Alternate Picking Exercises
Contents
Single String
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-|
Chromatic Scale
Major Scales
Cross String: Inside
This one uses open strings to let you focus on strict alternate picking.
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|---
These 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.
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|---
Cross String: Outside
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. Because you are picking the string at the beginning of each down or up motion, you can more easily apply some muscle and get a solid response from the 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 -------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--
Cross String: Mix
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 -----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--
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|6-4---4-6---4--|4-6-7-6--------|4-6-----4-6-7--|----6-4-------4|--- -5-7---5-7---7--|----7-----7---7|--------4-5-7-7|----7-5-------4|5-7-----7-5-4--|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-----4---4|6-4---4-6---4--|4-6-7-6--------|4-6-----4-6-7--|----6-4-------4|--- -6-7---6-7---7--|----7-----7---7|--------4-6-7-7|----7-6-------4|6-7-----7-6-4--|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-----4---4|6-4---4-6---4--|4-6-8-6--------|4-6-----4-6-8--|----6-4-------4|--- -6-8---6-8---8--|----8-----8---8|--------4-6-8-8|----8-6-------4|6-8-----8-6-4--|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-----4---4|6-4---4-6---4--|4-6-8-6--------|4-6-----4-6-8--|----6-4-------4|--- -6-7---6-7---7--|----7-----7---7|--------4-6-7-7|----7-6-------4|7-8-----7-6-4--|8--
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.
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 -----5-----5---4|5-4---7-4---4--|7-5-4-6--------|4-5-----4-5-7--|----5-4-------5|--- -4-7---4-7---7--|----7-----5---5|--------7-5-4-5|----4-5-------4|5-7-----7-5-4--|5--
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--|5--
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---8-4---4--|8-6-4-6--------|4-6-----4-6-8--|----6-4-------6|--- -4-8---4-8---8--|----8-----6---6|--------8-6-4-6|----4-6-------4|6-8-----8-6-4--|6--
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---8-4---4--|8-6-4-6--------|4-6-----4-6-8--|----6-4-------5|--- -4-7---4-7---7--|----7-----6---6|--------7-6-4-6|----4-6-------4|6-7-----7-6-4--|6--