oN rHE CD :!

- rnacxs zs-as

AltermtePicking
In a brand new series, Jon Bishop takes a look at how to make improvements
in essential areas of your technique.This month s focus is on alternate picking,
which has an application in almost every musical style from rockto 1azz...

specifically to take you from
zero to hero in t]1e shofiest
time possible. Many of the
concepts up for discussion
can be mastered in a relatively
short amount of time but will
affect the wayyou play and
sound immeasurably- Each
month we will start with
relatively easy examples to
build your confidence and
then push on witl trickier
exercises to stretch you.
This month we are Iooking
at altemate picking. This is an
excellent technique for
playing single note lines and
can be used in all music
styles. Many beginner guitar
players will feel most
comfortable using single
strokes to start with. Amazing
picker Paul Gilbert spent the
first part ofhis career using
only upstrokes, while many
otler players feel comfortable
using exclusive ilown strokes.
Ifyou examine the
mechanics of continuous
down strokes you will notice
the pick needs to come back
over the stdng to retum to the
upward position. In the
interests of economy the pick
may as well play a note on the
way back up. This gives us a picking
pattern of down, up dowr, up etc. An
oo Easy/Moderate added bonus is the down stroke is naturally
from economy and a relared picking hanil.
You could view speed as a by-product of
accwacy, so telax, and try to malte your
movements as economical as possible.
As ever, start slow and try not to cut
corners. All the examples will work in all
keys and at all tempos so once you master
them in the notated positions (ry them in
other areas ofthe neck. The main aim at
the end ofthe session is to include some of
the ideas in your playing. This could be
soloilg over a backing hack or composing
a melodybut to get t}le most out ofthis
article it is important to start making music
with these concepts as soon as possible.
To get some extra mileage out ofyour
pmctice why not also have a go at plaf ng
all the examples starting wit}I an up-stroke.
This will strengthen your up-stroke playing
and pose some new and interesting picking
problems. Good luck and see you at next
month's lesson I Il
lI $peed is a by-product of
accuracy. Belax and tny to
make your movements as
economical as possible rt
GETTHETONE
ry ,:e ,B .S
When playing fast alternate picking

kEY, v"rir*
w[.t tMPflovt
lz Altemate pidinq
@ stronger and gives an accent on the
downbeat if we are playing quaver or semi
quaver subdivisions. Many players would
sequences, many players find that the
neck pickup provides the mostflattering
tone. For the examples ! have u5ed a
TEMPO: Various 7Abrlitylooostn ngs like to develop the ability to play fast and clean sound so you <an hearthe notes
CD: TRACKs25-35 !lSoloinq vocabulary altemate picking is a technique that will clearlyand ld recommend you dothe
serve up the goods, especially when sametostan y/ith. Lots ofdistortion can
OVER THE NEm 1o issues this new practised in a constructive fashion. mask v/€akn€sses in your playing, so if
column aims to improve your playing in Developingspeed is often agame of you can get !hings sounding good with a
many fundamenlaJ areas. The emphasis is opposites. You may think t]1at greater clean torle. ttEn e/hen it's time to rock
on building a solid foundation and each speed will require more effort, but you will you vnll 5oind arvesome!
montl's examples have been designed probably find that the best results come

TRAGK BEG(}BD For c areotrecordwith some stupendous altornate picking exampl8s, look no f!rtie? tl3! GTs yery ovn Guthrlo Goyan.

llis debut album ontltled Erotic Cakcs ls ashorv-stopDing demonstration 0f what can be achieyed viti tlt alunate picking tochnlque and
0f cours€, as it's Guthpie, every othertochniquo in the book asuell. For othergrsat alt pickers, r, $rr! LFs., PdulGilbert and Yngwio,

52 GuitarTedmiques February 2009

 ALIERI{ATt PICl(II'IG LEAfiIIII{G ZOIIT

Alternate picking on one 5tring is a good place to start, as there is no one used bysurfking Dick Dale. Startslowl, perhaps accenting the first
needtoworryaboutcrossingstrings.Thiscuriousscaleissimilartothe of each four note groupings with a downstroke.

All examples, strick alternate p cking starling wilh a downstroke

E
ld. B
1t
-11-l't -1't 12-1
G
D

'
)I
,}

of

rg
E
.sic B
G
D

ke.
ng
ng
Sticking with the single-string idea, this example add5 a 5equence to the Watch the fretboard shifts, though. Playthis attempos you can manage
notes. This is a conceptthe speedyYngwie Malmsteen would favour, without hesitations.

rf fast )-tEo

E 7 -4-1 0-7 --+-1 0-124-1 0-l 2-1 3-1 0-1 2-1 0-12-10-7-8-10-8-5-7---A-7-4 s
B

D
=
E

EXAIYIPLE 3 MALMSTEEN STYLE SEOUENCE 2 CD TRACK 2A

This is another Malmsteen inspired idea that is similar to the previous The performance speeds on the CD are a guide onlyto what can be
example. This time we alternate between patterns to add more interest. achleved - if it takes you a yearto achieve 70bpm, that's 6nel

E
B

d E

_l February 2009 Guitallechniques 53

 ALTIRl,I[TE PICl(ITIG

EXAMPLE 4 CHROMATIC SCALE WARM-UP aF--]lT.:r:T-T:l

This warm-up exercise is based on a two-octave chromatic scale starting your position-shifting technique.
on C. lt uses a four-notes-perstring 6ngering which will also help hone

E
B

E
B

EXAMPLE 5 PAUL GILBERT / JOHN PETRUCCI STRING CROSSING LICK CDTRACT 3()
This example addresses one of the tricky areas ofakernate picking; Once memorised try accenting every eight notes with a loud down
crossing strings. Start slowly with this lick and then build up the speed. stroke so you'feel'the pattern better.

sbw J =7O 1as;t )=r4O

I t t . e\c.

E
B

EXAMPLE 6 A MINOR PENTATONIC FINGERING, SHAPE 1 CDTRACKSl

worth us taking a look at how alternate picking can be osed when
It's ideas will work all over the neck. This first example will help familiarise
playing the minor pentatonic scale. For these next few exarnples we can you with the fingering.
concentrateon playing in ourtrustyold Shape I pattern, butallthese msry*ffiEiew5*ry{

February 2009 GuitarTecfmlques 55

I
ilttt $tRlt$!
OUITAR E$$II\ITIAIS

EXAMPLE 7 JIMMY PAGE STYLE, MINOR PENTATONIC IN GROUPS OF THREE CD TRACK 32

This example uses a 'groups ofthreedescending'approach. Mr Page is written as four notes per metronome beat, try playing three notes per
fond ofthis approach and usually plays it at breakneck speed. Although beat init;ally a5 the descending line groupings are more explicit.

slow ) -7O tasi- )=r1O

E
e

!
EXAMPLE 8 SLASH STYLE, MINOR PENTATONIC IN GROUPS OF FOUR CDTRACK 33
This example builds on the previous one but now based in groups of ofsomething that Slash might use in his soloing and will work well both :.
four- noticethe firsttwo notes are repeated,Thisconcept is reminiscent ascending and descending. l:

...
6tow )=7o tast )=l4o
=,

!
E :
B
G
o

i
EXAMPLE 9 C MAJOR, THREE-NOTES-PER-STRING FINGERING GDTRACK 34
It's worth looking at some three-notes-per-string ideas with strict on an upstroke. Practising Example 3 will help you with this. Let'r first
;.
alternate picking, asthese posethe problem ofstarting a new string familiarise ourselves witha good frngering for C major. :t
=
.=14O c

P
:
-
E
:-
B
G
D

EXAMPLE IO PAUL GILBERT STYLE, C MAJOR SCALE IN GROUPS OF SIX GDTRAGK 35

This 6nal exa mple features two string pairings (sixth and fifth, fifth and fingerings work wellwith tripletand sextuplet phrases- Trythree notes
fourth, etc) in group5 of5ix notes. Rhythmically three-notes-peFstring per beat initially (60-100bpm) before working on six notes per click.

ta$ ) = t2O

1,-'ar2telc-

G
D

56 GuitaxTedmiques February 2009