March 01, 2022
Declan McDaid's Picking Approaches
In this article, musician and tutor Declan McDaid shares his picking tips and approaches, including: pick choice, single string picking, and multistring strategies (alternate picking and economy picking). Along with tabs and explanations, this is sure to iron out a few creases in your technique, and get you thinking about…
286 hits
December 25, 2020
The truth about "elbow picking"
"Picking from the elbow", "elbow picking", and "arm picking" are some terms for what is considered by most lead guitar players to be taboo when it comes to picking technique.So why do so many beginners automatically start picking from the elbow when they attempt to increase their picking speed? Simply…
2320 hits
July 24, 2020
Guide to the perfect pickstroke
Here's some advice that I've learned from observing my own practice sessions over the years regarding how to achieve the perfect pickstroke. What do you think of when you imagine the perfect picking technique? Fast picking runs? Small and visually effortless motions? Long tremolos of near-endless and seemingly frictionless stamina?…
2873 hits
May 21, 2020
A student interviews me
The following is an interview between a student and myself for a college assignment of theirs where they had to question somebody working in the music industry. Hopefully you will enjoy learning a little bit more about me and perhaps give you a glimpse into what it's like starting out…
2972 hits
March 07, 2018
How to read guitar TABs
Reading and writing guitar tablature (TABs) is essential for learning other people’s music and for keeping a record of your own creations. I would even argue that it’s more practical than standard music notation as TABs dictate the exact and intended way in which a passage of notes should be…
10655 hits
December 26, 2017
How the Pros Sweep: Style vs. Style
Let's take a look at how a few famous pro guitarists execute 3-string sweep arpeggios. We'll compare the techniques of Rusty Cooley, Yngwie Malmsteen, and Andy James. Players tend to stick to one sweep picking style for their entire musical careers without even considering alternatives. It is my hope that this article will open your eyes…
8520 hits
May 09, 2017
Tapping Arpeggios Lesson #2
Welcome to the second lesson on two-hand tapped arpeggios! Last time we covered the fundamentals such as: muting, string transitions, and a small 2-string example arpeggio to begin with. Now it's time to delve further into the technique and learn some larger arpeggio shapes. This lesson will teach you the tapped arpeggios for…
9789 hits
January 07, 2017
Essential Scale Sequences
What are scale sequences? A sequence is a repeated and ordered pattern applied to the notes of a scale or arpeggio. Imagine walking in a straight line for 8 steps. You could go ahead one step at a time like you normally would or you could decide to mix it…
10457 hits
December 05, 2016
Clean Note Transitions
This is a lesson on how to play passages of notes in a perfectly clean and intelligible way. You must eliminate silence between notes to create a seamless stream of sound. Picture your notes as a brick wall. You want to lay the bricks so tightly that there are no…
6438 hits
October 30, 2016
Tapping Arpeggios Lesson
I proudly present an in-depth technical guide to basic multi-string two-hand tapping arpeggios. Learn how to tap, how to cross strings and how to perform a basic 2-string, string skipped diminished arpeggio on the g and e strings. From there you are free to branch out to bigger shapes and…
7907 hits
May 31, 2016
Japanese Scale Picking Patterns
Get exotic with the Japanese Pentatonic scale! Like the standard pentatonic scale, the Japanese pentatonic also has 5 box positions. This lesson also includes diagonal picking patterns to aid your horizontal playing and fretboard vision. This lesson will be in the key of A Japanese Pentatonic.Box Shape 1This is the first…
6540 hits
May 20, 2016
Diminished Scale Picking Patterns
The diminished scale is another very interesting scale. It's a neverending repeating pattern of whole tone, half tone, whole tone, half tone etc. For this reason there are only two main scale positions, as opposed to the 5 positions of the pentatonic scale or the 7 positions of the major…
5429 hits
April 18, 2016
Alternate Picking Exercises
Alternate picking for the lead guitar is where the picking hand executes alternating pickstrokes to play passages of notes. This down, up, down, up pattern is kept constant no matter what pattern the fretting hand is fingering or how many strings may be involved. This technique, while very tricky to…
5527 hits
February 01, 2016
How to Sweep Pick: Beginner's Guide
This lesson is a no-frills study of how sweep picking is performed. Always start with the basics when learning a new technique. Nailing them and creating a strong foundation is essential for making good, quick progress. Do not dive right into large 5 and 6 string sweep shapes/passages - This…
5833 hits
November 27, 2015
Min7 Alternate Picking Patterns
Last time I showed you how a Cmaj7 arpeggio could be arranged into useful picking patterns. Now, staying in the key of C major/A minor, we will be moving on to the Amin7 arpeggio. The notes and intervals contained in the following two picking shapes make up the arpeggio: A,…
5481 hits