Technique 201 - Alternate Picking, String Skipping, and Sequencing

When practicing your scales, you need to practice different picking variations so you can build stronger coordination between the right and left hands, as well as, get a good feel for the different options as a lead player. 

The first thing is to alternate pick. This means that you alternate between a down pick and an up pick throughout the whole scale exercise.  This is a great habit to get into as it is extremely economical and naturally helps to keep time in syncopated rhythms. 

The next thing to try is sequencing.  Sequencing entails playing across the scale shape in designated sets of notes.  Common sequences are sets of three and sets of four.  

For example, sequencing in sets of three means you would play the first three notes in the scale, then play the second, third, and fourth notes of the scale, then play the third, fourth and fifth notes and so on (123, 234, 345, 451, 512, 123). 

****In the video I incorrectly say it’s can’t be more than a set of 5.  I meant to say that it’s atypical to see sequencing sets that are larger than the amount of scale degrees - but it is technically possible. Please forgive the video flub :) ***

Try sequencing all of your patterns in a bunch of different keys.  Also try sets of two, six, or whatever.  This is a very cool technique which allows you to fill up space in areas where you want more notes without sounding confused and random.

Now let’s try string skipping.  This is where you literally skip strings as you work through the scale. This, especially combined with alternate picking, will really get your fretting hand and picking hand working together in sync. 

You don’t have to always try and stick to a specific formula either - mess around with skipping 1 string at a time, or 3 strings at a time, or even mixing and matching the intervals. 

The point here is to learn your scales inside and out, and get your two hands working as one. Do this with a jam track tor a metronome, start slow, and see how much you can do with just a simple 5 note scale!