Part 1) Picking Precision

Many people come to me wanting to know how I achieve my certain brand of technical guitar precision in my playing. I tell them there are a number of things that I utilize to escalate and improve guitar accuracy, precision and speed.

I have come to find that one must always use a metronome or drum machine etc. in most practice sessions. This will first and foremost be your guiding fist of power when it comes to developing the skill and speed that you desire.

Secondly, you must instill a good dose of healthy self discipline to harness in your sessions as well. All of us as musicians are on different levels of experience and ability. Some of us learn much quicker than others and some seem slower to learn in some ways but faster in others on the instrument. There is no “magic pill” that is going to make you achieve the particular level of precision and expression that you are searching for. Only through hard core diligent self discipline and structured coherent exercise formats will you reach your desired state of guitar grace.

There are some guidelines that I have developed and followed that have exponentially increased my expressive facility on the guitar. Some of them are very basic guidelines but if used properly and consistently will help raise your technical proficiency on the instrument:

1.) Turn on your metronome or drum machine to a speed that you can clearly and accurately play a chosen scale or finger exercise.

2.) For example, a chromatic four finger per string exercise will do quite nicely.

3.) Let’s say your metronome is set at 100 bpm and your exercise is starting on the fifth fret (the A note) of the low E string. An example of your exercise pattern might be something like this: A, A #, B, C on the low E string, D, D#, E, F on the A string etc.

4.) Suppose with those eight tones you decide to play them lowest to highest and back again in a continuous circular motion. You must make sure first to decide depending on your current skill level to play this particular pattern in quarter, eight, or sixteenth notes at your chosen bpm. Remember you have to be able to play these notes as accurately and in as perfect time as possible with your timing device. If you find that you’re having trouble doing so accurately then you should change your eighths into quarter notes or simply turn down the speed of the metronome or drum machine to a level in which you can accomplish this properly.

5.) Utilize alternate picking at all times when playing any mechanical single note pattern. Start your practice pattern with a downstroke for your alternate picking movement for awhile, then start again with an upstroke which completely changes your alternate picking movement on the strings and will tremendously help you to evolve your picking precision and speed. You can do this with any lick, exercise, pattern, or phrase that you wish. If used consistently this particular technique of picking will launch your level of expressive precision to new heights.

6.) As you learn to play with increased proficiency at your chosen scale pattern etc. put the metronome up ten bpm higher and continue. When that level of speed becomes comfortable, increase the metronome another ten bpm and so on until you’re smoking. This may take weeks, or even months depending on the level of ability that you possess. Picking is one of the most under-trained techniques on the guitar. Picking prowess helps bring true expressive power in your playing.

Always remember to never get too tense, take breaks if you ever feel any pain in the wrist, hands or fingers. Also, when you’re too rigid and tense it will greatly impede your evolution and progress. So always stay relaxed and the more fun you have practicing the faster you’re going to improve.

This is only a preliminary approach to some of my developed practice techniques. I hope this intro helped some of you to get more on your way to picking prowess.

You will be reading more technique and study lessons from me at this site in the near future. Stay tuned and rock on!!

Eric Stadler

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