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do you use alternate picking to play power chords

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(@matteo)
Honorable Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 557
Topic starter  

hello all

if you have to play power chords do you use alternate picking or stick to downstrokes only? If I play an eight notes rhyhtm I tend to use downstrokes only, reserving alternate picking to gallop rhythms (i.e quaver-semiquaver-semiquaver), but I'd like to know your opinions about

cheers

Matteo


   
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(@mike_philippov)
Active Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 9
 

I usually play galloping rhythms like the one you described with both down strokes and some upstrokes (it's not pure alternate picking though). For rhythm guitar in general I usually try to use downstrokes whenever possible though.

Mike Philippov

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(@dogbite)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 6348
 

downstokes 99%of the time for power chords.
general rhythm playing I use both up and down chords. depends on the song or style.
on reggae I primarily upstroke.

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(@viper)
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Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 38
 

I almost always use downstrokes with power chords..
But like Mike said, it really depends on your style.

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(@matteo)
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Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 557
Topic starter  

i also tend to use downstrokes but laternate picking is almost compulsory to high speed. i.e. i'm learning Wicker Man by iron Maiden which is quite a demanding song with its 184 bpm and found out that i feel more realxed if i play it with alternate picking

Matteo


   
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(@corbind)
Noble Member
Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 1735
 

More than 95% of the time because up/down doesn't sound as mean as all down. But you have to make the call which method you use. There was a song "Hollywood Died" by Yellowcard that had a tempo that was faster than I could play all downstrokes. I did alternate picking and it sounded bad so I worked hard on it for a few weeks and finally got it playing all downstrokes.

As a side note, after all that work, the band had me play bass on it because the bass player wasn't comfortable singing and playing at the same time. :shock: Result? On bass you can easily play up/down and it's not noticed. So it did.

"Nothing...can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts."


   
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(@benpari)
Eminent Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 34
 

I think it is based on the song. When I play Smells like Teen spirit I use it, on the other hand it doesn't work so great for Master of Puppets.

But basically stick with downstrokes almost all the time.


   
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