Alternate Picking Guitar Technique PDF Edition

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ALTERNATEPICKING
GUITARTECHNIQUE
Build Perfect Alternate Picking Speed, Accuracy & Guitar Technique in 90 Musical Exercises
CHRISBROOKS
Alternate Picking Guitar Technique

Build Perfect Alternate Picking Speed, Accuracy & Guitar Technique in 90 Musical Exercises
ISBN 978-1-78933-246-9
Published by www.fundamental-changes.com
Copyright © 2021 Christopher A. Brooks
Edited by Tim Pettingale
The moral right of this author has been asserted.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing from the publisher.
The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher.
www.fundamental-changes.com
Cover Image Copyright: Shutterstock, aodaodaodaod

Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................... 4
Get the Audio.................................................................................................................................. 5
Chapter One: Holding and Moving the Pick................................................................................... 6
Chapter Two: Single String Sequences and Speed........................................................................ 11
Chapter Three: String Changing After Upstrokes........................................................................... 24
Chapter Four: String Changing After Downstrokes........................................................................ 36
Chapter Five: String Changing with Alternating Pick Strokes �� 46
Chapter Six: Picking Sequences.................................................................................................... 55
Chapter Seven: Additional Practice Material................................................................................. 64
Chapter Eight: Final Etudes.......................................................................................................... 71
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................... 79
Also Available From Chris Brooks.................................................................................................. 80

Introduction
Welcome to the Roadmap to Alternate Picking for Guitar.
I wanted to create a method that takes you from pick grip to speed licks in logical steps. Just like a road trip,
we know the starting and finishing points of our journey, but it helps to have stops planned along the way.
Since there’s more to alternate picking than simply moving the pick up and down or diving into licks, it made
sense to divide up the steps between zero and hero and look at the challenges and solutions for each stage of
your picking development.
Starting with pick grip and motion, you’ll get a sense of what the journey will entail as we divide picking into
categories like single-string technique, changing strings after upstrokes and downstrokes, scale sequences,
building a library of licks, and more.
Besides the technique-building licks in each chapter, we’ll be putting each concept to use in real musical
situations with etudes. These short pieces will allow you to apply your advancing technique to the studio-
quality backing tracks included in the audio download.
I’ll also help you to design a practice routine to get the most out of your time. With as little as thirty minutes,
you can create an effective picking workout using the material in this book.
It’s time to hit the road, so pack a lunch and something to drink, and let’s get started!
Chris Brooks
4
Get the Audio

The audio files for this book are available to download for free from www.fundamental-changes.com. The
link is in the top right-hand corner. Simply select this book title from the drop-down menu and follow the
instructions to get the audio.
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before adding them to your media library. You can then put them on your tablet, iPod or burn them to CD. On
the download page, there is a help PDF, and we also provide technical support via the contact form.
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5
Chapter One: Holding and Moving the Pick

Let’s begin with what kind of pick you use and how you grip it.
Pick choice
Picks are a personal choice, so I never enforce a particular kind on anyone, but it’s important to consider the
attributes of a good pick, using your goals as a deciding factor.
Thin picks can sound breezy and percussive for acoustic strumming – which is nice – but you’re likely to find
that a bendy pick lacks the response time for speedy picking lines. When you’re really shredding away, the time
that it takes for each pick stroke to leave the string can create a feeling of latency or a lack of synchronisation
between your hands.
If speed is one of your goals, try a medium-heavy or thick pick. Grab half a dozen picks of various thicknesses,
shapes and materials and do a side-by-side test. Picks of 1.0mm thickness or more should offer you a reasonable
response time.
Here are some options if you’re looking to experiment:
• Swiss Picks Jazz Plus 1.8mm (my main choice)
• Dunlop Delrin 500 1.5mm (the Yngwie Malmsteen pick)
• Dunlop Jazz III 1.38mm (the choice of countless speed pickers)
• Dunlop Flow Series John Petrucci or Flow Gloss 2.00mm
• V-Picks Pearly Gates 2.75mm
Pick grip
I use two popular pick grips in my playing, and I suggest them as a starting point for your own grip. I’ve named
them the Curl grip and Lax grip. Your hand doesn’t need to look exactly like mine, but the illustrations provide
a starting point.
Whichever approach you settle with, always make sure there’s enough pick sticking out. Having just a tiny
part of the pick exposed won’t give you complete control over your picking angles, and in due course you’ll
see how vital this control is.
The Curl grip (Figure 1a) uses the pad of the thumb and the side of a curled index finger (first phalange). The
other fingers tend to curl as well and do not rest on the guitar.
My thumb is flexed in the illustration, but it can be straightened and allowed to run over the side edge of
the pick if that feels more comfortable. Importantly, don’t bury the pick so far down the thumb that you lose
control.
Variations of Curl grip are used by players like Al Di Meola, Paul Gilbert, Rusty Cooley, Guthrie Govan and
Vinnie Moore – each known for playing very crisp and accurate picking lines.
6
Figure 1a:
The Lax grip (Figure 1b) has a straighter, more relaxed index finger and combines a fraction of the index pad
with the thumb pad. The rest of the fingers are often more open, depending on the purpose.
Some players use this grip to relax their fingers a little (like Joe Satriani and Steve Vai), others to glide them
across the pickguard or strings as they pick (like Yngwie Malmsteen), to hybrid/chicken pick (Johnny Hiland,
Albert Lee) or plant them in an anchor point (John Petrucci).
Figure 1b:
When you bring your picking hand into position, ready to strike the strings, first adjust the direction of the
pick, so that it’s pointing down at the guitar (not diagonally at the neck or bridge).
7
Twist for speed

Study Figure 1c below. In order to create flow and reduce friction, your pick can be offset from the string in a
way that allows the edge of the pick to contact the string. Using the grips illustrated above, the outer edge of
the pick contacts the string on downstrokes and the inner edge on upstrokes.
Figure 1c compares a slight pick edge offset with a more pronounced one. The amount of offset is determined
by your hand placement and whether your thumb is flexed or straightened.
Figure 1c:
Which is best? Well, the proof of the pudding is in the playing, so if you’re currently using another kind of pick
grip, road-test some drills from the next chapter in a shootout between pick grips to determine your favourite.
Basics of picking motion

Now for a quick overview of the picking motions we’ll cover in subsequent chapters.
When studying the examples in this book, you’ll need to consider where a pick stroke begins and ends and
connect those two points in the most practical way possible.
In many cases, the most logical journey between the two points is a straight line. In other words, you should
avoid scooping the pick in and out of the strings on every note when it’s not necessary. This is a habit that
many players fall into and is one of the main limiting factors when it comes to building efficient alternate
picking technique.
Sometimes we need to angle the straight line picking motion to get out of the strings after an upstroke, and
other times after a downstroke. The deciding factor is where the pick needs to be next, according to the lick
being played.
Figure 1d illustrates the pick moving into the G string on a downstroke and returning above it on an upstroke.
We’ll be using this picking angle in Chapter Three.
8
Figure 1d:
Figure 1e illustrates the pick moving out of the G string on a downstroke and returning below it on the
upstroke. This angle will be used in Chapter Four.
Figure 1e:
For single-string picking (Chapter Two), either angle is fine since there are no string changes to navigate. We’ll
discuss each approach more in due course, and I’ll point out exactly what to look for as we go through each
chapter. (If you want to go deeper into the biomechanical side of picking, my Neoclassical Speed Strategies
for Guitar book is ideal).
Before we get started, take a moment to look at the map of the journey we’re about to embark on. When you’re
ready, let’s get picking!
9
The Roadmap
10
Chapter Two: Single String Sequences and Speed

Single-string picking is the first logical stop on the alternate picking roadmap. Working with just one string,
you can improve your timing, synchronisation and speed and provide a solid a foundation for the examples in
other chapters.
First of all, we’re going to focus on the pick’s trajectory in and out of the strings with Example 2a.
After picking each downstroke, bring the pick upwards along the same line of motion to play the upstroke. I.e.
don’t scoop in and out in a U-shaped motion. Both pick strokes will mirror each other.
For single-string drills, it won’t matter if your picking line of motion is slanted inward, so that downstrokes
go below the surface of the strings (refer back to Figure 1d) or slanted outward, so that downstrokes escape
above the strings (Figure 1e).
Example 2a:
To get the fingers moving and work on a little synchronisation, Example 2b uses an open B string in between
ascending and descending chromatic fingerings.
In bars one and two, use fingers 1, 2, 3, 4, and shift them up one fret every two beats. In bars three and four,
reverse the fingering and shift down by one fret every two beats.
To synchronise fretted notes on downstrokes and upstrokes, begin this example on a downstroke, then repeat
it on an upstroke. For an extended exercise, move the drill to each string.
11
Example 2b:
To make things more musical, the remaining examples in this chapter use fragments of the E Minor scale.
Example 2c uses four 1/16th notes and one 1/4 note in each position of the lick. The mix of quick and long
notes should allow you to apply some speed in bursts without running out of stamina.
Take a few clean, controlled goes at the lick, then accelerate in free time over the course of several repeats and
see if you can keep it together as you reach the edge of your ability.
Speed development is something you have to try on purpose. Speed doesn’t occur naturally simply by practising
slow, just as walking doesn’t make you a better runner.
Hold off on measured repetition practice with a metronome until the end of the chapter, when I’ll give you
some tips for building your first practice routine.
Example 2c:
Using the same scale fragments, the next example begins and ends with the highest note in each of the
positions used.
12
Example 2d:
Now let’s increase the frequency of 1/16th notes and save the 1/4 notes for the end of each bar. This expansion
of Example 2c will help you build stamina, so try numerous repeats, stopping if you feel any fatigue or cramps
in your fretting hand.
Example 2e:
The next drill applies the expansion idea to Example 2d, resulting in another four-bar lick.
13
Example 2f:
Great alternate picking technique is not just about perfecting the pick angles, there’s a need to develop your
strength and stamina too. Constant 1/16th notes and a pedal point motif make Example 2g a great endurance
drill.
In bar one, on beats 1 and 2, a B note on the 16th fret of the G string is pedalled between the other notes using
the fourth finger of the fretting hand. On beats 3 and 4, the drill moves down by one diatonic position.
See how long you can keep this one going, keeping each pick stroke synchronised with the fretting hand.
Remember that you’re building accuracy, consistency and stamina here.
Example 2g:
To stretch the fingers out even more, we can move the previous motif down the G string. Example 2h transposes
the two shapes in Example 2g by a whole tone lower in each bar.
Like all of the drills in this chapter, you can increase the difficulty of the exercise by moving it to every string.
14
Example 2h:
So far, most of the examples had downstrokes locking into each beat of the bar. When playing 1/8th note
triplets, however, the beats will alternate between beginning on downstrokes and upstrokes.
Apply accented pick strokes on each beat in Example 2i. Beats 2 and 4 of both bars contain an accented
upstroke. Each position begins with the fretting hand index finger.
Example 2i:
Example 2j is a descending version, using the fourth finger to fret the first note of each beat. With three notes
per bar instead of four, you should be able to get Examples 2i and 2j up to a higher tempo than the 1/16th
note drills.
15
Example 2j:
To get some Al Di Meola and Vinnie Moore-sounding single string patterns happening, let’s use 1/16th note
triplets (sextuplets) to get six notes per beat, ascending and descending, with a repeated motif on the D string.
For extra dynamic range options, try it with and without palm muting. Listen to the audio example to hear how
it should sound.
Example 2k:
Now try this idea descending on the G string.
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Example 2l:
Position shifts have the potential to make our picking timing a little shaky if we’re not careful, so it’s important
to drill this idea. Example 2m uses slide shifts to accomplish ascending fours in the first half and descending
fours in the second half.
Take care not to drag the fourth finger slides in bars one and two, or the index finger slides in bars three and
four. Perform each position shift decisively and in sync with the pick strokes indicated. Take your time over
this and aim for smooth transitions.
Example 2m:
17
Example 2n has position shifts into each new beat. Bar one contains what I call a 3-1-2-3 sequence, where
three available notes in each position use a four-note motif (with the third note ocurring twice). Bar two
descends using a 1-3-2-1 sequence.
Example 2n:
Having addressed a variety of picking situations using just one string, let’s try a raw speed check! Come back
to this example from time to time as a yardstick for measuring your baseline speed as you advance.
For this last example, the task is to simply lock into this four-note repeating pattern. Play it in free time and
increase the tempo up to the edge of your ability.
Think of the sound of a drum roll that starts with slow, defined motions and escalates to a fine, even motion
and attack. When you reach your peak speed, hold it for a moment, then stop. Now, repeat the process.
Take out your metronome and measure the top speed using 1/4 note pulses against the 1/16th note subdivisions.
In other words, if you played four notes per beat at 180bpm, that becomes the tempo to beat next time.
Example 2o:
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Structuring your first picking practice routine

Now that you’ve tried all the development material in this chapter, it’s time to formulate your own picking
workout using the examples.
A practice routine for fundamental material like this does not need to be long or exhaustive to provide
improvement to your picking chops.
Keep in mind as you structure a routine that easy practice is not really practice. As soon as an exercise provides
no more value to your advancement, it can be replaced by something that does. Alternatively, you can increase
the difficulty with tempo, string placement, reversed pick strokes, etc.
There are fifteen drills in this chapter. Dedicating two minutes to each example gives you a thirty-minute
picking practice routine. If you consider ten of those exercises a challenge, the same half hour could be used
with three minutes per drill.
Three minutes for a two- or four-bar drill is plenty of time to do a thorough run through of the examples, with
repeats that allow a mix of accuracy and speed practice.
The most important part of practice is having a plan! Begin with a clear aim, so that when your session is
complete, you feel a sense of accomplishment for simply following through with your plan.
Your first session with this material might include a mix of exploring pick grips, memorising the examples,
and some free-time practice.
The next day, you might prefer measured tempo practice with the metronome.
For repetition practice, allow time for breaks and stop any time you feel any discomfort coming on.
A good tip for metronome practice is to tap your foot – if possible, the one opposite to your picking hand. Just
like walking, our limbs work well in opposites, so tapping your left foot can be effective in locking into your
right hand picking motion.
Choose just three tempos for each exercise: one to prime the pump, another to hit your stride, and another to
test your limit. Don’t waste time playing slower than you need to. Increase the tempo by a decent amount each
time – 20 beats per minute (bpm) for example. There’s not much benefit to be had by creeping up through
tempos you’ve already mastered.
Before moving to the etudes that complete this chapter, take a look at the troubleshooting advice just ahead. In
the next chapter, we’ll take a first look at using multiple strings and approach string changes.
Troubleshooting this chapter

Problem 1: I can’t get any speed, even with just one note.
Solution: Ensure that pick strokes move up and down along one line of motion, not a scooping, U-shaped
motion. Try to imitate the pathways illustrated in Figures 1d and 1e.
19
Problem 2: I can’t reach across two whole tones on the fretboard
Solution: Position your hand so that the index finger is not angled away from the notes the other fingers are
assigned to. Use your wrist and elbow to position the fretting hand to span four or five frets easily. See the
diagram below.
Problem 3: I can’t synchronise my fingers and pick strokes.
Solution: Spend a little more time on Example 2b, firstly leading with downstrokes, then with upstrokes. The
option you find more challenging is the one you need to spend the most time on.
Problem 4: I feel too much friction from the pick when I speed up.
Solution: Increase the pick edge offset covered in Chapter One to create a smoother motion.
20
Single-string Etudes
Here are some musical applications for your single-string picking technique.
Each of the etudes can be moved to any string you like, but the audio and backing tracks for these examples
are in the keys notated here. Backing tracks are supplied at 100% and 70% speeds.
Example 2p is played entirely on the B string in the key of A Minor. The audio was performed at 160bpm.
Example 2p:
Example 2q is a baroque harpsichord-inspired etude in the key of E Minor. It uses a four-note pivoting figure
that moves around the G string.
21
For good timing, lock your index finger into the beat as it moves to each position. I performed it at 154bpm.
Example 2q:
The last etude for this section contains a mixture of fretted and open string notes, 1/16th notes and sextuplet
subdivisions, position shift slides and sequencing.
Take your time getting a lock on each aspect of this etude by isolating any difficult phrases and practising them
separately. Reassemble the parts for a slower performance, then have a go at performing it with the slower
backing track.
If you need to slow down the backing tracks even more, software like Transcribe and freeware like Audacity
will do the job.
22
Example 2r:
23
Chapter Three: String Changing After Upstrokes

A large part of the alternate picking roadmap is navigating string changes. Moving the pick from one string
to the next is where many players first come unstuck, so I’ll be approaching this large concept in parts across
three chapters, with lots of development exercises and useable vocabulary along the way.
This chapter focuses on phrases and drills that change strings after upstrokes, with new strings beginning on
downstrokes. We can orient our phrases this way by using even numbers of notes per string.
For all of the examples in this section, orient your pick to resemble the picking pathway illustrated in Figure
1d from Chapter One. Your upstrokes will end up above the strings and downstrokes will push into the strings
towards the guitar.
The result you’re aiming for with these examples is to feel that changing strings is no harder than playing
along single strings. Ascending even numbers and descending even numbers should feel equally achievable.
The diatonic examples in the next three chapters are written in the key of C Major unless otherwise stated.
Example 3a uses ascending and descending chromatic scale portions with rests in between. Be mindful to
maintain the same control of timing between the strings as you do on each single string.
Example 3a:
Now let’s remove the spaces and insert position slides for a repeating lick. After a few repeats, push the tempo
and make sure you can still manage changing strings as easily as single string picking.
24
Example 3b:
Mixing ascending and descending string changes in a cascading fashion, Example 3c moves across four strings,
while examples 3d and 3e provide six-string versions to expand into.
For an extra-long exercise, combine examples 3d and 3e to make one long string-changing drill.
Example 3c:
25
Example 3d:
Example 3e:
26
Moving to some diatonic sequences, three-note-per-string (3nps) scales can use the even numbers picking
approach by repeating one note.
Example 3f is an ascending C Major scale line that uses the second note of each string twice. Example 3g is
its descending counterpart using the next 3nps pattern up.
Example 3f:
Example 3g:
Let’s turn up the heat with sextuplets going up and down the combined 3nps patterns used in the two previous
examples. Each set of three notes is played twice, keeping the even numbered system, with consistent pick
stroke choices from string to string.
27
Example 3h:
So far, we’ve used the same number of notes on almost every string in each drill. As long as you have even
numbers, the string changes work the same whether you have two, four, six or more notes along each string.
The next three examples use diatonic C Major scale patterns, with more variation between the even numbers
used from string to string.
Example 3i borrows four- and six-note ideas from previous sequences. It sounds great over an A Minor chord
or progression.
28
Example 3i:
Less pattern-sounding and a lot more like a cool phrase to use in soloing, Example 3j mixes two-, four- and
six-note patterns. It sounds great over a chord like F major, giving it a Lydian sound from the key of C Major.
Example 3j:
Take your time with Example 3k since you’ll be switching patterns, numbers of notes per string and melodic
fragments to execute this D Dorian-sounding lick. This also sounds great over an A minor chord as long as you
change the final note to a chord tone, like A.
Example 3k:
29
A scale that probably all of us began our lead playing with is the pentatonic scale, arranged in 2nps boxes.
As a string-changing exercise, applying a string skipping pattern to the first minor pentatonic box shape can
test your ability to land on new strings with accuracy and good timing.
When confronting large gaps between strings, make sure you don’t start flapping your picking hand around to
get to each new string. Take it slow and nail each string change with a direct hit on each string.
If you’re able to take your eyes off your fretting hand, watch the picking hand in Example 3l and use your
hand-eye coordination to maintain the perfect pick stroke each time.
Example 3l:
Staying with the pentatonic box as a framework, Example 3m uses passing tones (diminished 5th and major
6th intervals) to maintain an even number of notes when turning the lick around in opposite directions.
Example 3m:
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Etude: Summer Winds

To end this section, here’s an etude I wrote to put upstroke escape string changes into some music. Summer
Winds (Example 3n) is in the key of A Minor and performed at 145bpm on the audio.
Drawing from the natural minor and harmonic minor scales, this piece uses even numbers of notes per string
that begin on downstrokes.
I suggest breaking it up into sections for study in the following way:
• Section 1: bars one to three
• Section 2: bar four and beat 1 of bar five
• Section 3: bar five, beat 3, plus bar six
• Section 4: bars seven and eight
• Section 5: bars nine to twelve
• Section 6: bars thirteen to sixteen
31
Example 3n:
32
After you’ve completed each of the drills in this chapter, begin adding a few per week to your practice routine.
If you plan to stay with the thirty-minute format discussed at the end of Chapter Two, replace easy single-
string drills from that chapter with examples from this one, as well as the etude (Example 3n).
For reference, on the following page you’ll find scale diagrams for the 3nps scale patterns used in this chapter
(and the chapters that follow), as well as the five pentatonic box patterns.
Use them to have a go at creating your own picking patterns and fingering shapes after trying the ones taught
here. Be sure to try any of the sequences presented here with other shapes in the key.
In Chapter Four, we’ll move on to take a look at changing strings after downstrokes instead of upstrokes.
33
Scale Diagrams
Here are the seven three-note-per-string patterns of the C Major scale.
34
And here are the five two-note-per-string A Minor Pentatonic boxes.
35
Chapter Four: String Changing After Downstrokes

Changing strings after downstrokes requires orienting the pick to function like the illustration in Figure 1e
from Chapter One.
Upstrokes push the pick below the surface of the strings and downstrokes escape it – opposite to the way
things worked in Chapter Three.
Just like in the previous chapter, even numbers can help us develop a consistent string-changing approach
across multiple strings but, to get the ball rolling using the right angles, each of these escaped downstroke licks
and drills begin with an odd number.
Example 4a is a chromatic two-string drill that begins with three notes on the D string. The even numbers
that follow keep the pick in the same orientation, changing strings after downstrokes for higher and lower
strings alike.
Example 4a:
Using more strings, Example 4b is like a retooled Example 3c. It’s just displaced by one note and begins
strings on upstrokes after the first D string portion. Take your time to get used to this, since the string changes
now occur on the last 1/16th note of each beat.
36
Example 4b:
Example 4c is mostly four notes per string, but the single note on the low E string in bar one, and on the high
E string in bar three, keep the entire drill in the downstroke escaping form.
Example 4c:
37
Beginning pentatonic licks with a single note on one string is also a great way to work on this string changing
form. Examples 4d and 4e use the A Minor pentatonic scale in downward and upward cascading licks.
Example 4d:
Example 4e:
Shifting sideways into other pentatonic boxes, Example 4f uses the D Minor pentatonic scale. For fingering
consistency, I use the third and first fingers throughout.
Example 4f:
38
In Example 4g, an obvious six-note motif moves from the A string to the high E string but is displaced at the
beginning by three notes on the high E string. When navigating picking lines like this, looking for similarities
across the strings will help the thinking and mechanical process as you memorise the phrase.
Example 4g:
Similarly, Example 4h has an eight-note sequence moving from the B string down to the A string but is offset
at the beginning by three notes on the high E string.
This lick has a lot of potential for speed when you’re ready for it, so keep hammering away at the tempo and
the string changes until it’s blazing away.
39
Example 4h:
Speed runs like Paul Gilbert’s ascending sixes can be created by taking runs like Example 3h and removing
the first three notes. An odd number followed by groups of even numbers is a common occurrence in the shred
guitar world.
Example 4i:
40
Example 3k can similarly be tweaked to change strings after downstrokes by beginning with one note on the
high E string instead of two.
Example 4j:
For some mixed number practice, this unorthodox G Mixolydian run begins with five notes before mixing two,
six and ten notes per string.
Example 4k:
If you still feel as though the downstroke-to-upstroke string change needs work, this small focus drill includes
some string skipping to exaggerate the difficulty and make adjacent string changes a little easier.
41
Example 4l:
With all of the runs in this chapter, make sure you are getting enough clearance above the strings on your
downstrokes so that you’re not crashing the pick into each new string.
42
Etude: Pinball Machine

Now we can apply this technique in a musical context. I call this piece Pinball Machine because it reminds me
of being a kid in the ‘80s playing pinball machines and arcade games.
Written in the key of E Minor, this etude has an abundance of ideas that finish strings on downstrokes and
begin new ones on upstrokes, so you’ll see plenty of ideas that begin with an odd number of notes and move
to an even number of notes.
Study this piece two bars at a time before you put it together. At 130bpm, some players may find the sextuplet
runs in bars three, four and sixteen a challenge. If so, isolate those speed bursts for extra practice, keeping in
mind they are more or less like single-string runs with a jump in between. Example 4g also works as a primer
for these kinds of runs.
43
Example 4m:
44
The next chapter contains drills to work on changing strings on a mix of downstrokes and upstrokes.
45
Chapter Five: String Changing with Alternating Pick Strokes

So far on our roadmap, we’ve made stops along the way at single string technique, changing strings after
upstrokes and changing strings after downstrokes. These three crucial elements all play a part in the next stop:
changing strings at any time after any pick stroke.
In this chapter, I’ll present you with a series of small focus drills to hone your alternating pick stroke string
changes. Then, I’ll help you venture into longer licks and sequences. All examples are in the key of C Major.
While it’s possible to create a lot of vocabulary using your favourite pick stroke for string changes, scale
practice and improvisation are bound to force you to use the opposite pick stroke string changes regularly.
Even the humble pentatonic scale will force a change in the escaping pick stroke as soon as two notes per
string are broken up by three notes, as examples 5a and 5b demonstrate.
Example 5a:
Example 5b:
Scales with odd numbers of notes on every string (like the A Minor scale pattern below) will alternate equally
between ending on downstrokes and upstrokes.
46
Example 5c:
Before hitting your scale practice, it can be really beneficial to create workouts based on short, repeated drills
that focus on string changes.
Example 5d takes three notes from the D string and two from the G string for a small ascending and descending
drill. Ascending string changes happen after a downstroke and descending string changes happen after
upstrokes.
Example 5d:
Example 5e occurs in the same territory as the previous drill but uses two scale notes from the D string and
three from the G string. Ascending string changes now occur after upstrokes and descending string changes
after downstrokes.
47
Example 5e:
For a steady drill with no breaks, Example 5f combines elements of the two previous examples. If any part of
this drill feels more difficult than the rest, revise Examples 5d and 5e, investing a bit more time into the one
you consider trickier.
Example 5f:
Using an A Minor pentatonic box, Example 5g puts an emphasis on inside picking string changes. Upstrokes
on the G string are followed by downstrokes on the B string. Repeating these string changes in succession
highlights the hardest part of the lick, since you’ll be changing string after every pick stroke instead of having
at least a couple of notes per string. If this really slows you down, make a looping lick out of beat 2 for isolated
practice.
Example 5g:
48
Complementing the previous drill with an outside picking counterpart, Example 5h repeats the string change
between the G string and B string.
This time, you’ll be moving the pick around the outside of the strings as the downstroke exiting the G string
moves past the B string in order to hit it on an upstroke. Compare beats 1 and 2 of this example to beats 1 and
2 of the previous example for a snapshot of inside versus outside picking.
When you have a sense of whether inside or outside string changes are more difficult for you, invest extra time
into the weaker of the two.
Example 5h:
Drawing on all six strings, Example 5i uses inside string changes all the way up the pentatonic box while
Example 5j uses outside string changes.
Example 5i:
49
Example 5j:
While we could certainly keep creating separate drills to work on changing strings after upstrokes, downstrokes,
in between the strings or outside them, another great practice concept is to use drills with an odd number of
notes that repeat continuously.
In this next series of drills, odd numbered units of notes will flip the required pick strokes with every repeat.
Take a look at Example 5k to see what I mean.
In this drill, the five-note unit begins on a downstroke, repeats beginning on an upstroke, and goes back to a
downstroke on the next repeat.
Example 5k:
50
To ramp up the challenge and make things sound more creative, Example 5l moves the five-note idea down the
high E and B strings. Try each unit separately to work on the fingering before combining them.
Example 5l:
Ascending fives work well too, so let’s go up the A and D strings in Example 5m. Your index finger will fret
the first note of each five-note group.
Example 5m:
Switching numbers, Example 5n uses a unit of seven notes across the B, G and D strings. The first time
through, each string begins on a downstroke, switching to upstrokes in alternating iterations.
Example 5o offers an ascending counterpart across the same strings in a different position.
Example 5n:
51
Example 5o:
Using nine repeated notes played as 1/16th note sextuplets, Example 5p represents perhaps the biggest
challenge yet. Take your time with it!
When you have memorised the sequence of notes, be sure to try this motif in various positions and string
groups, staying within diatonic patterns.
Example 5p:
For a brain and finger twister, try this eleven-note sequence. It’s written in 11/16 time to remind you to place
an accent at the beginning of each iteration. (In Chapter Six, we’ll be looking at a range of alternate picking
scale sequences across all strings).
52
Example 5q:
53
Updating your practice routine

With the material in this chapter veering into advanced territory, it’s worth giving your practice routine a
shake-up at this point.
With each chapter covering a different aspect of alternate picking, practice routines can be partitioned by topic
within a single practice session or spread across several days.
General Sessions Versus Focus Sessions

A mix of workout approaches can really help your development.
General sessions are practice workouts that aim to maintain or improve various areas of playing in one sitting.
Perhaps you want to revise old material, add something new, and allow a little time for noodling at the end.
The best way to plan a general practice session is to consider the time you’ll be spending, then divide it by
the number of topics you wish to cover. If you plan to work on four areas of playing, an hour gives you fifteen
minutes per topic. When the clock says it’s time to change topic, change.
With a general session, you create the feeling of being on top of several aspects of playing, so that you’re not
letting anything slip.
Focus sessions, however, are where the most advancement happens. This is like the arm day or leg day at the
gym rather than a circuit workout.
In a focus session, you’ll dig deep into one topic, allocating perhaps a whole hour to progressing with new
material or tightening up previous material on the chosen subject. Rather than glossing over licks or doing
exercises for the sake of maintenance, you’ll be immersed in advancement.
Across a week of practice, you might mix general sessions and focus sessions, or have several focus sessions
through the week. The choice is yours.
Whichever way you mix and match practice formats, adhere to the suggestions at the end of Chapter Two
regarding the effective use of time and not overdoing any single exercise.
In the next chapter, we’ll be running through common picking sequences and perhaps some uncommon
ones too!
54
Chapter Six: Picking Sequences

This chapter will load you up with a series of diatonic and pentatonic picking sequences to play across multiple
strings and positions, each in the key of C Major.
A sequence is a melodic motif that is moved upward or downward through the degrees of a scale. In each
example, I’ll explain what the musical unit consists of and then apply it to a whole scale.
Example 6a is what’s known as an ascending fours sequence, played from a C note on the low E string to a C
note two octaves higher.
From each note in the scale, four notes are played in ascending order, so the sequence in this case goes C, D,
E, F then D, E, F, G, followed by E, F, G, A, and so on.
The arrangement of notes on the strings has three steps that repeat in cycles. In this case, step one has one note
on the low E string and three notes on the A string. Step two has three notes on the A string and one note on
the D string, followed by two notes on the A string and two on the D string.
From the 4th beat of bar one, the steps repeat from the A string. Wherever you begin the sequence, the layout
of the series of steps repeats in order.
Example 6a:
Example 6b uses descending fours with the same C Major scale pattern as Example 6a. The layout of notes
across the strings repeats in three steps like the previous example. This time, it’s two notes and two notes, one
note and three notes, three notes and one note per string.
55
Example 6b:
We can get more creative with sequences by breaking them up a little. Example 6c is played using an A Minor
scale from the A string in 12th position.
Two steps of ascending fours are broken up by four descending notes on the 3rd beat of each bar, before the
sequence moves to a new string pair.
To make the steps of this mixed sequence more obvious, I’ve notated this Example in 3/4 time. It can be played
across any other time signature once you have it memorised.
Example 6c:
56
Example 6d uses the mixed approach with two steps of descending fours, followed by four ascending notes
before it moves to a new string pair each time.
Example 6d:
Diatonic 2nd intervals work well for sequencing too. In Example 6e, ascending 2nds are played in descending
order. I.e. F to G, E to F, D to E, and so on.
This particular portion sounds great over a G chord for a G Mixolydian tonality. If you’d like to improve your
understanding of modes, check out the book Guitar Scales in Context by Joseph Alexander, also published by
Fundamental Changes.
Example 6e:
Using the same fretboard territory as the previous example, this lick features descending 2nds in ascending
order. I.e. C to B, D to C, E to D, etc.
57
Example 6f:
Sequencing isn’t limited to moving fixed intervals around the scale. We can move any cool melodic phrase up
and down or across the strings.
Using the A Harmonic Minor scale (A, B, C, D, E, F, G#) over an E dominant chord, Example 6g takes a four-
note phrase diagonally upwards from the low E string to the high E string and back down. This sequence unit
pedals the highest note in each portion between the other two notes on each string.
We used a similar melodic figure up and down the G string in Example 2q.
Example 6g:
As an example of a sequence that shifts horizontally as well as string to string, this next lick uses a unit of six
notes that moves from the high E string down to the G string before moving back to the high E string, one
diatonic position lower.
58
Isolate the first six notes of this example if this is the first time you’ve encountered this phrase. It occurs often
in Neoclassical rock with players like Yngwie Malmsteen.
Watch out for the string change from the G string to the high E string each time the sequence moves. Pull the
final upstroke on the G string far enough away that you have a clear path to the high E string as you skip over
the B string.
Example 6h:
Mixing positions and sequence ideas, Example 6i begins with single-string descending fours in bar one, beats
1, 2, and 3, moving into positional descending fours until bar two, beats 1 and 2.
From the 3rd beat of bar two, the lick switches to an ascending 3-1-2-3 sequence, last seen in Example 2n.
This time, the 3-1-2-3 sequence weaves through the D string and G string before shifting positions using slides
along the G string.
59
Example 6i:
Mixing not only sequences but subdivisions, Example 6j begins with an ascending diatonic 3rds sequence,
becoming a descending sextuplet run in bar two.
This example makes a great looping lick since the end of bar two connects nicely back to the beginning of bar
one if you simply slide down two frets after the last note.
Example 6j:
60
Let’s get pentatonic!
Using the D Minor pentatonic from the second degree of the C Major scale, Example 6k has a cascading sound
as descending units are played across two- and three-string sets.
Briefly using the third and second minor pentatonic boxes for the first eight notes, the sequence becomes a
three-string cascade down the first box with a short visit to the fifth box below it at the end of bar two.
Example 6k:
The D Minor pentatonic sequence unit in Example 6l takes place over eight notes, so it might feel a little
random until you have played through the first iteration a few times.
Rather than sliding into each new step of the sequence, the slide is contained within the main unit between the
sixth and seventh notes.
At the end of bar two, the last two notes of the sequence are replaced by two notes on the G string in order to
move the two-string motif down to the D string and G string.
61
Example 6l:
Consisting of descending threes, bars one to three of Example 6m combine the notes of A Minor pentatonic (A
C D E G) with a B note from the A Natural minor scale.
The hexatonic (six-note) pattern moves down an octave each bar until the ascending threes natural minor
sequence in bar four.
Example 6m:
62
Descending fives in the pentatonic box create a cool displaced feel when played as 1/16th notes.
In Example 6n, the first A Minor pentatonic box is sequenced in fives through bar one and into the 1st beat of
bar two. From the 2nd beat of bar two, the A Natural minor scale uses ascending fives up the D string and G
string, in the same way than Example 5m did on the A string and D string.
From bar three, 2nd beat, the pentatonic scale returns in ascending fives until the end of the lick.
Example 6n:
The sequences in this chapter already provide a smorgasbord of cool concepts to apply to scales, but don’t
stop here.
Any time you hear a great idea happening in someone’s playing, analyse it. Look for the concept behind the
picking line and see where else it can be applied.
We all have access to the same scales – it’s what we do with them that will set us apart from every other player!
63
Chapter Seven: Additional Practice Material

Aside from a handful of chromatic drills, most of the material covered in the previous chapters has focused on
licks that develop technique while also being applicable to real music.
Once in a while though, it can be a lot of fun and beneficial to your chops to work on stuff that is a little absurd,
like finger-twisting exercises that have no business being used in songs or solos!
For each of the examples here, I’ll let you know what each exercise is designed to accomplish. You can include
them in your regular practice with the more musical offerings or use them to warm up with.
Example 7a is an alternating 4-3-2-1 and 1-2-3-4 exercise but splits up the fingerings between four strings.
One-note-per-string exercises are a good test for alternate picking, since you’ll be leaving each string as soon
as you arrive at it.
Example 7a:
Another 1-2-3-4 exercise variation, Example 7b puts the first two fingers on one string and the other two
fingers on the next string, then alternates in string pairs.
With even numbers of notes and a downstroke to begin, the pick will exit each string after an upstroke.
64
Example 7b
To convert the previous drill into a downstroke escape practice lick, the first note is removed from the beginning
and placed at the end.
Starting on a downstroke now gives each note the opposite pick stroke to what it had before.
Example 7c:
Many players complain that it can be hard to separate the third and fourth fingers of the fretting hand. To
highlight that issue and provide some practice, Example 7d uses those fingers twice on each string before using
the second and first fingers once each.
In bar three, the roles are reversed to give the first two fingers more work to do.
65
Example 7d:
Yet another 1-2-3-4 variation, the next drill uses increasing string skips as the second and third fingers are
displaced to a higher string until reaching the high E string in bar two.
Since there are two notes per string and a downstroke to begin, you’ll be working on outside picking as well
as stretching the fingers a little.
Having to jump from the low E string to the high E string should make for a great coordination exercise.
Example 7e:
Perfect for challenging your string changing, Example 7f is kind of a mutating cross-picking drill that grows
from two strings to four strings in each bar.
To up the ante, try it beginning on an upstroke too. The placement of inside and outside picking is reversed and
can require good concentration to play mistake-free.
66
Example 7f:
For finger strength, stretching and synchronisation, Example 7g uses pairs of adjacent fingers each time to go
from the high E string to the low E string, the next pair to go back up, and so on.
With a whole tone stretch each time, this drill can be strenuous, so be sure not to persist if you feel any
discomfort or pain.
To make the exercise easier, move it to a higher position. To increase the difficulty, move to a lower position.
67
Example 7g:
Combining a wide stretch, some string skipping and alternating exit pick strokes, Example 7h can be made
simpler or harder by either repositioning the shape or increasing / decreasing the interval stretch.
You’ll be using the index and pinkie fingers throughout.
Example 7h:
68
Adding the 15th fret to the previous stretch, Example 7i creates a series of diminished triads on each string.
By playing all of the triads in the same position, the lick is very chromatic sounding since we have eleven of
the twelve chromatic scale notes spread across six strings.
Each ascending string change occurs after a downstroke while descending string changes happen after
upstrokes.
Example 7i:
Another one-note-per-string exercise, Example 7j moves a suspended 2nd arpeggio up and down chromatically,
providing a nice stretch and cross-picking drill at the same time.
69
Example 7j:
70
Chapter Eight: Final Etudes

To finish the book on a musical level, I’ve composed three final etudes with various challenges and practical
applications of the concepts presented so far.
I performed each of the etudes at a tempo that felt right on an instinctive level for me, but feel free to work
them up to a speed that either your ability or taste leads you to, whether that is slower or faster.
Sometimes, music hits the spot if it’s laid back and in the pocket. Other times, you might want the listener to
feel like they’re in the passenger seat of a speeding car, or to push yourself to the edge of your ability.
Since these pieces use alternate picking across all strings and require changing strings after upstrokes and
downstrokes in equal distribution, it’s advisable to have a good understanding of the material in chapters four,
five and six in preparation for the etudes here.
If you get stuck on a particular phrase, either because of the speed or the mechanics, isolate that section for
diagnosis. When you’ve determined what the issue might be, address it by finding similar examples in the
earlier stages of the book.
Let’s shred!
71
Final Etude One: Laid Bach

The first etude, Laid Bach (Example 8a) is inspired by the many preludes of Johann Sebastian Bach. Baroque
music makes great study material for picking lines and contains several interesting melodic devices like
sequencing and pedal-point.
On the audio, I performed this piece at 105bpm – slow enough to add a little grace to the melodies and fast
enough to create a challenge on the last sextuplet run.
Written in the key of C Major, Laid Bach contains even and odd numbered picking runs, pivoting licks, and
sequences requiring string escapes after downstrokes and upstrokes.
Study each bar separately, then start putting two- and four-bar segments together before attempting the
whole thing.
Example 8a:
72
73
Final Etude Two: Pent Up

Switching genres, the next etude is a pentatonic picking-fest in the key of F# Minor.
Inspired by great pentatonic pickers like Paul Gilbert, Kee Marcello and Vinnie Moore, Pent Up is a funk-rock
etude played at 130bpm. It also includes some diatonic 3nps runs from the A Major / F# Minor scales.
The licks in this piece constantly switch between downstroke and upstroke string changes, so take the weaving
pentatonic lines a little slower if you notice the pick starting to flap around. In such situations, break licks up
into small pieces, even as small as a couple of beats at a time. Focus on the string changes and try to economise
the motions between one string and the next.
In bars seven and eight, I begin the 1/16th note sextuplet run on a downstroke after a 1/8th note rest, just as I
would pick it at the beginning of the bar from a downbeat. If you’d rather land on each beat with a downstroke,
you could reverse the pick strokes of this section.
Example 8b:
74
75
Final Etude Three: Bumble Cee Bee

For the last etude, Bumble Cee Bee, it’s time to get a little fiery.
A play on Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Flight of the Bumblebee, this etude uses oodles and oodles of chromatic
passing tones. I performed it on the audio at 195bpm.
While the abundance of passing tones might look somewhat random, each idea is tied to the chord underneath.
The harmony comes from the key of A Minor.
In bars one and two, the frequent 5th fret notes on the G string and B string are chord tones of the A Minor
triad (C and E, respectively). After a single-string shifting lick in bar three, the phrases from the first two bars
are transposed to suit the D minor chord in bars four and five.
The diminished arpeggios in bar six belong to the A Harmonic Minor scale, and in bars nine and ten, string-
skipping arpeggios provide the framework for more chromatic passing tones.
This etude is definitely one to break down into single-bar sections for study!
Example 8c: Bumble Cee Bee
76
77
Suggested Listening and Repertoire

Every road trip needs good tunes, so here is a list of artists and songs that feature some of the best alternate
picking you’ll hear!
Use these tracks for inspiration or dig into them for study material. Choose licks or sections of songs that
musically interest you while also providing a challenge. The more you like something, the greater the chance
you’ll stick with it.
When you have the transcription of a song you wish to learn, take note of what’s happening in terms of the
layout of a lick, the string-changing requirements and the tempo to aim for. Break it down in the same way
we’ve broken down alternate picking in this book, step by step.
Artist Track Album

Vinnie Moore Into The Future Time Odyssey
Vinnie Moore In Control Mind’s Eye
John Petrucci Glasgow Kiss Suspended Animation
John Petrucci The Glass Prison (Dream Theater) 6 Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Paul Gilbert Fuzz Universe Fuzz Universe
Paul Gilbert Technical Difficulties (Racer X) Technical Difficulties
Chris Brooks Crack in The Hourglass (shameless plug) The Master Plan
Steve Vai Eugene’s Trick Bag Crossroads Soundtrack
Al Di Meola Mediterranean Sundance Elegant Gypsy
Al Di Meola Race with the Devil on a Spanish Highway Elegant Gypsy
Steve Morse Tumeni Notes High Tension Wires
Kee Marcello Flight of The BumbleKee (Europe) Europe, Live at Hammersmith
John McLaughlin Belo Horizonte Belo Horizonte
John McLaughlin Kriti (with Shakti) A Handful of Beauty
Joey Tafolla Six String Soufflé Infra Blue
Andy James Burn It Down Self-titled
Yngwie Malmsteen Hot On Your Heels Steeler
78
Conclusion
The great thing about alternate picking is how genre-defying it is. Rather than being a tool for shred guitar,
bluegrass or jazz, the mechanics of good picking can be applied to whatever you’re into.
Now that you’ve reached the end of the book, it’s time to double back to anything that requires some extra work.
When you’re happy with the results, create your own licks, improvise over your own tracks, and transpose
your favourite concepts to fit other scales and modes.
To add to your arsenal of guitar chops, you might like to explore fretting hand technique in my book Legato
Guitar Technique Mastery or delve into the world of arpeggios with Sweep Picking Speed Strategies for
Guitar.
I hope you’ve enjoyed the alternate picking concepts from this book, and I thank you for allowing me to
guide you through them.
Chris Brooks
79
Also Available From Chris Brooks
100 Arpeggio Licks for Shred Guitar

Discover how to turn arpeggios into creative licks while learning the language of 10 iconic rock guitarists.
Master 10 blazing licks in the style of each of these iconic virtuosos: Yngwie Malmsteen, Paul Gilbert, Frank
Gambale, Steve Morse, Jason Becker, Michael Romeo, Vinnie Moore, Marty Friedman, Nuno Bettencourt &
Greg Howe.
Advanced Arpeggio Soloing for Guitar

Discover the ultimate creative resource for applying arpeggios in modern improvisation. Build a unique
vocabulary of arpeggio concepts and phrasing tools. Create melodic phrases and high-speed lines applicable
to many styles.
Legato Guitar Technique Mastery

A complete system to play legato in the style of masters like Allan Holdsworth, Guthrie Govan, Greg Howe,
Brett Garsed, Steve Vai and Joe Satriani. Learn to master the whole fretboard with scale maps. Break out of
the “scale jail” boxes in which amateur guitarists often find themselves trapped.
Neo-Classical Speed Strategies for Guitar

Overcome the common hurdles of speed picking. Master Neoclassical picking technique to play any music,
perfectly. Build incredible, efficient picking technique for insane speed and accuracy. Concise, effective
picking drills form a direct path to speed-picking mastery.
Sweep Picking Speed Strategies for Guitar

A complete system to master sweep-picking on guitar. A systematic guide to mastering technique and
dominating the fretboard. Discover and apply the 6 Essential Rudiments of Sweep Picking. Complete technical
development through 100 drills and 17 Etudes.
Sweep Picking Strategies For 7-String Guitar

A comprehensive breakdown of everything you need to sweep pick efficiently on 7-string guitar. A systematic
guide to mastering technique and dominating the extended-range fretboard. Discover and apply the 6 Essential
Rudiments of Sweep Picking.
www.fundamental-changes.com/product-tag/chris-brooks/
80

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Alternate Picking Guitar Technique

Copyright © 2021 Christopher A. Brooks

Edited by Tim Pettingale

The moral right of this author has been asserted.

Cover Image Copyright: Shutterstock, aodaodaodaod

Get the Audio.................................................................................................................................. 5

Chapter One: Holding and Moving the Pick................................................................................... 6

Chapter Two: Single String Sequences and Speed........................................................................ 11

Chapter Three: String Changing After Upstrokes........................................................................... 24

Chapter Four: String Changing After Downstrokes........................................................................ 36

Chapter Five: String Changing with Alternating Pick Strokes ������������������������������������������������������� 46

Chapter Six: Picking Sequences.................................................................................................... 55

Chapter Seven: Additional Practice Material................................................................................. 64

Chapter Eight: Final Etudes.......................................................................................................... 71

Also Available From Chris Brooks.................................................................................................. 80

Get the Audio

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Chapter One: Holding and Moving the Pick

Here are some options if you’re looking to experiment:

• Swiss Picks Jazz Plus 1.8mm (my main choice)

• Dunlop Delrin 500 1.5mm (the Yngwie Malmsteen pick)

• Dunlop Jazz III 1.38mm (the choice of countless speed pickers)

• Dunlop Flow Series John Petrucci or Flow Gloss 2.00mm

• V-Picks Pearly Gates 2.75mm

Twist for speed

Basics of picking motion

Chapter Two: Single String Sequences and Speed

Now try this idea descending on the G string.

Structuring your first picking practice routine

Troubleshooting this chapter

Problem 3: I can’t synchronise my fingers and pick strokes.

Chapter Three: String Changing After Upstrokes

Etude: Summer Winds

I suggest breaking it up into sections for study in the following way:

• Section 1: bars one to three

• Section 2: bar four and beat 1 of bar five

• Section 3: bar five, beat 3, plus bar six

• Section 4: bars seven and eight

• Section 5: bars nine to twelve

• Section 6: bars thirteen to sixteen

Chapter Four: String Changing After Downstrokes

Etude: Pinball Machine

Chapter Five: String Changing with Alternating Pick Strokes

Updating your practice routine

General Sessions Versus Focus Sessions

Chapter Six: Picking Sequences

Chapter Seven: Additional Practice Material

You’ll be using the index and pinkie fingers throughout.

Chapter Eight: Final Etudes

Final Etude One: Laid Bach

Final Etude Two: Pent Up

Final Etude Three: Bumble Cee Bee

Example 8c: Bumble Cee Bee

Suggested Listening and Repertoire

Artist Track Album

Also Available From Chris Brooks

100 Arpeggio Licks for Shred Guitar

Advanced Arpeggio Soloing for Guitar

Legato Guitar Technique Mastery

Neo-Classical Speed Strategies for Guitar

Sweep Picking Speed Strategies for Guitar

Chapter Five: String Changing with Alternating Pick Strokes �� 46