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Alternate Picking (Part 1)

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Although some basslines can be played using downstrokes only, many will be too fast, or too complex for this to be effective. For this reason, the most efficient way to use a plectrum is to employ downstrokes and upstrokes. This is a technique that you should be comfortable using on all four strings, and so this course will introduce you to some simple exercises that will enable you to practice this effectively.

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This course is 37 MINUTES long and contains the following videos, each of which can be selected from the video player above:

1. Introduction to Alternate Picking

This video demonstrates and explains the basic mechanics of the alternate picking technique. This is a crucial element when playing with the plectrum.

2. Alternate Picking on All Strings

This video expands on the previous lesson and demonstrates how to apply the alternate picking technique across all four strings of the bass.

3. Playing Scales with Alternate Picking

This lesson will demonstrate a way of playing scales using the plectrum. In order to avoid string crossing problems, each note is doubled for the moment.

4. Exercise #8

Most of the bars of this simple exercise consists of two quarter notes (played with downstrokes) followed by four eighth notes (played down-up-down-up).

5. Exercise #9

This is a simple rock bassline that is played on just the E and A strings. Be aware that the point at which the notes change is not always on the beat in this exercise!

6. Exercise #10

This is another very simple line that is played on the lower two strings of the bass. This is a fairly static line, with simple transitions between each bar.

7. Exercise #11

This exercise is another eighth note-based rock groove. This time the line also includes some more active descending passages.

8. Exercise #12

This final exercise is a 12-bar blues in the key of G. This line features includes some 'string skipping', where you will change to a note which is not on the adjacent string.