Re: Pic direction when starting on a string
OK, I read through 49, using his stroke notations - FYI the original did mark some pretty strange pick directions, although I think I get what he is trying to do.
Pick direction is all over the map, and since triplets force alternate pick orders by nature, he seems to feel free to change pick direction at will when convenient. The most common technique he is using is when going up (or down) through two strings he just harp strokes through them instead of changing pick direction on each string. He has entire etudes devoted to what I am calling the harp stroke (three and four string etudes - and I have played them a lot to develop those techniques), guitarists would call it sweep picking I think.
Then he switches to alternating strokes until another such pattern happens. He does some double downs in a row too to set up an easier harp stroke on the next beat. All of it made sense to me, but I am used to alternate picking so it is hard to do that for me too.
You will find in his notes that he suggests getting these etudes up to at least 113 bpm (I cannot yet play anything 16ths at 113 bpm, but am getting close). When/if you get these things up to those speeds, I think you will start to see some of the genius in his pick direction suggestions.
Also, I don't think it is required you play with his 'suggested' pick directions. But you will benefit if you learn the tricks behind them them. It's part of the bag of tricks he is teaching you, and is part of the purpose of the etude.
Davey Stuart tenor guitar (based on his 18" mandola design).
Eastman MD-604SB with Grover 309 tuners.
Eastwood 4 string electric mandostang, 2x Airline e-mandola (4-string) one strung as an e-OM.
DSP's: Helix HX Stomp, various Zooms.
Amps: THR-10, Sony XB-20.
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