#205 - The World's BEST Picking Technique? (ECONOMY PICKING COURSE)
Added 2021-12-14 15:01:02 +0000 UTCI have one more early Christmas present for you, my friends :) You guys and girls voted for economy picking on the wishlist, so I made this lesson AND another course package for you!
Here's the full economy picking course (instructionals, exercise video play-alongs, backing tracks, PDF tabs): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11GB5zATnyKYmasK1WW0RN7JeJocQo3m8?usp=sharing
There's another workout challenge at the end of the course, make sure to comment the day of your practice session and the BPM number you got stuck at - then you can come back tomorrow to beat these results until you mastered the full challenge!
The instructional parts are taken directly from the YouTube video since they show the angle of the pick and the motion in great detail - hope this helps with getting started with this awesome technique :)
P.S.: Here's a Dropbox link in case Google Drive doesn't work for you: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/2h8wxo58jdxnexo/AAC6zwmo1y8ZWkXXhv67Ij7Qa?dl=0
Comments
This is great! Thank you 🤘
Adam
2023-12-05 23:15:07 +0000 UTCI am on days 1-5 (only been playing 3 months) and Im stuck on the 50 bpm workout. I can almost consistently do the slower part of the 80 bpm bit, except the third part. I can't tell if it's my fretting hand or picking technique, but it is likley both. Any tips for fixing this?
gus
2023-03-25 04:04:17 +0000 UTCI recently became a patron and have been practicing this exercise. I am on day 6-10, I find that I have more problems with the 80bpm than the 100bpm,100bpm feels more natural to me. With this exercise I struggle more with the picking hand and at 89bpm I find myself missing some notes, at 100bpm I actually do better. Anyone else experiencing this?
Christopher Brown
2023-03-04 01:16:52 +0000 UTCOk, it looks apparent that Bernth doesn't answer (or pay much attention to comments, or questions). Nothing wrong with it, just for $20/month good to know.
ThePoorMusician
2023-01-16 00:18:25 +0000 UTCsame here bro, Every time I practice the other technique, my muscle memory gets completely meshed and one technique deteriorates the other.
Mridul Mehndiratta
2022-09-23 17:26:22 +0000 UTCvery interesting. thanks for sharing
Land
2022-06-29 22:25:01 +0000 UTCA bit late to the party since i just became a patron, but i wanted to give my 2 cents on this discussion. I have been doing economy picking forever, and never alternate picking. It just came completely naturally after learning sweep picking and i have been doing that ever since. I never had the need to preplan anything pattern wise. The same applies for string skipping, it also comes naturally, i just sweep toward the target string, jumping over the strings between, so its definitely possible to stick only with that technique if you want.. There are 2 disadvantages, at least for me. A. its harder to have consistent picking strength to every note, so that takes forever to master, and B. at least for me, is that it is completely impossible to master both. Every time that i did practice the other technique, my muscle memory got completely meshed and one technique will deteriorate the other.
GeorgeM
2022-06-11 12:14:51 +0000 UTCI'll second what BERNTH said. Economy picking is a great technique, but you do trade creativity for ease. Also I feel like with economy picking you really have to pre-plan stuff a lot more. My advice would be to practice both.
Marcus Daw
2022-02-01 16:42:38 +0000 UTCThanks for asking! Both have advantages and disadvantages, I'm an alternate picking guy because I love the challenge and I also see more freedom in this technique (with advanced patterns, string skipping,...) so this is what I'm personally going for :) But if you feel like you're not losing creative possibilities with economy picking, you can also go for this technique! Mastering both is where it's at I guess :)
Bernd Brodträger
2022-01-31 05:49:13 +0000 UTCHello Bernth, I like your channel very much and I am also a patreon of your channel. I used to do economy picking naturally (directional picking) and my teacher taught me that this is the right method. After some time I went to another teacher and he introduced me to alternate picking and told me economy picking is not the right tool to play fast. Correct method is alternate picking. I practiced alternate picking a lot but sill mess up sometimes. Then I watched Tom Hess's video which shows that economy picking is the right technique and alternate picking requires far more practice and time which can be saved by economy picking and it is a myth that alternate picking is better. Please lemme know what should i Practice so that I don't waste time juggling between these two techniques?
Mridul Mehndiratta
2022-01-29 08:49:48 +0000 UTCNext time, this is a bit more advanced actually :)
Bernd Brodträger
2022-01-29 05:35:04 +0000 UTCLove this. But why no descending on the final workout? :(
pniculescu
2022-01-28 19:21:51 +0000 UTCshow off ! haha
James little
2022-01-23 15:43:02 +0000 UTCseems I'll have to make the upgrade then lol appreciate the reply!
Luca
2022-01-11 04:16:07 +0000 UTCThanks for asking! Gold/VIP/Platinum members get to vote on the topics each month - there's another course coming this week :)
Bernd Brodträger
2022-01-10 05:46:50 +0000 UTCabsolutely love the 30 day courses, where do we vote for suggestions for those? Would a 30 day finger-picking course be a good suggestion?
Luca
2022-01-09 22:58:49 +0000 UTCThanks Chris mate I have been keeping a practice log for the last couple months now keeping that consistent and mixing it up here and there along with my theory and some improv and learning some songs and solos along the way I tend to jump on every exercise Bernth posts up gotta give them all a go haha Hand sync alt picking legato and sweep are my mains at the moment and also some chords progressions and cadences I see huge improvements in the short time I have been playing
jaz
2021-12-29 00:41:36 +0000 UTCI second that!
Chris Claxton
2021-12-29 00:37:10 +0000 UTCI'm the same mate. It's hard, but if you know your strengths and weaknesses, and you know what your current goals are. (for me it's about hand sync and alternate picking atm) Then I put together a plan using the lessons and courses found here. I've sat through all of the lessons and reviewed the courses and made a list. Then I break it into 4 week blocks. I pick a course and then exercises that help compliment that course, and set some timings around those exercises. But remember to be fluid with a plan. Life gets in the way, so some days you may not have the time to get through it all, but there will be other days you can add in extra. Hope this helps mate!
Chris Claxton
2021-12-29 00:35:32 +0000 UTCI 100% agree!!! I set myself up with a plan, and a new awesome lesson or course comes out, and I'm like "This is what I need" Then I start to re-review my plans again. I know I should stick to my original plan, and then add in the next new awesome lessons and courses, but I just can't help thinking "This is the one that will get me to the next level" If only I could quit my day job. Then I could fit it all in!! ;-)
Chris Claxton
2021-12-29 00:30:03 +0000 UTCThe tabs on the video playthroughs have the picking pattern, maybe I'm being too picky, but sometimes I just play the PDF along with a metronome. It would be nice if the PDFs had the upstroke/downstroke noted on them please!
Chris Godlewski
2021-12-27 23:43:17 +0000 UTCAlways wanted to give this technique a try. Ill definitely give it a shot! Any chance you can make a lesson in the future regarding tremolo picking & crossing strings in more of a metal rhythm context? Ive been trying to play some behemoth tunes & get caught up big time on the strings.
Garrett Greene
2021-12-25 20:51:40 +0000 UTCAnd same to you! :)
Robert Bjärmyr
2021-12-22 20:33:33 +0000 UTCAnd everyone else who reads this
Eric
2021-12-21 16:16:23 +0000 UTCThanks for another year of amazing guitar lessons. Wishing you and yours the absolute best for the new year
Eric
2021-12-21 16:12:32 +0000 UTCYes, I think it's a good idea to work on one course at a time! :)
Bernd Brodträger
2021-12-18 05:57:49 +0000 UTCShould we wait with this course until finishing the Alternate Picking Course?
Wolfgang
2021-12-17 17:51:30 +0000 UTCYou always providing good stuff.... Cheers pal!!!
Jailson Toledo
2021-12-17 13:38:33 +0000 UTCThanks again for this great lesson! I can't believe it, but I've made such incredible progress in the last year that I've been a Patreon of yours that nothing about the guitar seems impossible to me anymore. I've been playing the guitar for a long time but it's always been a journey without a destination - you're breeding your next toughest competitor here with me :) have a great holiday and look forward to what you have in store for me in the new year. Love goes out <3
Michael Schurtz
2021-12-16 23:00:07 +0000 UTCI gotta say, I'm pretty surprised of myself. Day 1: 150 bpm. I think that maybe I've been economy picking my way through licks in the past, since this came really naturally to me. I'll keep at it for 30 days regardless, and I've found that the challenges are excellent to keep in the daily practice routine, as well. :D
Robert Bjärmyr
2021-12-16 13:13:52 +0000 UTCThanks so much for sharing this Rob, it really means a lot to me :) Happy I can help on your journey, hope you have an awesome day!!
Bernd Brodträger
2021-12-16 05:45:50 +0000 UTCBernth, my MAN! I always want to write you to just say thank you so much. Your explanations are great, I see my progress at such a faster rate these days since subscribing to your Patreon. The improvement has even been greater than when I was spending hundreds a month on private lessons. Your exercises WORK! You’ve made learning the guitar at 36 not only approachable, but fun and affordable. I really can’t thank you enough for sharing this with the world. Hoping to be a shredder myself one day!! Loving every minute of the journey.
Rob Lee
2021-12-15 21:26:54 +0000 UTCI'd love to have in each lessons like this one (which is brilliant as always) a few cool licks of your to work on !! That would be total awesoness !
RitchGbg
2021-12-15 14:38:15 +0000 UTCAwesome I’ll jump straight on this and give it a go I honestly just want to play half as good as you mate and make some exotic music like you and my other favourite artists
jaz
2021-12-15 08:25:54 +0000 UTC:) thank you for this lesson . exactly what i have been looking for . Kraft . :)
Nigel Potts
2021-12-15 08:01:44 +0000 UTCI think it's a really cool technique :) If you feel like you can use it for your music and goals, give it a try! You won't regret spending a bit of time on it to get to know the motions :)
Bernd Brodträger
2021-12-15 06:09:20 +0000 UTCThat's a great question, awesome input from Robert as well - my biggest goal is combining all these techniques effortlessly in my playing, so I do like to work on a lot of different stuff each day :) But if you're completely new to something, it makes sense to put more focus on that as well before it becomes something 'regular' that you can just improve each day
Bernd Brodträger
2021-12-15 06:08:21 +0000 UTCI always recommend sticking to one for a while (including the course I put together for you) and then moving to the next one :) That way you can also work on some theory each day and get a balanced routine!
Bernd Brodträger
2021-12-15 06:06:30 +0000 UTCI knew it - Bernth is Santa Claus! <3
Robert Bjärmyr
2021-12-15 04:52:10 +0000 UTCOne recommendation for learning things in general is to focus on one field or area until it sets, and then move to another while maintaining the other. If you try everything at once it can be overwhelming, like trying to juggle while unicycling on top of a speeding truck etc... ;)
Robert Bjärmyr
2021-12-15 04:51:26 +0000 UTCThese lessons are pure gold! Thank you Bernth.
Andrew Whitfield
2021-12-15 02:15:09 +0000 UTCHey Bernth, This has helped me MASSIVELY!!! Definitely post more. Awesome, thanks.
Andrew Jones
2021-12-14 23:29:29 +0000 UTCYou gotta love a teacher's answer that is "yes! ... Sort of..." - I heard the words...I am up for this lesson...but oh my, I've tried this and those paths are just not in my brain yet...I will need Kraft! Thank you!
John H
2021-12-14 20:57:42 +0000 UTCHey Bernth should I put this into my practice routine I haven’t done a lot of economy picking Thanks mate
jaz
2021-12-14 20:39:43 +0000 UTCNice. This technique has improved my speed of transition from string to string.
Vivek govind ganesan
2021-12-14 18:35:19 +0000 UTCMore added to my daily practice! Thanks Bernth, awesome stuff!
MapleSlap
2021-12-14 17:29:24 +0000 UTCawesome, thank you very much, wow
Chris Huber
2021-12-14 17:13:06 +0000 UTCBernth, another course? I can't keep up man😅I said it before, you are the best guitar teacher I had this far, I noticed considerable progression in my playing since you are my teacher, thanks for the great flow of exercises Bernth!. German word: Bauernhof
Dirk den Ouden
2021-12-14 16:57:06 +0000 UTCPuh. Tryin´that erxercises for 20 minutes.. Result: I have no KRAFT mehr ^^ xD Denglish rockz
Hans Seestaller
2021-12-14 15:41:32 +0000 UTCthank you bernth
Alex
2021-12-14 15:41:15 +0000 UTCBTW I always have been recomended/told not to practice alternate and economy /alternate and sweep the same day, because mechanics may confuse the brain, specially when we are new to some picking techniques or we are trying to improve certain pick motions What do you think about?
Jose llopis temes
2021-12-14 15:17:55 +0000 UTCBernth I can only say thank you very much, I am en economy picking guitar player and this course will be like gold for me, I am always trying to mimic your technique, thanks a lot for this and continue with your awesome career and job.
Enrique Peña
2021-12-14 15:15:07 +0000 UTCI have wrist sprain so in two-three days I won't practice at all but this one is a nice treat, when i recover myself i'll work on these exercises
Jose llopis temes
2021-12-14 15:12:54 +0000 UTCI love these, but practical question: I have a few 30 day workouts from your Patreon that I want to work on. Should I just make my own schedule and do a few different ones per practice session, or focus only on one challenge at a time?
Peter B.
2021-12-14 15:05:36 +0000 UTCSo pumped!!!
Daniel Partain
2021-12-14 15:02:38 +0000 UTC
