Wanna make picking GAINS?! Try this workout! The Half Hour of Alternate Picking Power w/ Ben Eller

Downloadable TABS, bonus lessons, backing tracks, and MORE available on my Patreon page! / benellerguitars ! This week you get a bonus lesson showing you how to practice the Half Hour of Alternate Picking Power in a melodic context using various scale pattern ideas!
instagram: BenEllerGuitars #halfhourofalternatepickingpower
unclebeneller
The Half Hour of Alternate Picking Power
Every day, do 5 minutes nonstop each of the following:
1: 6 notes per string starting with a downstroke
2: 6 notes per string starting with an upstroke
3: 4 notes per string starting with a downstroke
4: 4 notes per string starting with an upstroke
5: 2 notes per string starting with a downstroke
6: 2 notes per string starting with an upstroke
Hey kids! Its your good buddy, Uncle Ben Eller. I have received countless telepathic messages, courier pigeons, smoke signals, and cries for help from you guys asking a simple question: what is the best alternate picking practice routine to increase speed, accuracy, and fretboard domination?! The answer is easy: its Uncle Ben Eller's Half Hour of Alternate Picking Power Workout!!! This daily practice routine was made to exploit the fact that we learn new skills best by working them 5 minutes at a time, and gradually ramping up the difficulty level by introducing less notes per string as the workout progresses. More string changes = more difficulty when alternate picking, so you're going to start off with a big even number of notes per string (6), and gradually work your way down to tricky 2 note per string shapes. And because we have half of these exercises doing string changes on upstrokes, and the other half changing after downstrokes, you get a full 2 way pickslanting workout for that picking hand!
In this video, i'm going to break down the basic chromatic exercise patterns you can use to become an alternate picking machine. In every section, i'm also going to be showing you alternate versions of each exercise for an added degree of difficulty, plus giving tips and vital information about how to practice this stuff as we go. You're gonna get some tips on how to use your metronome, why you should practice WAY up high on the neck (the answer may surprise you, its not what you'd think), and how to randomize your phrasing for maximum mental benefits.
Try this out daily and i assure you, your picking hand is going to gain some horsepower for SURE!!! And all it takes is 30 minutes a day. Thats it!
Let me know in the comments below if you like this routine and if you'd like to see other Half Hour of Power workouts!
Playing my Suhr Alt T through the Fractal Axe FX III. Dunlop picks.
Thanks for watching! Good luck!

[@frostyriffs]

As I heard Zakk Wylde say once....speed is a byproduct of accuracy.

[@kane6529]

I once heard me say I must be inaccurate as hell 😆

[@DarthRaider520]

It's true with all things. No mind. The way of the samurai. Once you have practiced and held your weapon, over time, you will master it. Whether you are playing guitar, drawing, laying tile, baking bread, or weilding a sword. Practice makes perfect, or as I like to say, repetition equates to speed and skill.

[@rustyfryman8889]

Zakk once told a friend that he had some advice for me. "Practice til ya bleed!"

[@DavidSmith-ne1zp]

You're a great teacher Ben. I'm 57, and wished I had you 30 years ago! Lol, grey haired, but still rockin'!

[@richdelb]

I'm about to turn 55 and feel EXACTLY the same way. Where were you 30 years ago Uncle Ben?

[@jiffster7512]

Rich Delboccio , 58 years old! I wish I had a Instructor like Ben 40 years ago!

[@YOutsider]

Ben, I’m a 3000 year old egyptian mummy, and your vids don’t make me a better player, they just give me the dry farts. But i like watching you on my iphone during works hours in the afterlife. Horus says hi.

[@berkayguner]

@@YOutsider ok zoomer!

[@kronosecw]

The Vai 1234 2341 3412 4123 exercise helped me a lot with getting equal strength in all fingers. One thing that wasn't talked about when I was learning in regards to speed is that the technique changes once you hit a certain speed. Troy Grady discussed this during his Michael Angelo analysis. Andy Wood also talked about it too, where you can't just keep speeding up the metronome. You gotta overshoot the speed and then bring it down. Complete opposite of Rock Discipline where it was only go slow then faster faster faster.

[@desensitizedtv9862]

That exercise has been helping me warm up for 10+ years now. You can also do that on one string at a time, same pattern, just ascend the board a fret at a time. That, and his ascending scales in 3rds exercise. I don't know where I'd be if not for those three exercises.

[@joshmuz9018]

Shawn lane said the same thing go as fast as possible and let the left hand catch up over time. Considering his alien like speed I think it def works

[@monsterram6617]

"Do try to mix up those fingering patterns..." Sound advice even if you don't play guitar. 👍

[@togil1151]

11:05 Such a lowkey delivery for such a hilarious joke. lmao

[@matthiasthulman4058]

Followed by the effortless mom joke.

[@latheofheaven1017]

"Faster than a cheetah on a speedboat". LOL. Come here for the guitar lessons, stay for the metaphors!

[@7rixee]

First time thought it was 'speeball'. Now that'd be an edgy cheetah.

[@aaronboyles5237]

“Like your mom” in the middle of the exercises demo got me 😂

[@adamdelarozza1985]

And the metronome!. 😃

[@hman2912]

His similes are even better

[@richdelb]

Been running this routine EVERY DAY (sometimes more than once) since this video came out. NOTHING has helped my alternate picking as much as this ONE video. 6 months to a year from now I'll either be a Zombie from the corona virus, or an alternate picking God (sort of). Either way, I'll be grateful for this video...

[@kirilkirilov6241]

It's been two months since your comment. How's the progress?

[@Dethdefies96]

Also wondering how your progress is.

[@bc454irocz89]

hes a zombie

[@PauSe312]

@@bc454irocz89 🤣

[@SDesWriter]

Perhaps you'll be both. If you're going to be a CoVid zombie, why not have a hobby?

[@MarkHeaps]

Another revelation from one of your lessons. Doing the 2 note per string exercise, which you would think is really easy for someone playing 25 years, I discovered that if I ascend and descend with my 2nd and 3rd finger I tend to be not syncing right between those two with my picking hand. I've gotten so used to just hammering on/off between those two fingers they are out of sync with my picking hand. Exercise time!

[@tibor820]

Ben is a very, very funny person with good guitaring.

[@Win7ermu7e]

I prefer to call it guitarissimo. Not sure why. edit, just got your "minor" joke lol.

[@greggpeters9294]

@@Win7ermu7e this guy a very good teacher , he takes time to simplify everything. Good dry sense of humor

[@richdelb]

This is SO freaking useful to me that I actually upped my Patreon account with you to the next higher level. Thank you so much for these lessons.

[@BenEller]

Rich Delboccio and thank you for the support! Hope you enjoyed the patreon only version too!

[@CacheTaFace]

Uncle Ben plays so fast he blew the gips off the walls of his house

[@davidasher22]

I’ve been watching and practicing what you teach for about two weeks now and I can already see a major improvement in my shredding! Thanks Uncle BEN!!

[@ast7840]

I started watching u at the start of the year uncle Ben and for the first time i feel that I am moving in the good direction. Thank you

[@stellaspoochpitfeaturingro3522]

Two birds stoned? Ha Uncle Ben 😂😂

[@Lukeclayson]

I’ve been playing guitar for over 20 years but have always struggled to improve my alternate picking. I’ve just tried this half hour work out for the first time, my right arm certainly feels like it’s had a workout haha! I’ll be sure to keep doing this daily to see how I improve.

[@BenEller]

You got this!! GET INTO IT!

[@neospawnkiller6586]

I've been struggling so hard learning to alternate pick better. It's holding me back so badly. For some reason your videos give me motivation to keep trying. I've been practicing for a week or so and have noticed not much improvement at all, but having your voice in the background keeps me pushing. Thanks Ben.

[@h0tsex0r]

I tried Ben's picking regimen and lost 2 inches off my waistline. Thanks, Uncle Ben!

[@oh_my_pickles1368]

Thank you Robert and Douglas! Oh and you too uncle Ben.

[@colemanperin6804]

Literally the best yt guitar teacher of all time. Never realized how fast I was starting on an upstroke!! I always looked at everything as just always start with a downstroke

[@johnbillson3767]

half hour pick power hour

[@mikegorski065]

I love your practice routine lessons. I personally like the emphasis on the permutations. A ton of cool licks can come out of these.

[@Tetasha]

It's the first time I hear about that radial disturbance thing, brilliant! Thanks for sharing uncle Ben!!

[@johnbraucher1499]

Started shifting my patterns every week, and rotating through and starting over with the first. It's helped immensely.

[@seanmarsh9458]

Best teacher on KZbin!

[@jmangi6221]

Ben,you da man. I've been doing similar exercises through another program and the most difficult part is the descending 4- 3s. Great lesson boss.😁

[@ZJtraylor]

Thanks Uncle Ben, Robert, and Douglass

[@richg1746]

Awesome practice routine. I'm definitely adding to my routine. Thanks Ben for posting.

[@ks-zc1jh]

Thanks for all the videos man. Love the channel.

[@jurajzembjak9721]

Thanks for these amazing lessons uncle, I have to say you're probably my favorite guitar teacher, thanks so much for all you do :) P.S. more Pantera lessons please?

[@brandonm8582]

Wow, great exercise! Thanks Uncle Ben.

[@taopagan]

Great stuff! Limiting each exercise to a few minutes at a time (using a timer) was a big part of Howard Roberts' approach, too, over at Musicians' Institute in Hollywood back in the day. To help tame that wayward little finger (if you're like me, it's the one sticking out there like you're drinking a cup of tea), they had me do ascending 8's using all four fingers in this pattern: 1, 4, 2, 4, 3, 4, 2, 4. Then descend the same way and scoot up a fret for the next one. But using the idea you just showed us, we could slide up a fret on the high E string, and descend playing a kind of mirror pattern on each string: 4, 1, 3, 1, 2, 1, 3, 1. At faster tempos, about three minutes of this at a time is about all I can manage though lol!

[@IndyRockStar]

Excellent Lesson! Thank you!

[@chrisridenhour]

Thank you. Most helpful alternate picking video I've found so far.

[@seana4946]

Just sat down with this exercise for a good 30 to 45 minutes and I have to say I feel a lot more comfortable with this style of picking. I'm gonna incorporate this into my practice and hopefully some songs! Thanks for the vid homie.

[@mrkeegs]

I'm going to have to make this part of a practice routine. I desperately need discipline and Uncle Ben is the man to give it to me.

[@chriswilliams4866]

Great lesson. Definitely something I need to work on

[@mromero548]

I love Uncle Ben. I use it in all of my rice dishes.

[@jaym4958]

Thank you ben, I learned something for every word you speak, with that said back to practicing.

[@guitardude1981]

Chunking! Awesome! Thanks Ben. Pick slanting

[@pickboy7]

Awesome Ben! Thank you brother!

[@InfiniteEve]

Love this lesson! Solid stuff sir!!

[@yepyepyep678]

you’re videos rock! all of your videos have helped me get my chops back and put me at a higher playing skill I previously was at. without you I’d be a speed picking sloppy mess, THANKS UNCLE BEN!!!

[@berlymahn]

Another great video. Thanks UB!

[@steveperks59]

My Stepdad once told me "mix up those fingering patterns". I was only 5 years old at the time and it made no sense as he doesn't play guitar. Now, everything is clicking into place. Apart from my normal practice routine, I slot 5 minutes in before leaving for work to review what I learned the night before and start mixing it up to keep my fingers on the ball, so to speak. Thank you for your inspiring and useful content!

[@hotwired100]

Thank you, Ben Eller!

[@ambrosgonzales]

Thanks uncle Ben!

[@SamBarvels]

11:07 “maybe I’ll go up on the D. Like your mom!” 😂😂😂😂😂

[@marcoapdias]

I'm amazed how can he just shoot that out and keep a straight face. 😆😆😆

[@triangel5530]

Excellent!

[@bradleystroup1457]

What really helped me break through with picking was picking trills and trilling a string change. Really simple but it helped me get up to speed and eventually smooth out the clanky sound that comes along with bad alternative picking at high tempos

[@jacksonrich6398]

LOVE your videos😂🤘 Awesome teacher!!!

[@jasonparkergimplifedisable684]

You are the best go to guy for learning dude, the best hands down , I support your Patreon page whenever someone asks me I always tell them to follow you for lessons and songs, maybe one day down the track we can catch up for a jam if you ever visit Australia 🇦🇺, less clickin more pickin 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@djangobass7753]

Lovely stuff

[@kristijanfistrek9055]

Uncle Ben knows me too well! Thank you, thank you, thank you Ben!

[@davidlawson7786]

Thanks Ben, I really like this lesson, Troy Grady and you are my favorite YT guitar players, very helpful content and easy to incorporate in my warm up and even in my actual playing. I just started getting back into building up speed in my alternate picking again after spending the last year playing and writing riffs with a good friend/drummer. Thanks again Ben, hope you got some good sleep after doing this cool ass video.✌️🤘

[@bekidemeke5212]

You’re the best man!!!

[@Stringprodigy]

Dude you are the best!

[@douglasslayton5068]

Ben you are great thx

[@CelestiC]

Gonna practice that, thanks a lot !

[@yhis6647]

Thank you so much🤗🤗🤗

[@therealjimmybuffett]

Uncle Ben is my favorite uncle

[@MrJohnnyDistortion]

Good stuff U.B..

[@supernatural9r406]

This is the perfect Video für me . Since iam trying to improve my Left right Hand Synchronisation and Speed and Security in Alternate Picking.

[@pungimungibungi560]

God i love this channel. Funny, informative and has helped me with getting back into guitar!

[@phutureproof]

Man, you're an absolute monster! I been watching you for a while but I've never really paid attention, I'm going through a couple of your videos and the advice you give is absolutely solid, cheers brother. Dad lol

[@boddhiswaha5446]

Awesome!

[@darrenwardell3079]

Love the " Get two birds stoned at once" Brilliant videos and very easy to follow. Thank you very much Ben

[@antoinedodson170]

Thanks unc Ben

[@masterman6537]

Uncle Ben you are absolutely the best teacher. You explain so well and you make it real fun 🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@flavy1000]

Great stuff...now I can get it finally useful and not boring at all..because I can see the benefits...!

[@CT76OH]

my first teacher had a similar routine, this is great stuff

[@headbanger1547]

Didn't expect this to be such a workout for the fretting hand!

[@guitarsolos1979]

subbed! much love from the Phillippines

[@IcanWinBig]

Love it right out of the gate❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️too funny 😁

[@tasartir86]

I've been doing this every day for 3 weeks now. I've made massive gains in dexterity, rhythm and speed. I never thought I'd get this good and feel the potential to get even better. I highly recommend this. These exercises are the real keys to your own personal Lamborghini. Thank you, Uncle Ben! You could complement these exercises with a further 5 minutes of inside the strings picking exercises and 5 minutes of outside the strings picking exercises for further gains. Give yourself 10 more minutes for straight sweeping and 10 more for economy picking and you have an iron clad practice session. If you don't have the time, stick to Ben Eller's routine, you won't regret it.

[@PetfaxTV]

It’s a lot of future guitar heroes that are gonna have been guided by Ben, Marty, and Rick. Thanks to you, Ben.

[@Ydigisek]

Please do a episode on Paul Gilberts "fuzz universe"! That song is such a good example of alternate picking!

[@thumbody1]

Been playing guitar like a madman for 53 years. Mostly as an economy picker. The "starting the upstrokes on an up beat" is a great idea. I'm trying to improve my alternate picking. The downstroke stuff is a no brainer for me but starting on upstroke gives me grief on certain things. Thanks Ben. You crack me up.

[@Johnny_dell]

Thank you Sir! 🤘

[@Superjet113]

Oh man, this is what I need. I'm getting old and starting to lose it! Thanks Uncle Ben! :)

[@heyamhayder8506]

Great lesson, I've been using a similar-ish practice! I would add a few more key exercises following your setup. Crucially, one note per string; starting on a down, then up. You can practice barring or play chords and alternate pick each note. Great way to practice chord variants at different places on the neck. The other exercise I would add is string skipping. I play D-standard, so start on the low D and string skip all the way to high D. Then start on the G string, skip first to low D, G-G, G-C ... G-D. Rinse and repeat, starting on up or down strokes. From there I just add combinations. My goal is to practice combinations of picking/fingering, as this entire video demonstrates! For instance, when playing 4 notes per string you could play a 1-3-5-6 pattern, 1-2-4-5, 1-3-4-6, or 1-2-4-6. Or when playing three notes, use the middle/ring/pinky as you would your pointer/middle/ring. That helped a lot with my descending patterns. I always struggled more with descent than ascent. For each technique you know, try and incorporate them into the notes/patterns you're playing here. For instance, we could play 6 notes per string by sliding twice, e.g. 1/2-4-6/7-9 (play some hexatonic scales). Or you could add a 1/2 or 1/1 bend to the last note your play per string or add 8th/16th note vibratos. Next I'd incorporate these practices while being aware of the starting notes. So instead of just playing string to string, play starting at D, for example. This way you can start memorizing the notes on the fretboard, something that becomes invaluable later on, at least for me. You ever wonder how people like John Petrucci can just know what key they are playing in? It's not just from memorizing positions and patterns. Thanks for another great video Ben!

[@2005vinnievincent]

Excelence tio Ben! Thanks 🤘☠️

[@mylesoliver9414]

Lolllll just died laughing at the "two birds stoned at once" joke

[@EclecticEssentric]

It's Ben, a good lesson.

[@dayafteryesterday]

Nothing better than getting deep into the curvature 🔥

[@Nishiki2407]

Great video 👍 starting with a up stroke seemed so strange to me I never practiced any chromatics starting with that ,already has made a difference in playing !

[@JMARVELZZ]

hilarious intro !!

[@matt69cp]

11:06.....Laughed out loud! Nice one Ben!

[@erchulo100]

Nice shirt Uncle Ben! Revv for life!

[@4dmind]

Raises hand. Never work with a metronome, but I do work with pre-recorded drum beats - all from real humans - want to make sure you get that fractal groove that only a human can. I've reached a speed that is far beyond useful in a musical setting, and certainly in my genre. I have other areas to work on, and one can always improve alt picking technique. Great and fun video as usual Ben!

[@cavidhasanov072]

Thanks mate. So usefull🤘🎸🎼🖤

[@bludge1083]

cheers Uncle Ben :)

[@SilentVictim1]

Uncle Ben, thank you for this video ! Can you make a break down video on the first two alternate picking licks from Paul Gilbert - Intense Rock I ? Those licks are just insanely hard ! Hope you can help me with some of your in depth explanation

[@michaelmessina5341]

Very similar to what I do for warming up. I go 1-2-3-4 then repeat doing 1-3-2-4.

[@erniejohnson8200]

Thanx Ben jammin Eller

[@TheBloodyaymane]

Best name of anything ever

[@putzshred3]

I heard the Trailor Park Boys reference and subscribed... guitar intel was good though too!

[@catjesusbean]

Got a patreon supporter off the intro good work Ben!!

[@phillee3653]

Great video! I'd like to add that speed shouldn't come before cleanliness, sure, but there's a caveat. If your technique is bad, you will struggle to get faster and might never get there. Your playing can be super clean and you can still struggle to play fast. The problem is we get a sort of confirmation from our brains when we practice slow...no matter how we practice. When we try to play fast, we only get the confirmation when we do it correctly. Troy Grady addresses this in his starting with speed video. For anyone that's spent years trying with little gains, try that video too.

[@felipegomabrockmann2740]

Hi Ben, do you read my thoughts? because every single video from shows exactly what I want to learn.

[@Thiago_Alves_Souza]

Uncle Ben! Don't di... oh, wrong uncle Ben. Good exercises my man! It's been helping me beat my fingers into shape.