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Guitar Playing Problem?

I've been playing for 3 months, and I've picked it up pretty quick.

But the only problem is, I pick every note downwards no matter what. Is it proper to do this? Or are you supposed to alternate pick all the time?

I do STRUM up sometimes for chords, power chords, barre chords, but always down picking notes.

I know it can become a problem sometimes when I play Children of Bodom and Trivium and the like. But the real problem is, I can't change it! It's too natural for me, and even though my arm has to go nearly 2 times the speed (picking repeatedly downwards), it's more comfortable and easier to time the rhythm, but I really want to change it.

I don't know what to do. I'm just screwing myself over in the future when my left hand can do faster solos and stuff like that, but my right hand won't be able to pick up and down everywhere. I've really put my heart and soul into my guitar playing and I don't want to lose it just because I can't pick upward


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: You probably taught yourself correct, so you didn't follow the directions in the books, that why I tell everyone to get the books that have the Cd in the back so that you can hear if your doing it correctly, sometimes I think that the videos or DVDs are better because you get to see the correct way to play a certain passage. You have no idea that eighth notes are an up and down motion do you, example: 3/4 time, with three sets of eighth notes, count, one and, down-up, two and, down-up three and, down-up, see I try and tell people to play correct right from the beginning otherwise you have to go back and correct all the bad habits, very hard to do. With my students it's the thumb, they always want to bring it up over the neck instead of in the middle of the back of the guitar neck, and then when they want speed or have to make a complicated cord they have problems. Why don't you just play like your playing now, but devote twenty minutes a day to playing eighth notes and get yourself use to using this pattern, play them slowly and daily, it's not too late to incorporate this into your playing. Go to Sam Ash, they have more books and let the clerk know what your after, they have books that teach you the up down motion for playing all types of notes. The guitar is one of the greatest things to play, I've loved it for years, I'm never bored, there's always something to learn. Just try what I suggested for a while and see if it works for you, it can't hurt, and it will make the world of difference in your speed work later on, it's not too late you haven't been playing that long, Well I hope that I helped some, I"m so tired now, it's late and I have to go to bed, sorry for any mistakes, I'm exhusted, and my spell check is not working !