In this article, we are going to look at guitar exercises that will build up accuracy and speed with your guitar picking techniques – focusing on alternate picking. These exercises will in turn improve the consistency and speed in your guitar playing.
With the alternate picking technique guitar exercise, we must learn to focus on swinging the pick evenly across the string using mainly the wrist and striking with only the tip of the pick in a downwards angle. While the tone should remain even most of the time ( with a very slight accent on the downwards motion ), the picking arm should remain relaxed with no upwards motion in the forearm close to the elbow.
In order for us to gain perfection using this technique, we must first have full control of the slower pick speeds, and achieve a good and clear tone on every single note we strike. Only then will we be able to obtain truly insane pick speeds later on. Remember to go really slow with these guitar exercises at first and don’t be tempted to push your limits to fast. The way I measure my own ability is I would practice along with a metronome starting with the slower beats and if I can consistently play each note clearly, then I would move up maybe another 5 beats per second.
Your alternate picking can be inconsistent at first as there are so many different attacks, angles and levels of dynamic, all of which can have an effect on the tone, but through regular and consistent practice you will develop a feel for the technique and a preference for a certain tone or range of tones.
I can only write so much on this website to explain how these guitar exercises should be done so I advise you to look towards the best of alternate picking guitar players out there on video, and watch their wrist motions and their picking angles carefully. Listen for the attack and tone as well.
Everyone has their own guitar playing techniques. Each player has a different preference of tone and attack . For example, some players prefer to hold their pick level to the string and get a clean tone while other slice their picks at an angle for a sharper attack.
Some players also prefer to anchor their picking hand’s fourth finger on the body of the guitar for stability, while other prefer to pivot from the top half of the back of the hand, curling their fingers slightly upwards and out of the way. Look for these different styles in good guitar players and experiment with their styles to find one that you’re most comfortable with. Comfortable means you can achieve better and faster results in the long run. Some great alternate pickers you can check out are Yngwie Malmsteen, Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert, and Michael Angelo Batio. They can shred incredibly accurately and fast!
Below are some guitar exercises with which you can hone your alternate picking. We will look at two-string patterns which will allow us to focus on the picking motion, utilizing both the ‘outside’ and ‘inside’ of the strings. Remember to keep your arm completely relaxed and move only the wrists!
These guitar alternate picking exercises are extremely valuable to developing even, fast and clean shredding.
‘Outside’ Picking Guitar Exercises
These starting exercises will let you train your picking hand motion. Your left fretting hand will hold a power chord while your right hand picks. Try to lift your left fingers slightly when a particular string is not being picked rather than holding all the strings down.
Three Notes Per String Pattern Exercise
Guitar Excercises - Alternate Picking Patterns
Remember to work with only the very tip of the pick as this will allow for
faster speeds later on.
Guitar Excercises - A Dorian Pattern Runs
These A Dorian shapes are great to practice our three notes per string exercise. These runs utilize notes from the position 1 box-pattern area of the A minor scale. While working with these three notes per string runs, try to visualize also the minor pentatonic scales that reside beneath these notes in all five CAGED positions.. These will further develop your ability to improvisation at a later stage.
Don’t forget, be patient and practice in short bursts at regular intervals. With dedication to these guitar exercises, you will be able to hone guitar playing technique and the alternate picking method will be second nature. All the best!
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