Does anyone else pick like this?

[Artist]

say im going to do a run I sometimes use *insertname for it here* picking instead of alternate picking. e.g.

[ = down stroke
< = up stroke

[ < [ [ < [ [ < [ < [ [ < [ <
-------------------------------4-5----
--------------------------5-6---------
-------------------4-5-7-------------
---------------6-7--------------------
--------5-7-8------------------------
-5-7-8-------------------------------

its sort of alternate picking but with effeciency.

[bloodandtears]

its called "economy picking". Shaun Baxter (from Guitar Techniques UK MAGAZINE) pushes in his columns...

[davester1234]

absolutely.

I find that economy picking promotes a certain type of 'feel' and flow that I can't seem to achieve as easily doing old fashioned alternate picking.

The feel changes b/w 2 up strokes and 2 down strokes, and that's why it works well playing satch, vai, etc...it sounds less mechanical i find. But of course, there are alternate pickers who can put feel into anything.

Petrucci stuff is more standard alternate picking, and he's great

[Mr Orange]

Always remember the "all-downstroke" style as well!

[Artist]

ever seen the paul gilbert seoul guitar clinic videos? mwahah?

("for the first year of playing, i played only upstrokes, and only on one string, the low E. So when I heard "barracuda" which went *plays quaver-two semi quavers pattern on open e, then hits a g* I was like woah, thats damn fast! *plays it all upstrokes, strugling like hell*.

[Mr Orange]

Originally Posted by Artist

ever seen the paul gilbert seoul guitar clinic videos? mwahah?

("for the first year of playing, i played only upstrokes, and only on one string, the low E. So when I heard "barracuda" which went *plays quaver-two semi quavers pattern on open e, then hits a g* I was like woah, thats damn fast! *plays it all upstrokes, strugling like hell*.

[Jeff]

I always called this style 'little sweeps' because that's basically what you're doing. It's a lot of fun to play this way!

[gkelm]

Hmm. Never really analyzed this...looks like I do this naturally all the time? I guess you could also call it "first note down"?
Greg

[Artist]

Originally Posted by gkelm

Hmm. Never really analyzed this...looks like I do this naturally all the time? I guess you could also call it "first note down"?
Greg

you could, but i do the opposite (up strokes) when coming down

[RythmicIllusion]

I find myself mostly economy picking ascending, alternate picking descending. Joe Stump does the same thing. I do feel like Im flowing a lot better that way....sounds/feels fluid like legato, but with the definition of alternate picking.

I have to say that even if you are comfortable with econ. picking, be sure really know how to alternate pick...I dont mean knowing that alternate picking is up down up down up down ect. Like be as fast with both techniques. As effiecient as econ picking is for scaler runs and 3 note per string patterns, there are many times where alternate picking is faster.

Economy pickers untie!!!