shred

- YouTube

Marty Friedman and his trusted tech, Alan Sosa, who handles all effects switching manually during the show, showed us the goods.

Read MoreShow less

Rethink your approach to pentatonic shapes by pushing the limits of your picking.

Advanced

Beginner

• Visualize different string groupings for pentatonic scales.
• Understand the basics of economy picking.
• Learn how to create lines in the style of Eric Johnson, Shawn Lane, and Joe Bonamassa.

{'file_original_url': 'https://roar-assets-auto.rbl.ms/documents/11618/FutureRock-Mar19.pdf', 'id': 11618, 'media': '[rebelmouse-document-pdf 11618 site_id=20368559 original_filename="FutureRock-Mar19.pdf"]', 'media_html': 'FutureRock-Mar19.pdf', 'type': 'pdf'}

When I first heard about economy picking, the simplicity intrigued me. The concept is relatively straightforward: After a downstroke, if you're moving to a higher string, you make another downstroke. If you travel to a lower string, that requires an upstroke. Many beginners often intuitively do this. It wasn't until a bit later that I adopted a regimen of strict alternate picking for scales and sweep picking for arpeggios. But the idea of economy picking echoed in my mind. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have one picking style that could fluidly transition from arpeggios to scales? As time went on, I explored players like Django Reinhardt, Frank Gambale, and George Bellas, and economy picking naturally found its way into more of my technique.

Read MoreShow less

One of modern rock’s most buzzed-about shredders shares his insights on an often-misunderstood topic.

Chops: Intermediate/Advanced
Theory: Intermediate
Lesson Overview:
• Develop proper sweep-picking technique.
• Learn how to move across two, three, and four strings.
• Create diatonic shapes that move up and down the entire fretboard.

Click here to download a printable PDF of this lesson's notation.

This lesson is about my bittersweet relationship with sweep picking. To be honest, sweep picking has always scared the ever-living crap out of me (and it still does). For whatever reason, it has taken years for me to find any use for it. It’s only recently I’ve found myself applying the technique here and there, kind of like a loose light bulb flickering on and off.

Well, I finally put on my big-boy pants and started tackling it, or rather, it started tackling me.

Read MoreShow less