Fast Picking and Bad Habits

[VizualSwami]

Hey!
So I am trying to work on getting better at fast picking. I've been playing guitar for a few years but only recently started using a pick. I realized I have this terrible habit of only wanting to down pick. Been trying to break it by focusing on up picking but whenever I space out I always forget. Any ideas on how to break a bad habit like this? Also if anyone has some good fast picking training or exercises they want to send my way feel free!
Thanks
~ Viz

 

[Kfir Yaakovi]

Focus on only up picking. This way your brain will mix the habbits and it will be 50% 50% aka alternate picking.

Jokes aside, just keep on going up down up down on the same string doing some scales/training. You can find some on alternate picking lessons here on the school

Post your progress!!

 

[Kim]

I would advice to choose an easy song for you and very slowly up and down pick. I used to have trouble with it, but after trying very slowly it gets more easy

 

[Dominik Gräber]

First of all, downpicking is not all bad, especially in metal It has more attack and needs to be practiced a lot to get a good downpicking speed.
But I know that was not what you ment, so here's my tip: Watch the lessons on alternate or economy picking and maybe even watch Syn's Etudes on that topic. The Etudes will be way too fast (I guess?) to play up to speed for now, but they are great exercises even when played slow.

If that gets boring I would also pick some licks or riffs you like and play them alternate picked over and over. A good way to sneak in some practice is to watch a show and play guitar without it being plugged in! Try to find licks with focus on alternate picking. For example I learned the silent hill melody on guitar when I started playing. A really good lick for up/down picking!

Hope I could help you a little! Make sure to show us your progress on the media page!!

 

[VizualSwami]

So I looked at the picking lessons as well as some videos on YouTube and I've been trying to change my play style so I can pick better. Not sure if this is something I should post in media? But here is two videos: The first is my old weird way of picking (using 3 fingers to hold the pick and only down picking). The second is me trying to work on better pick placement and up strums. Let me know what you guys think or if you have any advice. (Sorry my intro to nightmare isn't perfect, still needs some fine tuning!)

Old Version:

New Version:

 

[William B.]

Keep practicing with 2 fingers, like the second video, later you can add Hybrid Picking to your techniques. I sometimes use 3 fingers as well, but usually for thick riffs only and unintentionally. The way Syn holds it is good, I've been changing my technique as well. It's tiring, somewhat stressful, but it's starting to pay off.
Careful with your body, your a musician!
Oh yeah, practice only upstrokes sometimes if you want to make it stronger.

 

[Adin Shepherd]

Spend a bit of time with a looping lick like this and play it slow, painfully slow, really focus on STRICT alternate picking, straight up, down, up, down, no exceptions. You want to get that motion ingrained into your muscle memory, slowly build up your speed over time.

 

[William B.]

Hey how come everyone is making links like that? How do you do it and how to tell it's not malicious?

 

[Adin Shepherd]

They are just hyperlinks, you use the little chainlink symbol to create them. If you are concerned about them being malicious links you can right click it on PC or press and hold on mobile to see the link path, then you can decide if you want to click on it

 

[William B.]

ok thanks, for some reason all my options for the chat thing is blocked