Guitar: Crosspicking Lesson 1

by Mickey Cochran

Crosspicking Guitar Technique: Published by Mel Bay Publications (the following is an excerpt). Click here to go to a an overview of this book.

Copyright ©2000-2010 Mystic West Media

Guitar Website Map 

Basic Crosspicking Exercises

THE FORWARD ROLL
The following "Forward Roll", is the first in many crosspicking patterns, which we will illustrate in future lessons, can be applied to just about any chord progressions. They are especially effective when backing up vocals or for a back-up variation behind instrumentals. Notice how this pattern almost emulates that of Scruggs' style banjo.

The following bars require no fretting and only establish the pattern to be followed by the picking hand.

Down Stroke = D
Up Stroke = U

Forward Roll Pattern #1

Starting on the G String            Starting on the D String
=====================================================================
E|----------0-----------0----------|---------------------------------]
B|------0-----------0-----------0--|----------0-----------0----------]
G|--0-----------0-----------0------|------0-----------0-----------0--]
D|---------------------------------|---0----------0-----------0------]
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------]
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------]
    1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &      1  &   2   &   3   &   4   &
    D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U      D  U   D   U   D   U   D   U

Forward Roll Pattern #1 (cont.)

Starting on the A String            Starting on the E String
=====================================================================
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------]
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------]
G|----------0-----------0----------|---------------------------------]
D|------0-----------0-----------0--|----------0-----------0----------]
A|--0-----------0-----------0------|------0-----------0-----------0--]
E|---------------------------------|---0----------0-----------0------]
    1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &      1  &   2   &   3   &   4   &
    D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U      D  U   D   U   D   U   D   U

Notice that the preceding exercises all have the same pattern, but start on different strings. When playing crosspicking back-up, it's best to try to start your forward roll out on the tonic of the chord (for instance, if it's a G chord, start out on the 3rd string of the chord or the 6th string fretted at the 3rd fret). If the progression changes to C, go to the 5th string fretted at the 3rd fret, while still retaining the same pattern.

THE BACKWARD ROLL

Backward Roll Pattern #1

Starting on the G String             Starting on the D String
=====================================================================
E|------0-----------0--------------|---------------------------------]
B|----------0-----------0-------0--|------0-----------0--------------]
G|--0-----------0-----------0------|----------0-----------0-------0--]
D|---------------------------------|--0-----------0-----------0------]
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------]
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------]
    1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &      1  &   2   &   3   &   4   &
    D   U   U   D   U   U   D   U      D  U   U   D   U   U   D   U

Back to Acoustic Lessons Page

Guitar Website Map 

Learn to Play Crosspicking Guitar! Interested in learning more about crosspicking guitar? Consider the "Guitar Crosspicking Technique" book ... In Print and Available Now! Click here for the Further Information.