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Is it something you do, if so do you alternate pick all the time (on single note/lead paying) or only use on occasion?

I realised recently that if I am playing some kind of improvised lead, I will alternate pick, but not all the time but if I am learing a solo or a riff, I will play it with downstrokes only. I'm trying to relearn some stuff using alternate picking, either strictly or where it makes sense/is more efficient, but I reckon its more difficult than learning the piece in the first place? The way I was playing them sounded good, but may not have been the right way.

So, thoughts - on a hiding to nothing or worth persevering?

Basically I only use alternate when it's too fast for down-stroke, e.g the solo in Tom Petty's "American Girl" or mandolin-like scrubbing, like on Rory Gallagher's "Brute Force And Ignorance". And I've never seriously looked at sweep picking either.

That's interesting - the only thing I am playing in strict alternate picking is Crossroads, it seems to help with the timing on the main riff, everything else it is the odd upstroke where it helps keep the rhythm/increase speed.

I sometimes use altenate picking when playing arpeggios, especially when the arpeggios are mixed with strumming. Feels sort of natural. Riffs are always down strokes for me. I suppose that one could relearn any riff with alternate picking, but I tend to stay with whatever feels natural.

I use alternate picking occasionally, but most of the time I actually exclusively play with upstrokes. I never noticed this until somebody pointed it out to me. Weird, huh?

I mostly alternate pick. Mostly.

I was practising some of the new Casa Bonita stuff last night and realised I can only do this one tricky run (in 'Misadventure Time', future fact fans)with downpicking.

I think because the tuning is pretty weird, the lack of normal tension means the string is in a different position when I'm trying to up-pick. Pretty weird realisation that I'm automatically compensating for dat slack


edit: no wait! It's in triplets, so I'm going down-up-down, down-up-down, rather than down-up-down up-down-up. So even odder. Fascinating.

yeah i do it quite a bit but not with any intent to play fast or shred. its just less effort and work than downstroking all the time and frees up more possibilities

sweeping ive never really bothered getting good at. learning the various runs and triads and what have you that come with typical exercises are very usfeul to learn though

nowadays im all about the chocolate fingers, but i dont play fast riffs or anything so that might be why

All good information, I'm learning some more challenging stuff and trying to move my playing along and wanted to get an idea of whether my mainly downpicking style, especially for riff based pieces, was me just doing it wrong. Happy to see the concensus is IDWAW, but I'm going to think more about picking style when I'm learning something I reckon.

Nice Newt reference Doog - Mrs NickD's old car was named after her.

I mostly alternate pick or finger pick anymore. Haven't done ANGRY PUNK ROCK DOWNSTROKES since high school.


I can't sweep pick cause I'm not metal enough.

I mostly use 'economy picking', up or down depending what's easiest or easiest. A total cop out- I usually flail around arpeggios like my fingers are made of jelly.

Everything I play I always automatically alternate pick, I'll also economy pick sometimes too. I think if you work it into your playing enough it just happens without thinking making everything a little more fluid sounding. There's a bunch of lessons I posted on ways of practicing picking somewhere on this website if anyone is interested.

I don't really think about picking anymore. I alternate or economy pick and will often break from any sort of strict approach for effect.

I've been using a lot more alternate picking lately - starting with an upstroke.

toez10 wrote:I've been using a lot more alternate picking lately - starting with an upstroke.

Yes this exactly!
I find that players like Paul Gilbert and Yngwie Malmsteen are a great study for alternate picking. Personally I found it helpful to begin descending phrases with an upstroke.

Try playing La Grange without upstrokes....it just sounds so wrong.

Now play it with upstrokes, and....voila!

Just listened. I can't hear a viola.