Rhythm Pyramid - Increase Your Picking Speed

author: daniel.kPL date: 05/31/2012 category: guitar techniques
rating: 7.3 / votes: 7 
Rhythm Pyramid - Increase Your Picking Speed
E|---Daniel---Kaczmarczyk------------ B|----Guitar---Lessons--------------- G|--www.facebook.com/dkguitarlessons- D|----------------------------------- A|----- Rhythm pyramid -------------- E|----------------------------------- Rhythm pyramid is a method which I use to practice scales, and therefore picking. If you're looking for a exercise that will greatly develop your picking and speed - that's a great one. How does it work?
  • Method 1: I'll show you it straight one the particular example. Let's say that you are willing to practice C major scale. The scale goes like this :
         E   E  E  E   E  E  E   E    
         C  D   E  F   G  A  B  C
    Now, take a metronome and set it up, let's say to 60bpm. Let's assume that you don't know this scale, so the first rhythm value in this pyramid is going to be long. Let's take a whole note, which gets four beats. Now, practice this scale really slow, one note for four beats. This gives you time to set up your fingers and picking really correctly, and it will pay off at higher speeds. Play the scale up and down. When you're finished and feel really confident, lets' take the second rhythmic value - the half note. Half note gets two beats, so repeat the exercise, playing one note for two beats. Metronome has got to be set still to 60. Then, speed up and play one note for one beat (quarter note) and then one note for a half beat (eight note). I'm sure that now you got the idea clear. We are getting faster! Remember to consequently pick with alternate picking!
  • Method 2: In the method above, we were speeding the whole scale. Now, we'll play one note for a beat, but we are going to pick it more than once. First, play the scale with one note for a beat, then pick every note twice for a beat, four times for a beat, five, six, and so on to the eight picks for a beat. After months (or weeks) of this kind of practicing you will be able to pick even twelve times for a beat in 60bpm ! And that's really fast! Remember, that this is only a method of practicing. Develop it, change it when it gets easy and don't speed up until you're sure of the clearness of the notes. It's all up to you. I wish you productive practice sessions that will get you to the top ! :) If you liked the article, like my facebook page at www.facebook.com/dkguitarlessons . Thanks in advance! Also, you can read some more about controlling picking. Daniel Kaczmarczyk, lodzgitara@gmail.com
  • More daniel.kPL lessons:
    + view all
    Your captcha is incorrect