Alan Stinson, a resident of Redwood City, CA, has worked in a range of trades and industries throughout his career. Most notably, he spent several years at Children’s Hospital Boston in Boston, Massachusetts, working as a medical gas technician and receiving clerk. In his spare time, Alan Stinson of Redwood City, CA enjoys playing guitar. To play guitar smoothly, it is essential to develop a good picking speed. Below are useful techniques to master the art of guitar picking: 1. Play slow. It might seem counter-intuitive, but learning to play a melody or a chord progression slowly and gradually building speed is one of the fastest and bulletproof ways to increase the speed of the picking hand. 2. Hand synchronization. Many players focus exclusively on the fretting hand and neglect the picking hand. That’s why it’s essential to work on hand synchronization, especially with intricate and fast passages. 3. Economy picking. Economy picking breaks the standard up-down picking pattern when changing between the strings. That way, the picking hand moves less and can play faster. 4. Release tension. Many players tense up when playing fast, which is counterproductive. It is essential to practice keeping the hands, arms, and shoulders relaxed as the tempo increases.

1. Exercises for Improving Picking
Speed
Alan Stinson

2. Introduction
Alan Stinson, a resident of Redwood City, CA, has worked in a range of trades and
industries throughout his career. Most notably, he spent several years at Children’s
Hospital Boston in Boston, Massachusetts, working as a medical gas technician
and receiving clerk. In his spare time, Alan Stinson of Redwood City, CA enjoys
playing guitar.

3. To play guitar smoothly, it is essential to develop a good picking speed. Below are useful
techniques to master the art of guitar picking:
1. Play slow. It might seem counter-intuitive, but learning to play a melody or a chord
progression slowly and gradually building speed is one of the fastest and bulletproof ways
to increase the speed of the picking hand.

4. 2. Hand synchronization. Many players focus exclusively on the fretting hand and
neglect the picking hand. That’s why it’s essential to work on hand synchronization,
especially with intricate and fast passages.
3. Economy picking. Economy picking breaks the standard up-down picking pattern
when changing between the strings. That way, the picking hand moves less and can
play faster.

5. 4. Release tension. Many players tense up when playing fast, which is
counterproductive. It is essential to practice keeping the hands, arms, and
shoulders relaxed as the tempo increases.