The Cracking the Code Pickslanting Primer is the essential introduction to guitar picking technique.

We teach you the technical concepts that underlie fast and accurate picking — and we break down the actual techniques of legendary players like Yngwie Malmsteen, Eric Johnson, Michael Angelo Batio, and more.

Your purchase includes video lessons, detailed “how-to” tutorial chapters, dozens of example clips in ultra-revealing 120fps slow-motion video, and complete tablature in PDF and Guitar Pro.

The complete package includes 30 video tutorial chapters, 5 hours of lessons, and over 75 slow-mo video tablature examples.

Introduction to Picking Motion

Why are there so many ways to move a guitar pick? And why do so many of them actually work? We sort out the confusion with a two-hour overview of the most fundamental motions in picking, and how to create them. In the process, we look at footage of Michael Angelo Batio, Albert Lee, Mike Stern, Andy Wood, John McLaughlin, and more, to determine what elite-level pickstrokes are even supposed to look like in the first place.

Downward Pickslanting

Learn about the incredible power of downward pickslanting — with complete blueprints of Yngwie’s and Eric Johnson’s picking techniques.

Upward Pickslanting

Learn about the legendary accuracy of John McLaughlin’s picking technique, and step through the fundamentals of upward pickslanting mechanics with the awesome Strunz & Farah.

Two-Way Pickslanting

Learn how two-way pickslanting enables you to play alternate-picked scales across the strings.

Here's an overview of what's included with the download. For more detail, check out the platform page!

The Problem With Picking

Pick Grip

Picking Motion

Downward Pickslanting

Yngwie Malmsteen

Eric Johnson

Upward Pickslanting

Strunz & Farah

John McLaughlin

Michael Angelo Batio