Harry Potter The Moives

The common types of picking used in lead guitar will be explored in this lead guitar lesson, with an emphasis on alternate picking. It is important to understand when a certain technique is best suited in a particular musical context or situation.

This lead guitar lesson will explain the three common picking techniques. These are alternate picking, sweep picking and using purely downstrokes. Each picking style will have a certain situation in which it is better suited for the guitar player.

Alternate picking, as the name suggests, involves the use of alternating up and down strokes. As an example, to play the C major scale or Ionian mode using three notes per string, with alternate picking, we first typically start with a downstroke on the C note, followed by an upstroke on the D note and then a downstroke on the E. We then shift to the A string where the F note is an upstroke. Next is a downstroke on the G note and then an upstroke on the A, and so on and on. The scale is completed using these up and down strokes. This alternating movement helps maintain steady time and rhythm and enables maximum speed. This lead guitar lesson aims to emphasise the importance of using this style of picking in lead guitar playing.

A style of picking less commonly used in lead guitar playing is sweep picking. This too has its advantages when implemented in a certain context of playing. Sweep picking is a continuous stroke over many strings in one single movement. It is similar to playing a chord, but without letting the notes ring out. This style of picking is used with one note per string with the next note on the adjacent string. Sweep picking enables the best economy of movement when crossing consecutive strings by allowing the pick to travel the least amount of distance in order to hit the notes.

The easiest way to start playing lead guitar is to use purely downstrokes. This may be the steadiest and most accurate way to hit notes, but this style of picking has its drawbacks. Picking in this manner will limit the speed in which notes can be produced as compared with the alternate technique which potentially could be twice as fast.

When learning lead guitar it is important to practice propper picking technique. A good starting place is to repeat a scale pattern using purely alternate picking. Gradually increase your speed as you improve but not to the point in which your playing gets sloppy. As you practice this type of exercise, your timing, rhythm and precision will improve which will be greatly beneficial to your lead playing. An important lead guitar lesson tip is to start slowly and to always use a metronome to stay in time.