The Best Guitar Picking Technique - Alternate Vs Directional Vs Economy Picking

ttps://tomhess.net/Picking What’s the best picking technique for guitar, alternate picking, economy picking or directional picking? The answer is revealed in this video. Here’s what you learn [...]
First, we will compare and contrast the difference in guitar picking techniques: alternate picking, economy picking and directional picking.
Second, I’ll teach you the pros and cons of each picking technique so you can decide for yourself which is the very best guitar picking technique.
Third, we’ll explore whether or not it makes sense to learn and master all three picking techniques, or only one of them.
Finally, I’ll show you the objective evidence and my conclusion about why I believe directional picking is a far superior picking technique to both alternate picking and economy picking.
But in the end, I urge you to take a look at all the facts and make up your own mind.
This video was taken from my long form article on the best picking technique for guitar.
Here’s the link: tomhess.net/The-Best-Guitar-P...
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tomhess.net/The-Best-Guitar-P...
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[@jacebastian7192]

I am SO glad that I made the switch from strict alternate picking to directional picking. Yes, it was definitely a rough transition for several weeks... but eventually directional picking began to feel as natural as alternate picking used to, and now my playing has gotten WAY better than it ever could by staying with alternate picking.

[@A20Y11]

what a comprehensive observation of these picking techniques!

[@TheTektronik]

Directional picking seems to be more intuitive at least in my case. Thanks for taking time to explain the three picking techniques.

[@cmaxhm]

the video I needed, thanks master!

[@score2926]

Thank you

[@serban2139]

What I'd like to see is how you play Paul Gilbert riffs with directional picking because they've probably been created in mind with alternate picking

[@nik8ivnv]

Thanks! Pretty long video😊 how to skip strings with directional picking? 🤔

[@guitaratfourty]

Well. I alternate pick everything.

[@Sebastian_Mroczek]

Hi Tom, thank you for the video. I have switched to directional picking as my main technique, but I do also use alternate picking depending on the situation. It would take too long for me to explain, but it involves changing directions very often when playing certain licks, string skipping, hand synchronization or just playing specific patterns depending on the number of notes you have to pick on each string. Alternate p. has a certain pattern to it as well which is helpful because at high speed you depend on your feeling sense, and picking down up down always means that for 1 motion you get 1 note played while with directional it could be 2 or more, so in a sense you are required to keep count🤷🏻‍♂️. This messes up my hand sync a bit. Switching to directional was a bit frustrating at times because there was a point where I could no longer play alternate, and were not great at directional 😆. I had to re-learn how to play some things I already could before, but to summarise switching to D picking has helped me on many levels!

[@timothyleard]

I'm more of a directional picker