CHAPTER 1

Chapter 1

Alternate Picking - Part 1

Although some basslines can be played using downstrokes
only, many will be too fast, or too complex for this to be effective.
For this reason, the most efficient way to use a plectrum is to
employ downstrokes and upstrokes. This is a technique that you
should be comfortable using on all four strings, so in this first
chapter we will begin looking at some simple exercises that will
enable you to practice this effectively.

Alternate Picking
Using down and upstrokes is known as alternate picking. The best way
to apply this technique is to play all downbeats (notes that fall on the
beat) with downstrokes and all upbeats (notes that fall in between the
beats) with upstrokes. This might sound overly simple - and it is - but as
you work through the exercises in next few chapters you will see that it
is an approach that will eventually allow you to play anything with a pick
that you can play with your fingers.

EXERCISE 1
Lets start with the simplest of examples. In this exercise, the first two
bars consist only of crotchets. These are all downbeats and so are
played with downstrokes. The following two bars consist of quavers.
As in the previous bars, the downbeats are played with downstrokes,
but the upbeat notes (which fall on the and of each beat) are played
with upstrokes. As you play this exercise, you should aim for an even
tone and volume level between your down and upstrokes. Ideally, they
should sound identical.

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PLEC TRUM TECHNIQUE FOR BASS GUITAR