picking style

[Zehm]

I'm an economy picker and have been since i started playing guitar. (3 years)
but i'm finding more and more that most of the really good guitarists, like gilbert, morse, etc. use alternate picking exclusively. 1)is this really an issue? and 2) how best to re-train myself?

 

[Never the same]

what's economy picker?

Good topic though, I tend to downpick EVERYTHING. Except like fast parts e.g. the third riff in Enter The Grave (the song).

 

[Zehm]

economy picking is where you have up/downs that are interrupted by changes in string. for example: going up a standard A minor scale is
a b c d e f g g f e d c b a = notes

D-U-D-U-D-U-D U-D-U-D-U-D-U = alternate picking

D-U-D-D-U-D-D U-U-D-U-U-D-U = economy Picking

economy has been described as a hybred of alternate picking and sweep picking

 

[Pablokers]

I downpick everytime I can, if its too fast I alternate pick and when I need economy picking I use it. I dont really use a style, I just use which ever one feels more comfortable when Im playing the riff, lead, solo.

 

[GregadethBloodBrawl]

I pick exactly like Dave Mustaine weirdly enough, same technique and hand position... it's bizarre
but I'm an economy picker, alternate when it calls for it... rarely use downpicking it's amateurish

 

[D.Ingram]

I downpick most of the time Greg LOL

To be honest, all these different picking styles are a pain in the tits. Its not mandatory to learn them all if you can play fine otherwise (yeah GREG!!) And chances are that if you sit down and go 'I'm gonna learn me some economy picking' then you'll struggle to do so. Half the time it just happens.

 

[Ocelot2010]

I've never used economy picking
I'm a downpicker, alternate, or tremolo

 

[GregadethBloodBrawl]

I downpick most of the time Greg LOL

To be honest, all these different picking styles are a pain in the tits. Its not mandatory to learn them all if you can play fine otherwise (yeah GREG!!) And chances are that if you sit down and go 'I'm gonna learn me some economy picking' then you'll struggle to do so. Half the time it just happens.

Dave:

My alternate picking > your trem' picking

you know it, I know it even Jean knows it
it's just a fact of life.
Like a beached whale becomes Jenna Jameson after you've done a shit load of crack, it's just life

 

[D.Ingram]