Economy picking

Economy picking is a guitar picking technique designed to maximise picking efficiency by combining alternate picking and sweep picking. Specifically:

• When picking multiple notes on a string, alternate picking (alternating between downstrokes and upstrokes) is used.
• When changing to a new string, sweep picking (picking in the direction of travel: downstroke if moving down or upstroke when moving up) is used.

This minimises movement in the picking hand, and avoids the motion of "jumping" over a string prior to picking it, as often occurs in alternate-picking when changing strings. Thus the picking pattern of an ascending three-note-per-string scale would be: D-U-D-D-U-D-D-U-D, and the descending pattern would start just like alternate picking (up stroke first): U-D-U-U-D-U-U-D-U.

Guitarists known for their economy picking technique

• Les Paul can be see performing economy/sweep picking in this 1953 video^[1] at 1:10.

• Eric Johnson uses this technique in songs like "Cliffs of Dover".

• John Frusciante uses this technique in songs like "Snow".

• Michael Angelo Batio uses a mixture of alternate picking and economy picking in his style as does Jeff Loomis.

• A common modern metal style is the use of alternate picking for scales and sweep picking for arpeggios, pioneered by Shrapnel Records artists like Zakk Wylde, Yngwie Malmsteen, Vinnie Moore, Paul Gilbert, Bruce Bouillet, Jason Becker, Marty Friedman and Richie Kotzen.

• Notably Paul Gilbert moved away from sweeping arpeggios in favour of string skipping arpeggios.

Gypsy picking

The picking technique of gypsy jazz has been described^[2] as similar to economy picking, but with the further requirement that the pattern switches from string to string in either direction, a rest stroke will be performed. For example, on switching from the G to the B string, the plectrum will move in the same direction and come to rest on the E string. However, on switching from the B to the G string, the plectrum will move upward and execute a down stroke on the G string, again coming to rest on the B string. This technique was employed by gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt and has been preserved by gypsy guitarists. However, he did not invent it. Exactly why Django used this technique is a mystery. He may have learned it from other gypsy players, of whom two of his chief influences were banjoist Gusti Mahla and guitarist Jean "Poulette" Castro.^[3] However, this technique was commonly taught in numerous guitar methods in the early twentieth century and was employed by American jazz banjo players.^[4]

References

1. ↑ Les Paul Sweeps
2. ↑ Michael Horowitz: Gypsy Picking
3. ↑ Michael Dregni: "Django: The Life and Music of a Gypsy Legend "
4. ↑ Michael Horowitz: Gypsy Picking

Further reading

Economy Picking Lesson from Ultimate-Guitar