I was messing around with a metronme a little while ago and I couldn't play faster then like 250-300 strictly down picking and kinda came to the conclusion that in order to play faster I would have to start alternate picking. I've recently been practing on one string 2 or 3 notes, or exercises and made up and economy picking major scales. I'm kinda getting to the point where I inadervertenty play, but anyway I can play solos and other stuff faster only downstroking. Should I just start strictly alternate pick all the time?

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Ideally, variations of alt. picking and economy picking should be used while soloing inorder to get optimum speed and precision. As for riffage, it all depends on how you want the riff to sound (if both are "do-able") - downpicking and alt. picking both have different feels.

I'm going to go ahead and close this as there is a very similar thread somewhere around here. Bump if you want to discuss this more.

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