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Alternate Picking (Part 2)

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The previous two video courses have covered the basic mechanics of the picking technique. You should now be comfortable with alternate picking, as well as crossing and skipping strings in any combination. This course will now take the next logical step with the picking technique and will explore ways to play parts that do not begin on a downbeat. This will involve the use 'silent downstrokes'.

As you work through this material, you might find the following courses useful (all included in the monthly subscription cost):

Don’t forget to hit the Download Resources button above to get the PDF worksheet and audio files for this piece (available to subscribers only).

This course is 1 HOUR & 11 MINUTES long and contains the following videos, each of which can be selected from the video player above:

1. Using Silent Downstrokes (Part 1)

This video introduces the concept of 'silent downstrokes'. Understanding how these work will help you to play lines that begin on offbeats, or which feature syncopation.

2. Using Silent Downstrokes (Part 2)

This video covers further instances in which silent downstrokes are required: lines that feature notes played on the offbeat, and lines that contain tied notes.

3. Exercise #3

This is a simple rock bassline that contains several offbeat phrases. Playing these will help you to become comfortable with the concept of silent downstrokes.

4. Exercise #4

This exercise contains some notes which are tied across two beats. As you’ll discover, the technique of playing silent downstrokes remains exactly the same.

5. Exercise #5

This exercise starts with an anacrusis, a brief phrase played before the main line begins. This anacrusis begins on an upbeat and is therefore played with an upstroke.

6. Exercise #6

This is another rock bass groove in A minor. Some notes are tied across the bar line, presenting opportunities to use silent downstrokes.

7. Exercise #7

This is another exercise that has an anacrusis. This idea is reused at multiple points in the line and in addition to this, there are several notes played on offbeats.

8. Exercise #8

This exercise is a rock and roll bassline that is played at a quicker tempo. There are a lot of notes tied across the bar here, so lots of opportunities for silent downstrokes.

9. Exercise #9

This exercise is a development of the examples that were covered in the first video of this course. There are ties to watch out for at the end of every bar.

10. Exercise #10

This is a tricky rock bassline that has tied notes at the end of every bar. In addition, the tempo and the required string crossing make this a challenging line to play.

11. Exercise #11

This exercise is another up-tempo rock bassline with a lot of notes tied across the bar. This line starts with an eighth note anacrusis that should be played with an upstroke.

12. Exercise #12

This is another line that begins with an anacrusis phrase. There are also ties from the last note of each bar into the first note of the next.