Alternate Picking versus Economy Picking?

[AshtonXIII]

Do you prefer alternate or economy picking? Or both? Which should I learn?

 

[mcsalty]

Do you prefer alternate or economy picking? Or both? Which should I learn?

Definitely learn both.

 

[OmegaSlayer]

Both have they're advantages and help you with dynamics.

 

[karjim]

Like Guthrie says all the time...Learn first strict Alternate picking and then when you're a monster drill machine ( 2 notes-3 notes- 4 notes per string) you can start to focus on each movement and develop economy Gambale picking...But it's a brain surgery.
I prefer to spend my time on hybrid picking (alternate and hammer/pull off) like Petrucci Gilbert Lane Govan Vai etc...I think this Gambale insane training is not the way I wanna play the guitar.

 

[OmegaSlayer]

I agree and disagree at the same time.

I am self thaught and I unconsciously learnt economy picking and played for long time that way.
My economy picking is much faster and much relaxed than my alternate, but it's not good for certain movements/fingerings.
If you play a fast 3 notes per string run it's very serviceable but lacks some attack.
If you're an economy picker 2 fast notes per string are your worst nightmare.

I'm always trying to correct and perfect my technique and working loads on alternate.

What I want to say is that imho it's harder to learn one technique and then the other rather than learning both at the same time.

The guitarist's ultimate goal is "control", control your finger, control your wrist, and I think that learning both alternate and economy at the same time might create confusion in your head at first, but ultimately teaches your brain much better how to use your wrist in the most efficient way.

Drilling a technique for years like you suggest, then learning another one is much more fatiguing than learning both at the same time.

 

[Maniacal]

2 notes per string with economy picking across 2 strings is very easy.

I would say you should focus on alternate to begin with as it has more applications than economy. When you are comfortable with alternate, add some economy exercises in too.

 

[OmegaSlayer]

2 notes per string with economy picking across 2 strings is very easy.

How?
Let's take a common 5th position A minor pentatonic starting from 6th string.
On 6th string you play 5 with downstroke, 8 with upstroke, 5th string 5 with downstroke and this is alternate.

It changes if you start 5 fret on 6th string with upstroke then play 8 fret with downstroke and 5 fret on 5th string with downstroke, but then you have again 7 fret on upstroke and you can't go to 4th string 5 fret with an upstroke.

 

[TeeWX]

I prefer to spend my time on hybrid picking (alternate and hammer/pull off) like Petrucci Gilbert Lane Govan Vai etc...I think this Gambale insane training is not the way I wanna play the guitar.

Explain more please? I thought Hybrid picking combined the use of both finger and pick.

 

[Maniacal]

How?
Let's take a common 5th position A minor pentatonic starting from 6th string.
On 6th string you play 5 with downstroke, 8 with upstroke, 5th string 5 with downstroke and this is alternate.

It changes if you start 5 fret on 6th string with upstroke then play 8 fret with downstroke and 5 fret on 5th string with downstroke, but then you have again 7 fret on upstroke and you can't go to 4th string 5 fret with an upstroke.

Thats why I said it works on 2 strings

 

[OmegaSlayer]

Thats why I said it works on 2 strings

Indeed.
Sorry, I read too many 2s and got lost there

 

[karjim]

Well...try this on Youtube "paul gilbert hammer pull off" "shawn lane power licks" "petrucci alternate picking"
The shawn lane video is out of this world but this is hybrid picking !!
gilbert has great video..."up down hammerhammer up pull off " that kind of shit.
The technique combines strict alternatepicking with some hammer pull off ...Really really hard to learn those licks because you have to start so slow !
If you wanna see a great solo with this technique look at "paul gilbert insane solo" he has long hair no shirt a red spandex and white ibanez...I think it s in Japan during the 90's with Mr Big

 

[ncfiala]

I guess I pretty much economy pick exclusively. My hands have always pretty much just done what is most efficient without me ever having to think about it and I'm not going to train myself out of that. Take my advice with a grain of salt though cause I suck at picking. I've been doing so much two-handed tapping lately that I've barely even touched a pick in weeks.

 

[metaldoggie]

Learn all types......at the end of the day what matters is how the music you are playing sounds. If a particular phrase doesn't work in alternate, then try something else.

 

[Konfyouzd]

Does anyone actually pay attention to how they're picking something that much? I really only even notice it once I can't play something and have to slow down to figure out where I'm messing up. At which point I take note of which one I naturally wanna do, assess which one would be easiest for me in the situation at hand and practice it slowly that way.

Often I see that other ppl finger, pick and/or play the same things as me in a number of ways based solely--at least so it would seem--on what is most comfortable for them.

 

[metaldoggie]

Sometimes I make a mistake and slow down what I am doing. Often I find there is a difference between how I think I'm playing and what I am actually doing.

 

[Grindspine]

I tend toward the most economic movements. However, strict alternate picking will help you improve timing quite a bit.

Of course, when dynamic emphases is needed, use all down strums.

 

[Alex6534]

Until recently I've hardly touched economy picking and was solely an alternate picker, mostly by habit being self taught, I can see economy picking being very useful and 'economic' (see what I did there?) for some licks, mixing and matching makes for some interesting textures.

 

[Andless]

I wouldn't mind getting better at economy picking, its a nice idea.

Myself, I'm 99.9% alternate picker for most things. My first instinct is to alternate picking arpeggios as well, although not always the best choice

 

[OmegaSlayer]

I wouldn't mind getting better at economy picking, its a nice idea.

Myself, I'm 99.9% alternate picker for most things. My first instinct is to alternate picking arpeggios as well, although not always the best choice

That's not wrong per se if you play under 70-80 bpm.

 

[80H]

"Versus" implies competition... there is no versus. Drill vs. hammer, which do you prefer? or both? Which should I buy?