This is from my song Blues for John (check the songs page). This one is tough! It combines a fast arpeggio like riff, with hybrid AND economy picking. Since I’ve explained hybrid picking I’ll talk about economy picking. Normally for fast riffs, you use alternate picking (up and down strokes alternating). However, in some cases for extreme speed (like sweep picking) it’s fast and cleaner to use 2 or more of the same stroke in a row, eg. 2 downstrokes or 2 upstrokes. So you can think of economy picking like a subset of sweep picking although it’s usually used in terms of scales (like 3 note per string licks or scales).

You’ll notice mostly chord tones which are the root, major 3rd, 5th, and minor 7th. I also added some chromatics between the minor 7th and root, and also some bluesy influences with a minor and major 3rd added, as well as the 9th. You’ll also notice that I don’t start any arpeggio on the root, usually the minor 7th or major 3rd.

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Watch the downstrokes, upstrokes, hammer-ons, pull-offs and hybrid (ring finger) as well as economy picking (multiple downstrokes/upstrokes). A lot to absorb!

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