Alternate Picking

[metalgtr84]

Chris,

What's the advantage to strict alternate-picking as opposed to a more economy-picking style? Like those Paul Gilbert exercises where it's like:

A--------7-------
E-7-8-10---10-8-7
--D-U--D-U-D-U-D

Opposed to:
A--------7-------
E-7-8-10---10-8-7
--D-U--D-D-U-D-U

It feels like I have to get my picking hand really rocking up and down when I'm doing this alternate picking. (It's a good thing the woman hasn't been around because she would be jealous at how well I rock my picking hand back and forth). So yeah...any advice would be much appreciated!

 

[Shredfiend]

I prefer strict alternate picking myself for scalular stuff.

With economy picking it seems like you need to really think about how you want to execute lines rather than just playing things you hear in your at the speed of thought.....

I mean.....normally I don't want to have to think about wether I have an odd or even number of notes per string, keeping it odd to continue in a certain direction or an even number to change the direction of a line.....basically the mechanincs that go into economy picking.

I do practice economy picking a little bit in my studies though. I usually won't use sweeps unless it's 3 to 6 consectuive single notes per string(arps).

Just my preference....

 

[Chris_Broderick]

Chris,

What's the advantage to strict alternate-picking as opposed to a more economy-picking style? Like those Paul Gilbert exercises where it's like:

A--------7-------
E-7-8-10---10-8-7
--D-U--D-U-D-U-D

Opposed to:
A--------7-------
E-7-8-10---10-8-7
--D-U--D-D-U-D-U

It feels like I have to get my picking hand really rocking up and down when I'm doing this alternate picking. (It's a good thing the woman hasn't been around because she would be jealous at how well I rock my picking hand back and forth). So yeah...any advice would be much appreciated!

Hey metalgtr84,
you might think that economy picking would be the way to go however I've found that it will color your rhythm and accentuation in negative way. It's also only an advantage (if that) in a very few sircumstances. Now everything should always be considered, but alternation is always my first consideration, and when you hear Paul Gilbert pick that riff you will know why.
Take care, Chris.

 

[metalgtr84]

I guess the reason why I ask is because my friend has this Petrucci video where he's talking about playing "in the box." Basically the pick never leaves the "inside" area between two strings so that I guess you're moving less distance when you pick. It seems to me like that is something that may be more comfortable. But then again, what does Petrucci know about guitar playing anyways?

 

[Shredfiend]

he's commenting on 'inside picking' versus 'outside picking'. Both 'moves' happen constantly with alternate picking......but if your technique is solid it's not something you have to think about as executing your lines.

an example of outside picking might be as you down pick your D string and up pick your G string(hehe, but seriously).......if you do that exact move repeatedly you feel what people call outside picking......

if you up picked the 4th string and down picked the 3rd string you'd be doing the inside picking. do that move repeatedly and your picking hand might feel a little trapped.

They're 2 aspects of strict alternate picking .If you can get good at both, particularly the inside picking moves, you'll have a tight right hand.

 

[metalgtr84]

Oh trust me, my right hand and I are fuckin' tight. I'm talking about skipping over strings though - down pick the Low E and I have to go OVER the A string and come back up before I hit it. Then go OVER the E string and come back down to hit the E string again. Am I just splitting-hairs here?

 

[Meedleyx10]

If you practice economy picking enough, you can get it to sound just as dynamic and articulate as alt picking, sometimes even more so. Just listen to George Bellas. Its really just preference, show me a guy who can alt pick a scale 10 bpm faster than i can and ill economy pick the same scale 10bpm faster than that. It just comes down to what feels natural for the individual