Picking Style

Part of learning how to play the guitar and good music is learning the various styles of picking, their uses, and how to perform them.

Alternate Picking

Alternate picking is the practice of picking notes in a continuous up and down manner.  This is the most common method of play employed by pick users.  This technique allows the user to perform fast paced arpeggios or solos that would normally be impossible for a down stroke pick.  Good alternate picking requires a user to maintain a steady up down strumming pattern even when a note is not played.

A good exercise to practice Alternate Picking is to start on the low E string and pick it 3 times then go down to the A string and pick that 3 times as well, and so on and so forth all the way to the high E string.  Since we are Alternate picking each string an odd number of times the initial strum on the E string will be in a different direction then the initial strum on the A string.

Do this exercise up and down the neck of the guitar until you are comfortable with Alternate Picking.

Tremolo Picking

Tremolo Picking is an extremely fast paced version of Alternate picking focused on a single string.  This technique can be useful in created a sustained sounding note, and when coupled with a slide can create some cool effects.

Sweep-Picking

Sweep Picking is used almost exclusively on arpeggios.  Your picking hand creates a sweeping motion over the fret board mimicking a strum while single picking each note in the same up or down direction.  This technique requires the user to have matching fret hand technique to align with the sweep of the right hand.  This allows for a fast and fluid string of notes.

Exercise

e|-----------2---2------------|
B|---------3-------3----------|
G|-------4-----------4--------|
D|-----4---------------4------|
A|---5-------------------5----|
E|----------------------------|

To play the above tabulature only two sweeps are required, first a downward sweep and then an upward sweep. 
When first learning this technique perform the sweeps slow enough so you can effectively match your left hand to your right hand.  Then as you get better you can bring your sweeps faster to the point where they are almost like a strum.

It’s important when practicing this not to get in the habit of just single picking each note, its important that your picking hand adopts a slow strum motion rather then a picking motion. A good way to check if you are performing this right, is when you are doing a downward sweep at no point should the pick ever pause or momentarily head up.