Alternate picking and building speed

Alternate picking — strictly alternating down and up strokes — is the foundation of fast, clean playing in rock and metal. With good technique, speed comes naturally.

The basic motion

• Down (⊓) and up (V), always alternating: D U D U D U…
• Move from the wrist (or a mix of wrist and forearm rotation), not the elbow.
• Keep the pick movement small: just past the string, no more.
• Angle the pick slightly so it glides through the string.

Exercise 1: single string

Pick each note twice, then four times, keeping a perfectly even rhythm.

e|-5-5-7-7-8-8-7-7-5-5-7-7-8-8-7-7-|

Exercise 2: crossing strings

Crossing strings is the hard part. Keep strict alternation even when changing strings.

e|-------------------------5-7-8-|
B|-------------------5-7-8-------|
G|-------------4-5-7-------------|
D|-------4-5-7-------------------|
A|-5-7-8-------------------------|

Exercise 3: the chromatic warm-up

Fingers 1-2-3-4 on each string, alternate picking. Then shift up one fret and come back down. Great for synchronizing both hands.

e|-------------------------------------------1-2-3-4-|
B|---------------------------------1-2-3-4-----------|
G|-----------------------1-2-3-4---------------------|
D|-------------1-2-3-4-------------------------------|
A|---1-2-3-4-----------------------------------------|
E|-1-2-3-4-------------------------------------------|

Tremolo picking

Tremolo picking means picking one note as fast as possible, continuously. It's essential in thrash and black metal, and in surf rock.

B|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-|

How to build speed

1. Find your clean speed with a metronome — the fastest tempo where every note is perfect and relaxed.
2. Practice for a few minutes at that tempo.
3. Raise the tempo by 2–5 BPM. When it's clean, raise again.
4. If it gets sloppy or tense, go back down. Never practice mistakes.
5. Try bursts: play a short phrase very fast, then rest. It teaches your hands the motion of high speed.