Picking Problem, need insight.

[GtrvVampyre]

Well guys, its been quite a while since i posted here and in the time i'v been gone, alot has happened! Besides being considerably better at playing and in a band as rhythm and lead that plays out often, i'v chose to sit down and work out all the little bugs that plauge my technique. I have a question however if to what im doing is wrong and will it slow me down or make licks sloppy as i speed them up.

Heres an example using PG's infamous lick.
http://www.ibreathemusic.com/articles/files/55/pg03.gif
Now, i use to play it as follows. D,U,D,D,U,D,U.. I found when doing this i would often hit the fourth note, twice, while coming back down to the next string. However i have since been pounding this out of my head and trying to do it as the picture above shows. Yet my question is this; I keep wanting to play the lick as follows. D,U,D,U,U,D,U, almost like economy picking. However when doing this i end up picking UP as im moving to pick the next string DOWN which isnt very fluent.

Should i just stick to the picking the image shows or is economy picking back down really not going to affect my speed and fluency as i speed it up? Its hard for me to tell now because im having to take everything slow again and get use to this new picking pattern.

And yes... I posted this at 3:00 in the morning... Who need sleep anywas?... :cool:

[Strum]

I'm guessing the DUDUUDU's a typo?

[DuB]

Should i just stick to the picking the image shows or is economy picking back down really not going to affect my speed and fluency as i speed it up?I think you should pick it as indicated. My personal opinion on the subject of picking technique is that you should develop a solid foundation in strict alternate picking before working on things like economy picking. The reason for this is because strict alternate picking is something that doesn't require much thought, it's just D-U-D-U forever, so when you learn new licks you essentially only have to worry about the left hand, since your right hand will be "on autopilot." Plus, I think alternate picking gives you better dynamic control over the individual notes. Still, economy picking has it's merits, but I think that you should become proficient at strict alternate picking first.

And yes, I posted this reply at 4:30 in the morning. :cool:

[ashc]

Agreed. The real technicians would also have you practice that starting on an upstroke as well - starting on Down the change is outside picking, starting on Up it's inside picking (harder).

As a contrast, I once watched a masterclass DVD with PG (a guitar mag cover thing) and he said that he played to his strengths (which are considerable of course) and organised things for outside picking where he could and I have taken that on board. That sometimes means starting on the beat with an upstroke but can make things a lot easier in some cases (I need all the help I can get).

My default, before problems arise, though would always be strict alternate starting with a down on the beat.

[GtrvVampyre]

I'm guessing the DUDUUDU's a typo?

No, the two U's were showing as i was coming back down to the next string on the lick, i just came up again like economy picking instead of picking the next string down. (the D, U's were just corresponding to the notes in the lick in order as they transversed the 2 strings.)

Ok, thanks for the reply guys, i guess i need to just stick to strict alternate picking and make sure im doing it right. It really sucks cause i had playing licks up to crazy fast speeds the way i was doing (yet i explained my bad habbit in the first post :( ) .... Having a guitar teacher show me everything the right way from the very begining would have been very helpful, haha.

Thanks again guys and Dub, i thought i was bad, 4:30? Haha. (I get off second shift and i cant sleep so i end up staying up really late).

[MorningStar]

I am in agreement, strict alternate picking is the key. Perhaps complex string skipping exerscises could help.

[GtrvVampyre]

Well, i discovered if i start the run with an upstroke, i can play the whole run as fast as usual and with the correct AP! Its just when i start with a downstroke i tend to not alternate pick it right. At least thats half the battle i dont have to worry about! :D.

Actually i just figured it out! I would alternate pick the first run WRONG so when i got to the next part, i was starting on an upstroke and from there on my AP was perfect. I'v just been sub-conciously fuding the first part of licks to where it turns in to starting on an Upstroke...

At least i know my inside picking is well developed....