| PICKING
There
are many different ways to pick. Many acoustic guitar players use
their
finger tips or finger nails. The flamenco guitarists are very often
using their finger nails when playing those fast runs. They play
with their index and middle finger only using up strokes. Finger
picking enables you to play more diverse and dynamically. However,
I will not cover finger picking in this clinic. I will explain how
to use a pick (plectrum). The way I do it anyway...
There are many
different techniques playing with a pick. Sweeping (or
raking) is often used when playing arpeggios. You sweep through
a set of strings, from two to six, with one long up or down stoke.
Like a controlled strumming.
ECONOMY PICKING
Economy picking
(also called sweep picking) is a technique where you play two notes
separately on two different strings with one single stroke (no strumming).
For example, if you pick through an ascending scale using the three-notes-per-string
finger settings you pick the third note on each string with a down
stroke and take the first note on the next string in the same stroke.
That means that you will always pick the first note on each string
with a down stroke. In a descending scale you will pick the two
notes on the separate strings with an sweeping up stroke. This is
the way Yngwie Malmsteen picks. He can really get it lightning fast.
Here is what
the ascending pattern looks like. Starting with a down stroke on
the low E string. Second note is an up stroke and the third a down
stroke with which you pick the next note on the A string as well.
Left hand finger settings; i, r and p. v =
down stroke, n = up stroke. Start on which ever fret you like. |
This technique
is a bit hard to master. As long as you are on the same string you
will obviously have to use alternate picking but when jumping to another
string you sweep. That makes it pretty hard to maintain an even tempo.
You don't want to rush the next note on the ajacent string which is
easy to do if you aren't familiar with the sweeping technique. But
once you obtain the skill, it's very economic and you will be able
to play really fast.
ALTERNATE
PICKING
Alternate picking
is probably the most common way to pick. No matter what, you always
alternate the up- and down strokes, hence the name. At first, just
try to pick alternately on one string. Don't even do anything with
your left hand. Try to achieve a nice even tempo and try to pick
like that for more than a minute. Just to get comfortable with the
motion.
So if you take
the same pattern as above, you would pick the first note on the
second string with an up stroke instead of picking it with a down
stroke in the same "sweeping" motion. This can also be
a bit tricky at first if you are used to always playing down stokes,
like some of the slow fingered blues players. Hah hah har..! I will
only show exercises for Alternate Picking. So start out this lick
with an down stroke on the low E string and pick alternately in
an ascending pattern. |
| The most
important thing is to be able to pick cleanly and at an even tempo.
You must also be equally good at jumping between strings with down
strokes as well as up strokes. Try not to pick too fast too soon.
That will only ruin your picking.
Take the same
pattern only this time you start with an up stroke. Subsequently
you will hit the first note on the A string with an down stroke.
Practice that pattern until you get equally familiar with this motion
as the one where you start with a down stroke. Play them over different
sets of strings all over the neck. Start from the higher string
and descend the lick as well. Start this one with a down stroke
as well as an up stroke. Connect the ascending and descending patterns
and play it back and forth in an ongoing loop.
It is important
that you anchor your right hand or part of your arm somewhere. Personally
I anchor the outside of my right palm where the strings are attached
so I can easily mute the strings if I want to. It is also easier
to twist your pick so that you hit the strings with an angle of
approximately 45 degrees. That enables you to almost skid over the
strings and not get snagged trying to play faster.
Slowly expand
the pattern to include three strings and different finger settings
for your left hand. Use some of the major and minor scales I've
shown. Remember to keep it at an slow, even tempo and get it clean
as well. Eventually you will include all strings when practicing
your alternate picking. It is also good to know which fingers to
use when playing different patterns! Here you have the most common
finger settings. The third finger settings can also be played i,
m and r if you are high up on the neck. |
| A
good vehicle for fast comfortable playing is playing double triplets.
Take the Ionian scale for example. Start with a down stroke
on the C note on the E string. Play the three notes on the string
twice in an ascending pattern; C, D, E, C, D, E. (Six notes on each
string) Then do the same on the A string and all the way up to the
high E string. You will notice that you will start each string with
a down stroke. Play the same thing now only starting with an up stroke.
Reverse the whole exercise and play a descending double triplet instead;
E, D, C, E, D, C and so forth, still starting on the low E string.
Then do the whole thing again with the ascending and descending patterns,
starting with a down stroke as well as an up stroke, this time starting
from the high E string going down. |
| You can also
use this vehicle on a single string playing up and down the neck.
Start on the F note on the high E string and play a double triplet;
F, G, A, F, G, A. move up to the next position and play the next
one; G, A, B, G, A, B. Move it all the way up the neck. Do the same
thing only starting high up on the neck and play down the sting.
Reverse the triplet on both the ascending and descending pattern.
Try it on all the strings. Remember
to always pick alternately.
SYNCHRONIZATION
You have got
to get your left and right hand synchronized. You want to hit the
string with your pick exactly at the same time as you press down
the string on a fret. Just by practicing and playing all the scales
and exercises will eventually get you in sync. However, a good exercise
is to do as follows;
It's a one-string
exercise and can be played on any string. In this case we do it
on the high E string. Start with a down stroke on the first fret
and pick alternately F, F#, G and G#. All half steps. So you will
be using all four fingers on your left hand. (I know you've got
FIVE fingers, but you know what I mean...) Then descend the same
notes. So you will be playing; F, F#, G, G#, G, F# and F again.
Then slide up a half step with your index finger and from there
pick the same pattern, only with the notes F#, G, G#, A, G#, G and
F#. Then you slide up another half step with your index finger and
continue the exercise all the way up and down the neck.
Here's another
very good useful exercise involving two strings. This is on the
B and high E sting. Starting with a down stroke on the B string
and then another up and down stroke on the same string. Then pick
the only note on the E string with an up stroke and go back picking
the previous note on the B string again using an down stoke and
continue the pattern. The finger setting is; index finger, middle
finger, pinkie and index finger again on the high E string and then
back the same pattern. Slowly bring it up to tempo but keep it crisp
and clean. The tricky part is going between the pinky on the B string
and the index finger on the high E string (i.e. going back and forth
between the two strings). This is a very good exercise for your
alternate picking. Try to use different finger settings as shown
in the aforementioned figure and different sets of strings. |
| You
also have to practice the same pattern starting with an up stroke.
The only note on the E string will then be played with a down stroke.
Get equally accustomed to that picking pattern.
Here's another
great lick for practicing your picking speed and synchronization.
It involves two strings as well and the fingerings are the same
as with the previous example. Follow closely! |
| The
exercise is strictly alternate picking of course. Keep that in mind
when playing this one! Start off by picking the B note (12th fret)
with an down stroke, then C, D (then jump to the E string), E, G,
E, F, G, F, E, F, G, F, E (back to the B string), D, C and B. Continue
the lick over and over till you feel really comfortable with it.
STRING SKIPPING
You do like
it says, skip a string or more. Take any of the picking exercises
mentioned above but add a string in between on which you don't play
at all. Make sure the string (in this case the B string) doesn't
ring when skipping it. This is quite hard to get clean and fast
at the same time but after some practice you'll get the hang of
it. |
| Make
sure you try all variations with this pattern as well. You want
to be comfortable with all kinds of up and down stokes and finger
settings. Play them all over the neck and with all sets of strings.
Try also to extend your string skipping to include more than one
string. Try to skip two or three strings or even more.
Take a whole
major or minor scale but instead of just playing in straight up,
play the three notes on the E string then skip to the D string and
play the tree notes, starting with an up stroke. Then go back to
the A string then another skip to the G string and so forth. So
you play the strings in this order; E, D, A, G, D, B, G and A. Start
with and down stroke on the first note on the E string. Do the same
exercise but start the first note on the low E string with an up
stroke. Alternate so that you also start from the high E string
and work your way down to the low E always using alternate picking.
Make sure you
practice your picking thoroughly. It is really vital to your playing
to be able to pick comfortably at an even tempo and with a clean
crisp sound.
to
top continue... |
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