Difference between revisions of "C Major in Open Position and Alternate Picking"
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This one's a bit nasty - I threw some arpeggios and other non-neighboring jumps in there to make sure your left hand wasn't getting lazy. | This one's a bit nasty - I threw some arpeggios and other non-neighboring jumps in there to make sure your left hand wasn't getting lazy. | ||
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| + | == Homework == | ||
| + | Play all the exercises on this page. Practice the C Major scale in open position, ascending and descending, for both one octave and the entire open position. Practice with only downstrokes at first, then try alternate picking. For the alternate picking exercises above, everytime you change exercises, change the pair of strings you use. Remember to start slow and gradually build speed. You want full control, not to feel like you're tensing up and bouncing or vibrating. | ||
Revision as of 09:57, 22 April 2014
Contents
Open Position C Major Scale
Remember these figures from earlier lessons? Good. We're about really nail this home.
fig. 1 e------------------------- b--------------------0--1- g--------------0--2------- d-----0--2--3------------- a--3---------------------- e------------------------- c d e f g a b c
fig. 2 e-------------------------------------------0--1--3-- b----------------------------------0--1--3----------- g----------------------------0--2-------------------- d-------------------0--2--3-------------------------- a----------0--2--3----------------------------------- e-0--1--3-------------------------------------------- e f g a b c d e f g a b c d e f g
fig. 3 |-|-|-|-|-| |x|R|-|-|-| |x|-|x|-|-| |x|-|x|x|-| |-|-|-|R|-| |-|-|-|-|-| 0 1 2 3 4
fig. 4 |x|x|-|x|-| |x|R|-|x|-| |x|-|x|-|-| |x|-|x|x|-| |x|-|x|R|-| |x|x|-|x|-| 0 1 2 3 4
Figures 1 and 3 feature one octave of a C Major scale. Figures 1 and 4 feature all C Major notes for open position.
Play those scales up and down until you're bored. Then play them some more. Get comfortable playing it.
Alternate Picking
The idea is to get good enough so that you don't need stringent focus on your left-hand. We're about to start some alternate picking. All that means is we alternate from down stroke to up stroke for each note. Let's see what I mean:
fig. 5 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d -0--0--0--0-|0--0--0--0-|1--1--1--1-|2--2--2--2-|3--
The d's and u's represent down and up strokes. Normally tab doesn't include these. And professional tab where d/u is indicated use something like п for up and v for down - notice these are rough approximations.
Notice the strict alternation. Count along to your playing.
fig. 6 d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d e-------------------------------------------0--1--3-- b----------------------------------0--1--3----------- g----------------------------0--2-------------------- d-------------------0--2--3-------------------------- a----------0--2--3----------------------------------- e-0--1--3-------------------------------------------- e f g a b c d e f g a b c d e f g
Economy Picking
Be careful. Most beginner players get sucked into economy picking as follows:
fig. 7 d u d d u d d u d d u d u d d u d e-------------------------------------------0--1--3-- b----------------------------------0--1--3----------- g----------------------------0--2-------------------- d-------------------0--2--3-------------------------- a----------0--2--3----------------------------------- e-0--1--3-------------------------------------------- e f g a b c d e f g a b c d e f g
Notice this carries down-strokes over from one string to the next - you are using one pick stroke for 2 notes. Economy is generally good; however, if you start getting into this habit, your real alternate picking will suffer because you aren't practicing it. My advice is to focus on alternate picking. If you later feel like you need more speed and want to develop economy picking, you can do so then. But alternate picking tends to be easier to keep consistent rhythm and really strengthen the picking hand.
Also, alternate picking will tend to keep you on the beat better. Check out this example:
fig. 8 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 d u d d u d u d u d u d u d u d a----------0--2--3--2--3-|---------0--2--3--2--3-| e-0--1--3----------------|0--1--3----------------| e f g a b c b c e f g a b c b c
See how economy picking switches the way the down/up strokes line up to the beat? In the first measure beats 1 and 2 are played on downstrokes. All other beats are played on upstrokes. Alternate picking keeps the downstroke on the beats and uses upstrokes between beats. This can help ground you rhythmically, as you feel the beats line up to your downstrokes.
Rests and Unequal Note Duration
What about rests or notes with longer duration? In strict alternate picking, these do not change how the downstrokes and beats line up. It's like you are continuing to alternate pick, but you are simply not picking the string. Here's an example:
fig. 9 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 d u d (u) d u d (u) d u d (u) d u d ---0--0--0-----0--0--0----|0--0--0-----0--0--0----|
See the u's in ()'s. It's basically like you are trying to upstroke but missing the string. Keep that pick going up and down, back and forth like a metronome. This would be the case when there are rests or sustained notes.
An unusual and off-putting issue arises with triplets:
fig. 10 1 2 3 4 1 d u d (u) d u d u d ---0--0--0-----0-0-0-0---|0-
Notice how there are 3 notes in the 3rd beat? That's a triplet, which can be a bit tricky to time, especially this early. Not only the timing, but also the picking pattern is disruptive. Notice how if we alternate pick, we end up with an upstroke on the 4th beat? That's just something we have to deal with. Notice how we go back to using downstrokes on-beat in the next measure. This is favorable if possible, as you will likely get used to "grounding" yourself to the beat with downstrokes. But sometimes, we don't have the opportunity to do so (such as if there was another note in between the 4 and 1). We have to roll with the punches so to speak until we catch a break and can re-focus. This is unusual, however. Triplets tend to either come in pairs or before an emphasized note.
When to Alternate Pick
Alternate picking serves two main purposes: tone and speed.
The tone of alternate picking differs from straight down-picking simply because downstrokes and upstrokes have a slightly different tone. This gives alternate picking a kind of A-B-A-B sound, vs. A-A-A-A or B-B-B-B. Depending on the context of tone desired, alternate picking may or may not be desired. For instance, Metallica like to only down-pick their rhythms to give it a repetitive percussive sound. Rockabilly players, in contrast, like to alternate pick to a kind of swing sound.
Of course, tone only matters if you can actually play it different ways. If a passage is fast, it may require to be alternate picked vs. strict down or up picked. There's no firm cutoff point where you should say, "This is fast, so I'll alternate pick." So long as there's no tonal requirement, the choice is totally yours - you may be more comfortable alternate picking even a slower passage. Usually a song will have a common note duration, like quarter or eighth notes. If I'm comfortable downpicking them, I will, saving alternate picking for anything faster than that. The downpicking helps ground your rhythm to the beat, which actually helps you alternate pick in time by having the downstrokes line up on the beats.
Practice
Here are some practice exercises that focus on the most common obstacles you'll face when alternate picking.
Single String
Alternate picking on a single string is rather easy. The main thing to focus on is inter-hand synchronization. And make sure your hands aren't simply in sync with each other but in-time as well; practice with a metronome.
fig. 11 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u -0--1--3--1--0--1--3--1-|1--3--4--3--1--3--4--3-|3--4--6--4--3--4--6--4-|4--6--8--6--4--6--8--6-|
Figure 11 consists of 4 measures. Each measure focuses uses a different left-hand position as well as fingering pattern. Make sure that as you slide up positions you stay in time as well as inside the measures. Start slow.
Cross-String: Inside
d u d u -0---0--- ---0---0-
If you play the above example, you can see that your pick always starts its motion from between (or inside) the two strings. As you pick each pair of notes, you are making a figure 8 type pattern where you pluck the string then reverse directions moving the pick over that string and coming back down inside the strings to pluck the other one. Once you pluck that one, you again have to reverse directions and move the pick over the string just plucked to get it back between the strings and repeat.
Of the two cross-string variations, this seems to be the more economical and easiest to master.
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d -0-0-0-------0--|----0-0-0---0-0|0---0---0---0--|--------0---0--|0-0-0-0-0---0--|0-- -------0-0-0---0|0-0-------0----|--0---0---0---0|0-0-0-0---0---0|----------0---0|---
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d -4-5-4-------4--|----4-5-4---4-5|4---4---4---4--|--------4---4--|4-5-7-5-4---4--|4-- -------7-5-7---7|5-7-------7----|--7---7---7---7|5-4-5-7---7---7|----------7---7|---
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d -4-6-4-------4--|----4-6-4---4-6|4---4---4---4--|--------4---4--|4-6-7-6-4---4--|4-- -------7-5-7---7|5-7-------7----|--7---7---7---7|5-4-5-7---7---7|----------7---7|---
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d -4-6-4-------4--|----4-6-4---4-6|4---4---4---4--|--------4---4--|4-6-7-6-4---4--|4-- -------7-6-7---7|6-7-------7----|--7---7---7---7|6-4-6-7---7---7|----------7---7|---
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d -4-6-4-------4--|----4-6-4---4-6|4---4---4---4--|--------4---4--|4-6-8-6-4---4--|4-- -------8-6-8---8|6-8-------8----|--8---8---8---8|6-4-6-8---8---8|----------8---8|---
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d -4-5-4-------4--|----4-5-4---4-5|4---4---4---4--|--------4---4--|4-5-7-5-4---4--|4-- -------7-5-7---7|5-7-------7----|--7---7---7---7|5-3-5-7---7---7|----------7---7|---
Here's some practice for you! The first one uses open strings to let you focus on strict alternate picking. The rest are the exact same pattern just with different left-hand fingerings. It may seem tedious but it's all about getting perfect left-right hand synchronization.
Cross-String: Outside
d u d u ---0---0- -0---0---
If you play the above example, you can see that your pick always starts its motion from one side (or outside) of both the two strings. As you pick each pair of notes, you are making a figure 8 type pattern where you pluck the string then jump the next one, reverse directions and pluck it. Once you pluck that one, you again have to jump the next string, reverse directions, and repeat.
This motion is a little tough to grasp at first. Time to train!
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d -------0-0-0---0|0-0-------0----|--0---0---0---0|0-0-0-0---0---0|----------0---0|--- -0-0-0-------0--|----0-0-0---0-0|0---0---0---0--|--------0---0--|0-0-0-0-0---0--|0-- 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d -------4-5-4---4|5-4-------4----|--4---4---4---4|5-7-5-4---4---4|----------4---4|--- -7-5-7-------7--|----7-5-7---7-5|7---7---7---7--|--------7---7--|7-5-4-5-7---7--|7--
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d -------4-6-4---4|6-4-------4----|--4---4---4---4|6-7-6-4---4---4|----------4---4|--- -7-5-7-------7--|----7-5-7---7-5|7---7---7---7--|--------7---7--|7-5-4-5-7---7--|7--
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d -------4-6-4---4|6-4-------4----|--4---4---4---4|6-7-6-4---4---4|----------4---4|--- -7-6-7-------7--|----7-6-7---7-6|7---7---7---7--|--------7---7--|7-6-4-6-7---7--|7--
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d -------4-6-4---4|6-4-------4----|--4---4---4---4|6-8-6-4---4---4|----------4---4|--- -8-6-8-------8--|----8-6-8---8-6|8---8---8---8--|--------8---8--|8-6-4-6-8---8--|8--
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d -------4-6-4---4|6-4-------4----|--4---4---4---4|6-8-6-4---4---4|----------4---4|--- -7-6-7-------7--|----7-6-7---7-6|7---7---7---7--|--------7---7--|7-6-4-6-7---7--|7--
This is basically the same set of exercises as above for inside picking, but arranged for outside picking. Personally, I find outside picking a little easier.
All Together
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d -----0-----0---0|0-0---0-0---0--|0-0-0-0--------|0-0-----0-0-0--|----0-0-------0|--- -0-0---0-0---0--|----0-----0---0|--------0-0-0-0|----0-0-------0|0-0-----0-0-0--|0--
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d -----4-----4---4|5-4---4-5---4--|4-5-7-5--------|4-5-----4-5-7--|----5-4-------4|--- -5-7---5-7---7--|----7-----7---7|--------4-5-7-7|----7-5-------4|5-7-----7-5-4--|7--
These are the same as above but combine inside and outside picking into a single exercise. Notice the last 3 notes - you have to use the same finger on two different strings. To do this, you would play the bass note as usual, then flatten the finger to fret the treble string.
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d -----6-----6---4|6-4---7-4---4--|7-6-4-6--------|4-6-----4-6-7--|----6-4-------5|--- -4-7---4-7---7--|----7-----5---5|--------7-5-4-5|----4-5-------4|5-7-----7-5-4--|6--
This one's a bit nasty - I threw some arpeggios and other non-neighboring jumps in there to make sure your left hand wasn't getting lazy.
Homework
Play all the exercises on this page. Practice the C Major scale in open position, ascending and descending, for both one octave and the entire open position. Practice with only downstrokes at first, then try alternate picking. For the alternate picking exercises above, everytime you change exercises, change the pair of strings you use. Remember to start slow and gradually build speed. You want full control, not to feel like you're tensing up and bouncing or vibrating.