Originally Posted by
foldedpath
Usually a down stroke, but it's situational.
There may be a phrase where the following note is on an adjacent string, and it makes more sense to follow the direction of the pick as it moves to the next string, then recover to the DUD DUD pattern. You might be using articulations (ornaments) like a hammer-on or pull-off where a note is being "picked" by your left hand instead of the flatpick, which will require an adjustment to the pattern.
In general, I think a pattern like DUD DUD is useful when you're first learning to play jigs. It gets that rhythm feel into your head and hands. Once you have that rhythm pulse internalized you can play more freely, shifting to alternate picking for a tricky phrase, or throwing in ornaments that "break" the pattern. As long as you keep that rhythm pulse going, it's all that matters.
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