Picking Style

A picking style is a strategy for choosing which motions to use and when to use them.

At its simplest, your picking technique consists of the motions you know, and your approach for combining them to play different kinds of phrases. But with so many possible motion combinations available, how would you know which ones to use?

The good news is that there are a handful of basic approaches for choosing and mixing different picking motions, and these simple strategies are consistent across different styles of music, and even different plucked instruments like guitar and mandolin. Let’s take a look at how they work.

Common Picking Styles

Single Escape Picking

A straightforward style capitalizing on the simplest alternate picking motions you can make

 

Single Escape Plus Swiping

Harnessing the power of swiping to expand single escape capabilities

 

Primary Plus Secondary Motion

Assisting the primary motion with an additional motion

 

Double Escape Picking

The picking style of DBX motion

 

DWPS Economy

USX motion and downstroke sweeping join forces