Galloping and Picking Patterns

[EvilMP]

Hi all new to the forums here. I have been playing guitar since the 90's got married and took a break. Now I am back to it once again but the thing I am a bit confused about are picking patterns. I have seen Zakk Wylde live and its a bit confusing because it looks like all down picking maybe because of his insane economy picking but I am not totally sure. Another thing I am confused on what dictates the picking pattern to use the ease of implementation or the feel. Just like for an example Adam Dutkiewicz his chuggy rhythm's baffle me because they are really tight and fast, not to mention changes time signatures with in a song up to three times without losing the rhythm. I really need some guidance I feel like I am stumbling around aimlessly.

[Malcolm]

Welcome.

Picking - I'm not a picker, however, I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night. Like I said I'm not a picker, tried and decided that I did not want to devote the time to be able to pull it off. Went another way.

If you are trying to do what the big boys do - good luck with that. It takes years. My suggestion is to get one pattern, learn it well, and use it over the chord changes. That pattern will point you to others - as others are needed.

Getting into Fingerstyle Guitar by Mel Bay and then Mel Bay's Easy Flamenco Solos may point you in a direction.

If you are beyond that - you have already gone past me.

[walternewton]

For the sort of metal playing you're talking about I've seen a few people here on the site recommend "Speed Mechanics for Lead Guitar" by Troy Stetina - perhaps some will chime in further (I don't have any experience with the book myself).

[Crossroads]

Although Speed Mechanics is a great book for self-teaching (and I certainly recommend it for almost any modern electric guitar player), it does not really have anything on the sort of picking and accenting question that the OP is asking about.

I think you might need to check out more recent DVD's on metal playing, eg the stuff from Alexi Laiho and Rock-House Method. Eg, this sort of thing (there’s dozens like this) -

http://www.musicroom.com/se/ID_No/01010190/details.html **Yuk! **

There are also quite a few instructional DVD’s specifically on Zak Wyldes playing. And presumably they should cover his picking and accenting techniques, eg -

http://www.musicroom.com/se/ID_No/0394392/details.html


http://www.musicroom.com/se/ID_No/0704414/details.html


Edit to add this - forget the DVD in the first link (ie the one marked *Yuk!*) - I just took a look at it and it's a total embarsement.

[mzeroq]

Hi all new to the forums here. I have been playing guitar since the 90's got married and took a break. Now I am back to it once again but the thing I am a bit confused about are picking patterns. I have seen Zakk Wylde live and its a bit confusing because it looks like all down picking maybe because of his insane economy picking but I am not totally sure. Another thing I am confused on what dictates the picking pattern to use the ease of implementation or the feel. Just like for an example Adam Dutkiewicz his chuggy rhythm's baffle me because they are really tight and fast, not to mention changes time signatures with in a song up to three times without losing the rhythm. I really need some guidance I feel like I am stumbling around aimlessly.

Unfortunately there is no "correct" answer to picking. That is, whatever works best for you, the one you can be most consistent in, that is the best. Yet people have their opinions. Al DiMeola is almost entirely strictly alternate picking, but Frank Gambale uses econo / sweep picking. Shawn Lane used a lot of patterns that utilized picking w/legato (hammer / pull) to get SUPER fast (not everything he did was picked).

Since I started playing about 20 years ago, I've been a 90% alternate picking on just about everything. But as I've started working on my sweep arpeggio techniques, I've developed a few ways to use econo / sweep picking in my lines as well. Still mostly alternate, but when I want to do a certain lick that uses something beside alternate, I might just use it.

The one main reason I think Al DiMeola used primarily alternate picking (and why I advocate it most), is that he didn't want to be limited by a specific picking style. For example, most of the econo / sweep picking lines have to have a certain number of notes on a string, and you have to start playing in a certain direction all the time to make it work right. Also, when you want to change direction, you have to make sure you hit a certain number of notes before you do. This, to me can be very limiting.

So, I suggest doing everything alternate picking, but don't be afraid to use other picking techniques if it makes things feel and sound right. Experiment. Some players don't even use a pick sometimes (Greg Howe and other players cross strings and hammer the first note, but does it so cleanly that it isn't a distraction). The key is consistency, what produces a good tone and sounds musical.

Hope that helps.

[MatthiasYoung]

There are several ways to approach picking patterns. If speaking of playing in general, alternate picking requires the least amount of thought. You can focus on a technique for the sake of technique, but a technique is best applied when you have a specific musical device to practice.

If you have a 2-octave, 3-finger scale run, that lends itself to alternating 3 notes on 1 string, but then sweeping as you cross string. It may or may not feel natural, but it terms of motion, it's the most efficient pattern. You may find that you can play faster alternating everything, and that's fine, but it's still not the most efficient motion.

I am always surprised that when picking questions come up that I rarely see comments about violin bowing techniques - these two are very closely related, and if you like to shred, I would check out some solo violin music.

[jvstraus]

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