How to Play Fast: Alternating Strokes

Do these patterns on all strings. With your picking hand, alternate the downstrokes with upstrokes. This makes the job a bit harder for the beginner, but you'll notice that you can go faster since your picking hand is doing half the work. The downstroke/upstroke habit is a good one to get into for all lead playing.

Key:

Pattern 1:


E-0-0-0-0-3-3-3-3-4-4-4-4-7-7-7-7-8-8-8-8-11-11-11-11--
B------------------------------------------------------
G------------------------------------------------------
D------------------------------------------------------
A------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------
  D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D  U  D  U

E-12-12-12-12-15-15-15-15-16-16-16-16-15-15-15-15------
B------------------------------------------------------
G------------------------------------------------------
D------------------------------------------------------
A------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------
  D  U  D  U  D  U  D  U  D  U  D  U  D  U  D  U

E-12-12-12-12-11-11-11-11-8-8-8-8-7-7-7-7-4-4-4-4-3-3-3-3-
B---------------------------------------------------------
G---------------------------------------------------------
D---------------------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------
  D  U  D  U  D  U  D  U  D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U

Pattern 2:


E-17-0-0-0-15-0-0-0-13-0-0-0-12-0-0-0-10-0-0-0-9-0-0-0-6-0-0-0-5-0-0-0-
B----------------------------------------------------------------------
G----------------------------------------------------------------------
D----------------------------------------------------------------------
A----------------------------------------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------------------------------------
  D  U D U D  U D U D  U D U D  U D U D  U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U


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