Economy picking question

stratman3142

Can I clarify the terminology, so I don't get confused about 'economy picking' and 'sweep picking'.

I think of 'economy picking' as playing more than one note per string, which combines alternate picking with two pick strokes in the same direction when moving to an adjacent string. I find that fairly easy when ascending in pitch, but difficult and awkward when descending in pitch.

I think of sweep picking as a continuous sweep motion, essentially playing one note per string (e.g. an arpeggio). In that case I find it just as easy to ascend or descend in pitch.

Barney

ChrisMusic said:

MatthewShreddery said:

OP - Yes I find exactly that same difficulty. Economy picking from low to high is harder for me than the other way. No idea why. 

Try this...

If you rest your right elbow on the arm of a chair and form a plectrum holding shape with your hand, and then try repeating the equivalent rotations to an up stroke a few times and then a down stroke several times, you may find, as I do, that the down stroke motion seems to have more resistance in your forearm.

I would be interested to hear if this happens for others on here, or if indeed the opposite happens, it would be good research.

I believe that isolating movements to their simplest form often helps in practice, especially when analysing things.
That seems to be the basis on which Troy Grady builds his videos too.

(P.S. south paws are welcome to play too    )

Yes ..i aggree the downstroke dosnt seem as natural..it seems to have more resistance ..but like i said in the post further up by collapsing the thumb and first finger..so no wrist movement it feels more natural...

Barney

stratman3142 said:

Can I clarify the terminology, so I don't get confused about 'economy picking' and 'sweep picking'.

I think of 'economy picking' as playing more than one note per string, which combines alternate picking with two pick strokes in the same direction when moving to an adjacent string. I find that fairly easy when ascending in pitch, but difficult and awkward when descending in pitch.

I think of sweep picking as a continuous sweep motion, essentially playing one note per string (e.g. an arpeggio). In that case I find it just as easy to ascend or descend in pitch.

Yes this is the exact way i look at economy and sweep picking ..

sekeri