut Common Time

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Alternate Picking