Tremolo Picking

My main picking exercise for my next lesson (thankfully not this coming Tuesday, but 10 days from now) is tremolo picking.  In other words, moving the pick quickly back and forth across the string.  Basically, as fast as possible but hitting every note cleanly and in time.  This will build picking speed and accuracy, and is also designed to burn in good habits.

The focus is almost entirely on the right hand.  Once picking basics are established, the next step will be coordinating faster left-hand movement with the faster picking.  But for now it's four 16th notes on the same fret, then moving to another fret.

I'm using the metronome to keep myself going at a steady pace, and one that I can hit every note accurately.  For now, that means 76bpm, where I'm playing four 16th notes every beat.  The idea is to slowly increase the speed.

I'm doing a lot of simple finger exercises, and the scales I already know pretty well (minor pentatonic, blues, and minor), going up and down, trying to keep the picking steady.

I can't say it's loads of fun - and it's undoubtedly even less fun for the folks in the house to listen to.  But it's a basic skill that has to be learned, so the sooner the better.