Alternate Guitar Picking

Video Transcript

"For a little more advanced picking technique. It still involves alternate picking, or alternating picking. Basically, a lot of Jazz musicians do this, fewer Bluegrass players do this, but I think anybody can do it and it'll economize their playing a little more. Basically involve a little less movement in the right hand. This picking technique involves always picking in the direction of the hand's movement. So, if your hand is moving down then you're also going to be performing a down-stroke, and, if your hand is moving up, you're also going to be performing an up-stroke. For example a G major scale would be played like this. Slowly, alternate. (audio demo) So, there were at least two instances where I didn't do alternating picking and I picked in the same direction as I was moving. I'll show you again. Right there, two down-strokes. Right there. So, that's. People often have referred this as sweep picking like. But, it's not exactly sweep picking, it's still controlled. Your movement's coming from your elbow and you're keeping your wrist relatively stiff. I mean, not stiff, relaxed, but it's not involved in the picking. Movement is still coming from your elbow, but you're playing each note you're not stroking the whole guitar here. Each note is discreet and played discreetly coming from my elbow."