alternative picking question

django_nj

I have recently been working on alternate picking because I find the redundant downstrokes can be extremely tiring on the wrists, esp. during fast passages.

I rest my wrist near the bridge.

Here is the problem I'm running into.

Take this lick for example, from Bossa Dorado:

----------------------------------------------7------12------------
---------------------------------5-----8--------------------------
--------------------------7---------------------------------------
---------------5----8-------------------------------------------
----5--6--7-------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------

(sorry for the uneven spacing).


Anyway, assume I start this lick on a downstroke. I have no problem with it except when I start playing it fast, I get stuck on the "7" on the 3rd string (in the middle of the passage). My hand wants to play two or three notes per string and that is the motion its in, so when i hit that note in the middle, which is the only note for that string, I tend to slip up. My hand wants to go up and down on the string.

How can I overcome this?


Thanks.

BluesBop Harry

That's a good candidate for gypsy picking!



-----------------------------------------------7-----12------------
----------------------------------5-----8--------------------------
--------------------------7---------------------------------------
---------------5----8-------------------------------------------
----5--6--7-------------------------------------------------------
----d--u--d---d----u----d------d-----u------d------d-(or u)---


I rather use this fingering:

----------------------------------------------7------12------------
---------------------------------------8--------------------------
--------------------------7------[b]9[/b]------------------------
---------------5----8-------------------------------------------
----5--6--7-------------------------------------------------------
----d--u--d---d----u----d------[b]u[/b]----[b]d[/b]------d------d-(or u)---

Or this one (faster):

-----d---u----d---d---u----d----u----d----d--12----------------
--------------------------------------------12---------------------
---------------------------------------12--------------------------
----------------------------12---14-------------------------------
------------------10--13-------------------------------------------
----10--11--12----------------------------------------------------
Downstroke on the last note too.

Another:
-------------------------------------------------12------------
--------------------------------------------12-----------------
--------------------------7-(/)--9----12------------------------
---------------5----8-------------------------------------------
----5--6--7---------------------------------------------------
----d--u--d---d----u----d------u-----d----d---d--------
Shift positions on the third string by sliding your index finger from the 7 to 9 frets, you can do a 3 string barre at the end, I use my third or fourth fingers.

One more:
----------------------------------------------------12------------
---------------------------------------8------12--------------------
--------------------------7-----9----------------------------------
---------------5----8---------------------------------------------
----5--6--7-------------------------------------------------------
----d--u--d---d----u----d-----u------d------u------d--------
This one might solve your problem best since although it's gypsy picking you alternate almost always.
If you don't gypsy pick do a hammer-on or slide to the second or third note and voila! all alternate!

You can also play the last two notes as harmonics on the 12th fret!



Make sure to do swept strokes on the downward string shifting when possible.

The hard thing when gypsy picking is lines that go down, but since this one only goes up it works great, and can be done super fast.

django_nj

thanks this is really helpful.

And I know this is the wrong place to post, but are there any teachers available in the NJ / NYC area?

dennis

stephane wrembel teaches i think www.stephanewrembel.com

anyway... i'm curious what phrase is that from? it's not from bossa dorado, it seems to be a very wrong arpeggio or a very sophisticated one hahaha

steven_eire

django_nj wrote:

I get stuck on the "7" on the 3rd string (in the middle of the passage). My hand wants to play two or three notes per string and that is the motion its in, so when i hit that note in the middle, which is the only note for that string, I tend to slip up. My hand wants to go up and down on the string.

as bluesbop harry said, you need to sweep through that note you are having trouble with. so that you are playing a downstoke on the g string and just following through to the next note on the b string in one motion.

most of the licks like this one and in this style are more suited to gypsy picking than alternate picking in my opinion.