VSat

learning to play the guitar

2008-11-26T03:38:00.001-08:00

this is a lesson tapping. To understand and be good at tapping, you have to understand and be good at doing hammer ons and pull offs with your fretting hand. Hammer-ons and pull-offs are formally referred to as "slurs" in music theory. A slur is when the musician plays two notes consecutively with only one pluck of the string. A hammer on is a slur that ascends from a low fret to a high fret and a pull off is a slur in the opposite direction, going from a high note to a low note.

Traditionally, guitarists perform slurs with their fretting hand. However, in tapping we do slurs with our picking hand and we don't pluck the string at all. We use the force of the string hitting the fret to cause the string to vibrate. You can do this with your fretting hand as well. Fret any fret with your 1st finger and do a hammer on to another fret with your 3rd finger. Do it hard enough so that you procduce a note. Then pull your 3rd finger off and hammer on again repeatedly. This is the same concept as tapping. We can visualize and practice this concept in the following example:

D|-5h7p5h7p5h7p5h7p5h7-

Now play the exact same pattern, except this time hammer on the 7th fret using the middle finger of your picking hand. I suggest using your middle finger because this allows you to hold your pick between your thumb and index finger as you normally would so that you can switch from a picking riff to a tap without letting go of your pick.

We can also tap using the edge of your pick. It helps, in this case, to use a thick pick although a thin pick will work. Hold your pick between your thum and index finger and hold it on it's side. Use the side of the pick to hammer down on a fret. This is usually easier for beginners as they generally haven't developed calouses on their picking fingers yet, though I do suggest practicing with your fingers to develop the strength and calouses. Now let's spice things up a bit with an excercise. The following example is an arpeggio of Am to F progression. t means to tap on that fret.

E|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|-t17-13p10-t17-13p10-t17-13p10-t17-13p10------------------------------------------
G|------------------------------------------t17-14p10-t17-14p10-t17-14p10-t17-14p10-
D|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What we're doing here is tapping on the first note and then using our fretting finger to do a pull off on two notes lower. As you can see by this example, tapping allows us to do triplets or quadruplets over a very large range of notes on the fret board, where normal slurs would be either very difficult or in some cases impossible. We don't have to pull offs after the tap. In this example we simply tap and release. The tap itself is a pull of. So we just play two notes at a time rather than three:

E|-t12p7-t12p8-t12p10-t12p8-t12p7-t12p5-t12p3-t12p5--
B|---------------------------------------------------

Play this riff over and over and it sounds as if we were playing just the pull off notes but with a high root note in the back ground. We fret the low note and tap on the high note, then release. It's the exact same concept as our first example except we're playing a little melody in this case. We can also traverse down a string using taps and pull-offs ala Van Halen style. The following riff would be good to end a solo with:

E|-t17-15p13-t15-13p12-t13-12p10-t12-10p8-t10-8p7-t8-7p5-t7-5p4-4h5

string bending

2008-11-26T03:09:00.000-08:00

Hello came back again with me..., the bending lesson (ultimate-guitar) is on some different sounding ways to bend notes. Some of these
examples will require a whammy bar that can be pulled up; If you have one that normally only works one way, email me and I'll tell you how to mod it so it bends up, if you want.

Ok, this first example is reasonably well known. You bend a note up, and then then reach over with your right hand and push down on the string behind the nut. This won't work with locking nut systems where the nut is locked, but on those you can generally bend up with the whammy bar anyway. You can use this to perform very wide bends or add heavy vibrato to bent notes. It's also handy for bending open strings or harmonics.

bn = bend behind nut
~n~ = vibrato behind nut
Ex1:

e|---------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------|
G|--2b(4)bn(5)rbn(4)rb(2)------2b(4)~n~rb(2)---------|
D|---------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------|

This next one uses an adaptation of the classical vibrato technique - the one where you push the string towards the bridge and pull it back towards the nut in quick little horizontal movements. In this case, you exaggerate the "pushing forward" movement to push the string towards the bridge and actually bend the pitch down. This is very tough unless you have a low action and light strings.

Ex2:
e|---------------------------------------------------|
B|--9b(8)--------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------|

Note that it's very tough to use this to bend down by even as little as a semitone, you're more likely to get about a quarter tone.

This one is also known well, amongst whammy bar users. Here, you hit the whammy bar lightly (or heavily) as you fret each note, rather than picking the notes. This causes an effect known as 'scooping', because you scoop the pitch of the note from below its original pitch back up to the original pitch. You can also turn the bar around and 'reverse scoop'.

V = scoop

Ex3:
e|---------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------|
D|--2-/-3-/-5-/-7-/-9-/-10-/-12~~--------------------|
A|--V---V---V---V---V----V----V----------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------|

A cool variation on this is to slide up the fretboard while applying heavy whammy vibrato in either direction. Steve Vai uses this one a bit.

VVVVVVVVVV = whammy bar vibrato

Ex4:
e|---------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------|
D|-VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV---|
A|-1////////////////////////////////////////15-------|
E|--(this is a gradual slide)------------------------|

While we're on the whammy bar theme, this one is cool, but requires practise to get right, and it also requires a whammy bar that bends up. What you do is grab the whammy bar in your right hand's last two fingers, pick the 7th fret on the G string, pull the whammy bar up one tone, then push it back to it's normal pitch, and quickly hammer on the 9th fret. This effect sounds great when done really fast! Of course, it can be done on any string and all over the fretboard, and using any interval that can be bent with the whammy bar.

wb = bend with whammy bar
Ex5:
e|---------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------|
G|--7wb(9)rwb(7)h9--7wb(9)rwb(7)h9-------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------|

Ever heard some of those Jimi Hendrix solos that were taped backwards? You can approximate a 'true' 'reverse bend' effect using your fingers and your guitar's volume control, or a volume pedal. Or, if you're really lucky, you can use the Snarling Dogs Erogenous Moan Tape Reverse pedal. Ok, what you do is, set up your guitar and amp for a long sustaining distorted lead tone and turn the volume on your guitar (or pedal) to 0. Pre-bend a note, pick it, and as soon as you do, start simultaneously releasing the bend and turning the volume back up to 10. Sounds great when you get it right!

<<<<<<<<< = fade volume in.
pb = prebend
Ex6:
e|-<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<------------------------|
B|-7pb(9) grad release--rb(7)------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------|

Have you ever accidentally bent a string off the fretboard? I have, but I've also done it deliberately, cause it sounds good! Steve Vai is a master of this. Check out the 'sitar' bends in the outro to "The Boy From Seattle". You can do this on any string, provided you use a low enough gauge, but most people will only get the high E, B, low E and A. Simply bend the string so far it goes off the fretboard, for some very wide interval bends! This works differently in different areas of the fretboard, so experiment!

Ex7:
e|-----12b(20)---------------------------------------|
B|-------(bend string downwards and off fretboard)---|
G|---------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------|

This next technique is one of my favourites. Bend a note up normally, then tap a higher fret with your right hand, pull off, release the bend, and pull off to a lower note. Or, hold the bend with your left hand, tap the note and bend it up as well while holding the first bend, and finish the same way. It tends to look more confusing than it is.

Ex8:
e|---------T--------------------------------------------------|
B|--15b(17)19p(17)rb(15)p12-----------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------T--------------------------|
D|-------------------------12b(14)22b(23)rb(22)p(14)rb(12)p10-|
A|------------------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------|

This one is known as the "Joe Satriani lizard-down-the-throat effect". You slowly slide a note up the fretboard, which ordinarily would mean that the pitch of the note would rise, but at the same time, you push the whammy bar down so that the pitch never changes throughout the slide. This is a great sounding effect which can be heard in Joe's song Ice 9.

Ex9:
e|---------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------|
D|----(gradually push bar down so pitch stays same)--|
A|--5///////////////////////////////////////////12---|
E|--(grad slide)-------------------------------------|

.......thanx a lot.......

guitar picking lessons

2008-11-26T02:50:00.000-08:00

hey bro are you know Yngwie Malmsteen, Al Di Meola, Steve Morseand Paul Gilbert pick so quickly and cleanly? Hyper speed picking abilities are the product of a logical, pragmatic technical approach based on economy of movement-playing the most notes with the least amount of effort. This primer will help you think in these terms. With this mind-set, you'll be able to build an arsenal of smooth, fast, picking licks that you can execute even on your worst day.

To get started, grab a freshly-minted plectrum (pick) and hold it between your thumb and index finger with the pointed end facing the strings. Even though this standard grip seems the most logical way to hold the pick, some speed demons do it differently: Eddie Van Halen holds the pick between his thumb and middle finger; James Hetfield and Steve Morse use a three-fingered grip (thumb, middle and index); and Pat Metheny picks with the rounded side of the plectrum. If you play better using an unorthodox grip, go ahead-you can't argue with success.

Now rest the heel of your palm on the strings in front of the bridge. This technique is called "palm muting". The more pressure you apply, the "chunkier" your sound will be. For lightning runs, a light pressure will allow the strings to ring, but will cut unwanted noise. Where you pick is also important: picking right in front of the bridge produces a trebly twang, whereas picking closer to the neck creates a softer, mellower tone.

The angle at which you attack the strings also effects your sound. Holding the pick parallel to the strings and plucking produces the clearest attack. "Slicing" the string at an angle yields a less-defined attack.

If you're sitting down, anchor your right forearm to the guitar's body for added control and stability. If you're standing up, the angle between your wrist and arm will depend on the length of your strap. Adjust your strap to where you're the most comfortable. Don't put the guitar lower than you can handle: no matter how cool you look walking out on stage with the guitar around you knees, the spell will be broken the moment you try to play something in that awkward position.

You can also anchor your pinky on the pickguard to help maintain stability and provide your hand with a close point of reference. Experts disagree about the benefits of anchoring your hand in this way, so if it doesn't feel right, don't do it.

Now that you've achieved the perfect picking posture, you're ready for the two basic alternate-picking moves" the upstroke and downstroke. The moves are easy, but getting them to flow quickly and smoothly is the trick to attaining warp speed. Some players favor the stiff-wrist approach, which restricts all movement to the elbow joint. The circular motion approach, employing only the thumb and index fingers, is another technique. But most players get the best results by initiating all movement in their wrist. Use the technique that feels the most natural to you and always remember to keep your wrist relaxed.

If you feel any pain during a workout, stop immediately. Pain is your body's way of telling you that you're doing something wrong. Stop and rest. If the pain or soreness persists, see an orthopedic specialist to make sure you aren't developing tendinitis.

The most effective alternate-picking exercises are short, repeating patterns that focus on one particular type of maneuver. Figure 1 is a good beginner-level exercise for developing a smooth coordinated tremolo picking technique. Practice this exercise at a moderate tempo (80-100 beats per minute) with a drum machine or metronome and try to keep the picking motion on an even, back and forth plane without leaping over the string. Relax your right hand as much as possible while gradually increasing speed. Watching your picking in a mirror is a bio-feedback technique that can really help you relax.

Gradually increase the tempo as you get better. You're smokin' if you can perform this exercise at 160 beats per minute. Don't forget to always use a clean tone (no distortion).

h hammer on
p pull off
\ slide down / slide up
tr trill
u upstroke
d downstroke


Figure 1

  d  u  d  u  d etc
|-0--0--0--0--3--3--3--3--4--4--4--4--7--7--7--7-|-8--8--8--8--11--11--11--11
|------------------------------------------------|--------------------------
|------------------------------------------------|--------------------------
|------------------------------------------------|--------------------------
|------------------------------------------------|--------------------------
|------------------------------------------------|--------------------------


-12--12--12--12--15--15--15--15-|-16--16--16--16--15--15--15--15--12--12--12
--------------------------------|-------------------------------------------
--------------------------------|-------------------------------------------
--------------------------------|-------------------------------------------
--------------------------------|-------------------------------------------
--------------------------------|-------------------------------------------


-12--11--11--11--11-|-8--8--8--8--7--7--7--7--4--4--4--4--3--3--3--3------||
--------------------|-----------------------------------------------------||
--------------------|-----------------------------------------------------||
--------------------|-----------------------------------------------------||
--------------------|-----------------------------------------------------||
--------------------|-----------------------------------------------------||

Figures 2-4 are some cool, easy-to-execute, single string speed licks, designed to help improve your left/right hand synchronization. As you become familiar with each one's fingering pattern, try moving in onto another string. Every string feels different-not only are they different thicknesses, your pick attacks them at different angles. These kinds of licks are not only easy to pick at high speeds, they also sound (and look) impressive. Once you feel comforatble performing them quickly, you're ready for string-crossing.

Figure 2
 d u d u etc
|-4-3-2-1-5-4-3-2-6-5-4-3-5-4-3-2-|-6-5-4-3-7-6-5-4-8-7-6-5-7-6-5-4-|-8-7-6-
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|-------
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|-------
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|-------
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|-------
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|-------


-5-9-8-7-6-10-9-8-7-9-8-7-6-|-10-9-8-7-11-10-9-8-12-11-10-9-11-10-9-8-||
----------------------------|-----------------------------------------||
----------------------------|-----------------------------------------||
----------------------------|-----------------------------------------||
----------------------------|-----------------------------------------||
----------------------------|-----------------------------------------||


Figure 3
 d u d u
|-0-1-3-4-1-3-4/6-3-4-6/7-4-6-7/9-|-6-7-9/10-7-9-10/12-9-10-12/13-10-12-13/-
|---------------------------------|-----------------------------------------
|---------------------------------|-----------------------------------------
|---------------------------------|-----------------------------------------
|---------------------------------|-----------------------------------------
|---------------------------------|-----------------------------------------


-15-|-15-13-12\10-13-12-10\9-12-10-9\7-10-9-7\6-|-9-7-6\4-7-6-4\3-6-4-3\1---
----|-------------------------------------------|---------------------------
----|-------------------------------------------|---------------------------
----|-------------------------------------------|---------------------------
----|-------------------------------------------|---------------------------
----|-------------------------------------------|---------------------------


-4-3-1-0-||
---------||
---------||
---------||
---------||
---------||


Figure 4
 d u d u etc
|-4-0-2-0-5-0-2-0-7-0-4-0-9-0-5-0-|-11-0-7-0-12-0-9-0-14-0-11-0-16-0-12-0-||
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------------||
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------------||
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------------||
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------------||
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------------||

All the previous exercises, involve picking on a single-string-a fairly simple technique to master. String crossing is substantially more complicated. The goal is to arrange all the string crosses so they feel natural and comfortable. The number of notes to be played on each string and the direction of your first picking stroke (up or down) determine how easy or difficult a pattern is to pick. With a bit of thoughtful experimentation, you'll be able to find those patterns that work well for fast alternate picking-and weed out those that don't.

Figures 5A-C show three different ways to pick the same lick. The first way (fig 5A) is the most laborious for the right-hand-it requires the pick to make four awkward string crosses. Figure 5B shows a much smoother, easier way to pick the same run. Notice that there are only two string crosses. Figure 5C is the easiest. The E note moves over to the 3rd string and the whole pattern begins with a downstroke, enabling you to best accent the downbeats for a strong, forcefull attack.

Figure 5A (laborious)             Fig 5B  (easier)

|----------------------------||  |-------------------------||
|---------------8------------||  |-------5--6--8--6--5-----||
|-----7--9--10-----10--9--7--||  |-5--7-----------------7--||
|-10-------------------------||  |-------------------------||
|----------------------------||  |-------------------------||
|----------------------------||  |-------------------------||


Fig 5C (Easier)

|-------------------------||
|----------6--8--6--------||
|-5--7--9-----------9--7--||
|-------------------------||
|-------------------------||
|-------------------------||

The exercises in Figures 6-10 are designed to improve you string-crossing technique. Practice them with a metronome and concentrate on keeping your right hand as relaxed as possible while increasing speed gradually. Try your own variations on these exercises and incorporate them into your warm-up routine.

Figure 6

|-------------------------------------------------||
|-------------------------------------------------||
|-7--5--------7--5--------7--5--------7--5--------||
|-------7--5--------7--5--------7--5--------7--5--||
|-------------------------------------------------||
|-------------------------------------------------||


Figure 7

|-------------------------------------------------||
|-------------------------------------------------||
|----------5--7--5-----------------5--7--5--------||
|----5--7-----------7--5-----5--7-----------7--5--||
|-7-----------------------7-----------------------||
|-------------------------------------------------||


Figure 8

|------------------------------------------------------||
|--------------10-------------------------8------------||
|--------7--8------8--7-------------7--8-----8--7------||
|-7--10------------------10--7--10-----------------10--||
|------------------------------------------------------||
|------------------------------------------------------||


Figure 9

|-------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|-------------------------5--8--5----|
|-------------------------------------|-------5--7--5-----5--7-----------7-|
|-------------------------5--7--5-----|-5--7-----------7-------------------|
|-------5--7--5-----5--7-----------7--|------------------------------------|
|-5--8-----------8--------------------|------------------------------------|


|-------5--8--5-----------5----------|------------------------------------|
|-5--8-----------8--5--8-----8--5----|-------5----------------------------|
|----------------------------------7-|-5--7-----7--5-----------5----------|
|------------------------------------|----------------7--5--7-----7--5----|
|------------------------------------|----------------------------------7-|
|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|


-------------------||
-------------------||
-------------------||
-------5-----------||
-5--7-----7--5-----||
----------------8--||


Figure 10

|------------------------------------------------|--------------------------
|------------------------------------------------|-------------5------------
|-------------------------------------5----------|-------5--7-----7--5------
|-------------5-----------------5--7-----7--5----|-5--7-----------------7---
|-------5--7-----7--5-----5--7-----------------7-|--------------------------
|-5--8-----------------8-------------------------|--------------------------


-------------5----------|-------5--8--5----------------------------------|
-------5--8-----8--5----|-5--8-----------8--5-----------5--8--5----------|
-5--7-----------------7-|----------------------7--5--7-----------7--5----|
------------------------|----------------------------------------------7-|
------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
------------------------|------------------------------------------------|


|------------------------------------------------||
|------------------------------------------------||
|-------5--7--5----------------------------------||
|-5--7-----------7--5-----------5--7--5----------||
|----------------------7--5--7-----------7--5----||
|----------------------------------------------8-||

Most teachers and method books instruct you to practice major, melodic- minor and harmonic-minor scales and their various modes in positions. Though this fingering approach may look like it makes the most sense, it often proves to be very awkward for fast, alternate picking-especially when descending. I've found that during the descent, most seven-note scales can be picked more smoothly and easily by employing an alternate left-hand fingering.

Let's use the G major scale as an example. Figure 11 depicts its standard two-octave, fingering pattern. If you're like me, your picking hand probably gets tied up in knots when trying to quickly descend this pattern.

Figure 11
                                  -------------awkward------------------
|-----------------------------3-5-|-7-5-3---------------------------------||
|-------------------------5-7-----|-------7-5-----------------------------||
|-------------------4-5-7---------|-----------7-5-4-----------------------||
|-------------4-5-7---------------|-----------------7-5-4-----------------||
|-------3-5-7---------------------|-----------------------7-5-3-----------||
|-3-5-7---------------------------|-----------------------------7-5-3-----||

Instead of attempting to overcome this stubborn obstacle through dogged repetition-I'm sure you could think of better ways to spend your practice time try the fingering pattern in Figure 12. The ascending pattern is similar to that in Figure 11. The descending pattern, however, is quite different. Note the use of finger slides and position shifts. Even though this may seem, like an odd way to finger a scale, you'll find that it enables your right hand to maintain a smooth, alternate-picking motion without having to muscle across the strings.

Figure 12

|-------------------------------5-|-7-5------------------------------------|
|-------------------------5-7-8---|-----8-7--------------------------------|
|-------------------4-5-7---------|---------9-7-5\4------------------------|
|-------------4-5-7---------------|-----------------7-5--------------------|
|-------3-5-7---------------------|---------------------9-7-5\3------------|
|-3-5-7---------------------------|-----------------------------7-5-3------|

This same alternate-fingering approach can help you pick many other types of scales more quickly. Figure 13 is a chromatic scale pattern that uses finger slides on the 1st and 6th strings to maintain a smooth picking pattern. Note that the entire fingering pattern is shifted up one fret on the descent.

Figure 13

|----------------------------|-----------------4-5-6-7/|8-7-6-5-------------
|----------------------------|---------5-6-7-8---------|--------9-8-7-6-----
|----------------------------|-5-6-7-8-----------------|----------------9-8-
|--------------------6-7-8-9-|-------------------------|--------------------
|-----------7-8-9-10---------|-------------------------|--------------------
|-8-9-10-11------------------|-------------------------|--------------------


-----|---------------------------------||
-----|---------------------------------||
-7-6-|---------------------------------||
-----|-10-9-8-7------------------------||
-----|----------11-10-9-8--------------||
-----|--------------------12-11-10-9\8-||

By using quick position leaps, an impressive, three-and-one-half-octave chromatic scale becomes easy to finger and pick (Figure 14). Pay particular attention to the left-hand fingerings provided beneath the tablature.

Figure 14

|----------------------------------|----------------------------------------
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------------
|----------------------------------|---------------------10-11-12-13-14-15--
|----------------------------------|7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14--------------------
|-----------------4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11|----------------------------------------
|-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8------------------|----------------------------------------
 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2  3  4 1 2 3 4   1  2  3  4  1  2  3  4  1  2

------|------------------------17-18-19-20-21-20-19-18|17-16-15-14----------
------|14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21------------------------|------------18-17-16-
-16-17|-----------------------------------------------|---------------------
------|-----------------------------------------------|---------------------
------|-----------------------------------------------|---------------------
------|-----------------------------------------------|---------------------
3  4   1  2  3  4  1  2  3  4  1  2  3  4/ 4  3  2  1  4  3  2  1  4  3  2

---------------------------|----------------------------------|-------------
-15-14-13-12-11------------|----------------------------------|-------------
----------------14-13-12-11|10-9-8-7--------------------------|-------------
---------------------------|---------11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4--------|-------------
---------------------------|---------------------------8-7-6-5|4-3-2-1------
---------------------------|----------------------------------|--------5-4--
1  4  3  2  1  4  3  2  1   4 3 2 1  4  3 2 1 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 4 3

--------||
--------||
--------||
--------||
--------||
-3-2\1--||

2 1\1

Figure 15 is a two-and-one-half-octave, whole-tone scale pattern that ascends three-notes-per-string and descends, alternately, two-notes-per string and four-notes-per-string with finger slides.

Figure 15

|--------------------------------------11|13-11-----------------------------
|-----------------------------10-12-14---|------14-12-10\8------------------
|---------------------8-10-12------------|-----------------10-8-------------
|--------------7-9-11--------------------|----------------------11-9-7\5----
|-------6-8-10---------------------------|----------------------------------
|-5-7-9----------------------------------|----------------------------------


-----------||
-----------||
-----------||
-----------||
-8-6-------||
-----9-7-5-||

Figures 16 and 17 depict two easy-to-pick fingering patterns for the diminished scale (half-whole).

Figure 16

|-------------------------------3|5-3-------------------------------||
|-------------------------4-5-7--|----7-5---------------------------||
|-------------------3-5-6--------|--------8-6-5\3-------------------||
|-------------4-5-7--------------|----------------7-5---------------||
|-------4-6-7--------------------|--------------------9-7-6\4-------||
|-5-6-8--------------------------|----------------------------8-6-5-||


Figure 17

|-------------------------------------|------------11-12-14-12-11\9---------
|-------------------------------------|10-11-13/14------------------13-11---
|----------------------------8-9-11/12|-------------------------------------
|------------------7-8-10/11----------|-------------------------------------
|---------6-7-9/10--------------------|-------------------------------------
|-5-6-8/9-----------------------------|-------------------------------------


----------|---------------------------||
-10\8-----|---------------------------||
------11-9|8\6------------------------||
----------|----10-8-7\5---------------||
----------|-------------9-7-6\4-------||
----------|---------------------8-6-5-||

Figures 18-20 illustrate extended, four-note-per-string major, melodic-minor and harmonic-minor scale patterns arranged for fast alternate picking. Note that each scale pattern takes a different fretboard path coming down. Again, this is done for the sake of maintaining an easier, smoother string crossing pattern for the picking hand

Figure 18

|------------------------------------------|------------16-17-19-17-16\14---
|------------------------------------------|14-15-17/19---------------------
|-------------------------------11-13-14/16|--------------------------------
|--------------------9-11-12/14------------|--------------------------------
|----------7-9-11/12-----------------------|--------------------------------
|-5-7-9/10---------------------------------|--------------------------------


------------------|------------------------------||
-17-15-14\12------|------------------------------||
-------------14-13|11\9--------------------------||
------------------|-----12-11-9\7----------------||
------------------|---------------11-9-7\5-------||
------------------|------------------------9-7-5-||

Figure 19

|------------------------------------------|------------16-17-19-17-16\14---
|------------------------------------------|13-15-17/19---------------------
|-------------------------------11-13-14/16|--------------------------------
|--------------------9-10-12/14------------|--------------------------------
|----------7-9-11/12-----------------------|--------------------------------
|-5-7-8/10---------------------------------|--------------------------------


------------------|-------------------------------||
-17-15-13\12------|-------------------------------||
-------------14-13|11\9---------------------------||
------------------|-----12-10-9\7-----------------||
------------------|---------------11-9-7\5--------||
------------------|------------------------8-7-5--||


Figure 20

|------------------------------------------|------------16-17-19-17-16\13---
|------------------------------------------|13-15-17/18---------------------
|-------------------------------10-13-14/16|--------------------------------
|--------------------9-10-12/14------------|--------------------------------
|----------7-8-11/12-----------------------|--------------------------------
|-5-7-8/10---------------------------------|--------------------------------


------------------|-------------------------------||
-17-15-13\12------|-------------------------------||
-------------14-13|10\9---------------------------||
------------------|-----12-10-9\7-----------------||
------------------|---------------11-8-7\5--------||
------------------|------------------------8-7-5--||

The easiest way to quickly pick an ascending-descending arpeggio without sweeping is to finger only two notes per string, and use quick position shifts to transport your hand up and down the fretboard (lateral motion). This creates an optimum string-crossing pattern for the right hand, enabling you to soar through several octaves while conserving precious picking energy.

Figure 21 is a monstrous, two note-per-string F major arpeggio that transports your left hand from the 1st to the 20th fret and back. Beginning with an upstroke, proceed slowly at first and concentrate on shifting your left hand smoothly while maintaining a strict alternate picking motion.

Figure 21

|--------------------------17-20-17---------|-----------------||
|--------------------13-18----------18-13---|-----------------||
|--------------10-14----------------------14|10---------------||
|---------7-10------------------------------|---10-7----------||
|-----3-8-----------------------------------|--------8-3------||
|-1-5---------------------------------------|------------5-1--||

Figure 22 is an exercise designed to teach your left hand the fretboard pattern while increasing your right-hand picking fluency. Once you memorize the pattern, you sould be able to increase your left/right hand coordination and picking speed with practice.

Figure 22

|-------------------------|------------------------------------|------17-20-
|-------------------------|------------------------13-18-13----|13-18-------
|-------------------------|------10-14-10----10-14----------14-|------------
|----------------7-10-7---|-7-10----------10-------------------|------------
|----3-8-3---3-8--------8-|------------------------------------|------------
|1-5-------5--------------|------------------------------------|------------


-17----------17----------|----------------------------------|--------------||
----18-13-18----18-13----|-------13-------------------------|--------------||
----------------------14-|-10-14----14-10---------10--------|--------------||
-------------------------|----------------10-7-10----10-7---|-----7--------||
-------------------------|--------------------------------8-|-3-8---8-3----||
-------------------------|----------------------------------|-----------5-1||

Four-note arpeggios-minor seven, dominant-seven, diminished-seven, etc. -are easier to finger two-notes per string than three-note arpeggios, and require fewer finger stretches and position shifts. Figure 23 is a cool- sounding, three octave Amaj7b5 arpeggio that's easy to both pick and finger. Try playing other four note arpeggios and their inversions using two-note-per string fingering patterns.

Figure 23

|---------------------9-11-9-------|---------------||
|----------------9-10--------10-9--|---------------||
|------------6-8------------------8|6--------------||
|--------6-7-----------------------|--7-6----------||
|----4-6---------------------------|------6-4------||
|-4-5------------------------------|----------5-4--||

Most solos are comprised of short licks strung together, as opposed to long, straight-out-of-the-textbook scales and arpeggios. The exercises in Figures 24-26 are based on short, easy-to-pick patterns shifted up and down the neck. Use these exercises as picking warm-ups and as inspiriation for your own speed licks.

Figure 24

|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|----3-6
|---------------------------------|---------------------3-6-----6-8-|3-6----
|---------------------------------|-----3-5-----5-7-3-7-----5-7-----|-------
|---------------------3-5-----5-8-|-3-5-----5-8---------------------|-------
|-----3-5-----5-8-3-5-----5-8-----|---------------------------------|-------
|-3-6-----6-8---------------------|---------------------------------|-------

                                                         2
----6-8------8-10-------10-13-|-------13-15-------15-18-18b--rb13~--||
6-8-----8-11------11-13-------|-13-15-------15-18-------------------||
------------------------------|-------------------------------------||
------------------------------|-------------------------------------||
------------------------------|-------------------------------------||
------------------------------|-------------------------------------||


Figure 25

|-----------------------------------|---------------------------------------
|-5-4-----8-5-----9-8-----12-9------|-13-12-------16-13-------17-16---------
|-----5-4-----8-5-----9-8------12-9-|-------13-12-------16-13-------17-16---
|-----------------------------------|---------------------------------------
|-----------------------------------|---------------------------------------
|-----------------------------------|---------------------------------------


-------------|-----------------------------------------------|--------------
-20-17-------|-17-16-------16-13-------13-12-------12-9------|-9-8-----8-5--
-------20-17-|-------17-16-------16-13-------13-12------12-9-|-----9-8------
-------------|-----------------------------------------------|--------------
-------------|-----------------------------------------------|--------------
-------------|-----------------------------------------------|--------------


---------------------||
-----5-4-----4-1-----||
-8-5-----5-4-----4-1-||
---------------------||
---------------------||
---------------------||


Figure 26

|-----------------------------------------------|---------------------------
|------9-12-------12-15-------15-18-------12-15-|-------15-18-------18-21---
|-9-10------12-13-------15-16-------12-13-------|-15-16-------18-19---------
|-----------------------------------------------|---------------------------
|-----------------------------------------------|---------------------------
|-----------------------------------------------|---------------------------


-------------------------||
-------15-18-------12-15-||
-15-16-------12-13-------||
-------------------------||
-------------------------||
-------------------------||

Sometimes a certain fingering pattern works well for an ascending lick, but proves awkward when you try to pick the lick backwards (descending), or vice versa. The trick is to find a fingering pattern that enables your right hand to flutter back and forth with a minimum of effort. The ascending and descending triplet licks in Figures 27 and 28 are a perfect example of this concept. The easiest way to pick the ascending lick (fig 27). is to alternate between playing three consecutive notes on the 2nd string and three notes on the 1st string. The descending lick (fig 28), however, is more easily picked by alternating between two notes on the 1st string and four notes on the 2nd string. Note the use of finger slides on the 2nd string.

Figure 27

|-------1-3-5-------3-5-7|------5-7-8--------7-8-10|--------8-10-12---------
|-1-3-5-------3-5-6------|5-6-8-------6-8-10-------|8-10-12---------10-12-13
|------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------
|------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------
|------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------
|------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------


-10-12-13|---------12-13-15-----||
---------|12-13-15----------13~-||
---------|----------------------||
---------|----------------------||
---------|----------------------||
---------|----------------------||


Figure 28

|-15-13-------------13-12-------------|12-10------------10-8-----------|8-7-
|-------17-15-13\12-------15-13-12\10-|------13-12-10\8------12-10-8\6-|----
|-------------------------------------|--------------------------------|----
|-------------------------------------|--------------------------------|----
|-------------------------------------|--------------------------------|----
|-------------------------------------|--------------------------------|----


----------7-5---------|5-3---------3-1------------||
-10-8-6\5-----8-6-5\3-|----6-5-3\1-----5-3-1-0-1~-||
----------------------|---------------------------||
----------------------|---------------------------||
----------------------|---------------------------||
----------------------|---------------------------||

from:ultimate-guitar.com

finger picking guitar lessons

2008-11-26T02:39:00.000-08:00

First of all we will start with simple way to learn alternate picking as a beginner but I recomend you start here whatever level of player you are as most mistakes are made before any difficult paterns or speed are introduced. We will start by playing just a single note so as use the least amount of thought needed to play it so we can concentrate on the technique. All exercises MUST be played to a metronome. This excercise should be played at anywhere between 60-120bpm depending on how comfortable you are with the technique.

            E  E  E  E  E  E  E  E
high E ||:--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--:||
           D  U  D  U  D  U  D  U

Now look at exactly what your picking hand is doing. The pick should be parrelel to the strings, your hand just be rest on the guitar in some way (as a point of refernece and stability) either on the bridge, or you spare fingers against the body and only the wrist should be moving and the arm should stay motionless. But more important then any of these is that your hand position should be confortable. Now when you try to play this again it may feel slightly weird but after a while your playing will benefit, but if it feels uncomfortable or awkward on your wrist then you should change you hand position.This excercise should be played as many time as needed to make you feel completely confortable with the technique.

Now we move on to the famous spider technique. This techniques is not only beneficial on the picking hand but also on the syncronisation of both hands together.

   S S S S ...
||---------------------------------|---------1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2---------|
||---------------------------------|-1-2-3-4-----------------5-4-3-2-|
||-------------------------1-2-3-4-|---------------------------------|
||-----------------1-2-3-4---------|---------------------------------|
||---------1-2-3-4-----------------|---------------------------------|
||-1-2-3-4-------------------------|---------------------------------|
  D U D U D U ...

---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
-5-4-3-2-------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------5-4-3-2-----------------|----------------- ETC... --------|
-----------------5-4-3-2---------|---------3-4-5-6-----------------|
-------------------------5-4-3-2-|-3-4-5-6-------------------------|

You should carry on this pattern right up to the 12th fret or as far as you want to go. This excercise is a bit tedius and is does not sound very musical but it is a very good excercise as a warm up and is very good at training the hands. Another thing that is left very unpracticed is the strength of the up stroke as this will be naturaly weaker so to overcome this I recomend that all of the excercises should be also done with the picking starting with an upstroke ( you D you D... aswell as D you D U...

This is where we work on building up. First set the metronome between 60-80 bpm or at any tempo that you don't have to worry about your speed. Then Reapeat the pattern up to the 12th fret and then keep repeating until you can not only do it perfectly but until you no longer need to think about what your hands are doing. Once you get to this point only then should you increase the tempo by around 5 bpm increments. The key for speed is to keep technique constant and to keep the wrist completely relaxed. only increase tempo if you are confortable with the tempo you were on to to point of not needing to think. If you find yourself reaching a speed you can't get past up the tempo by 5 more than you can do perfectly then drop back 10 bpm and you should find that the tempo you found hard should now seem easier.

This is the basic principal of alternate picking but I am goin to leave some variations on the spider pattern to prectice on to challenge your synchronisation and pick control further. Remember to start on both down strokes and upstrokes.

1.
||---------------------------------|-------------------------1-2-3-4-|
||---------------------------------|---------1-2-3-4-----------------|
||-------------------------1-2-3-4-|-----------------1-2-3-4---------|
||---------1-2-3-4-----------------|-1-2-3-4-------------------------|
||-----------------1-2-3-4---------|---------------------------------|
||-1-2-3-4-------------------------|---------------------------------|

-5-4-3-2-------------------------|---------------------------------|
-----------------5-4-3-2---------|---------------------------------|
---------5-4-3-2-----------------|-5-4-3-2-------------------------|
-------------------------5-4-3-2-|-----------------5-4-3-2---------|ETC...
---------------------------------|---------5-4-3-2-----------------|
---------------------------------|-------------------------5-4-3-2-|

2.
||---------------------------------|-------------------------3-4-5-6-|
||---------------------------------|-----------------3-4-5-6---------|
||-------------------------1-2-3-4-|-5-4-3-2-3-4-5-6-----------------|
||-----------------1-2-3-4---------|---------------------------------|
||---------1-2-3-4-----------------|---------------------------------|
||-1-2-3-4-------------------------|---------------------------------|

-7-6-5-4-------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------7-6-5-4-----------------|---------------------------------|
-----------------7-6-5-4---------|---------------------------------|
-------------------------7-6-5-4-|-3-4-5-6-5-4-3-2-----------------|ETC...
---------------------------------|-----------------5-4-3-2---------|
---------------------------------|-------------------------5-4-3-2-|

3.
||---------------------------------|---------2-3-4-1-4-5-2-3---------|
||---------------------------------|-1-2-3-4-----------------5-2-3-4-|
||-------------------------4-1-2-3-|---------------------------------|
||-----------------3-4-1-2---------|---------------------------------|
||---------2-3-4-1-----------------|---------------------------------|
||-1-2-3-4-------------------------|---------------------------------|

---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
-2-3-4-5-------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------3-4-5-2-----------------|----------------- ETC ...--------|
-----------------4-5-2-3---------|---------4-5-6-3-----------------|
-------------------------5-2-3-4-|-3-4-5-6-------------------------|

The third excercise really challenges the fretting hand a lot more and requires a lot more coordination to get up to speed. This concludes my first lesson on alternate picking. I will be doin future lessons on alternate picking and more about how it can be used most effectively in music and in scales rather than chromatic excercies so that your skill can be used usefully in evryday playing. I hope this has been usefull and I am very open to comments so that I can make my future lessons as usefull as possible.lets roc'k