1. Tunefox.com
  2. Learning Paths
  3. Introduction to Guitar Crosspicking
  4. Overview, and What is Crosspicking?

Overview, and What is Crosspicking?

Let's get started

In this unit you’ll be introduced to crosspicking. This is a technique that came about from trying to imitate banjo “rolls”. It involves a lot of pick movement to get a cascade of notes. Often played out of chord shapes and also combined with regular flatpicking, this style sounds great in solos and solo guitar. We’ll start you off with a few simple picking patterns in a common time signature(4/4). Spend time getting these right by playing slowly and surely. After that we’ll apply the picking patterns to chords and the song, “Boil Them Cabbage”. After that we introduce you to picking patterns in ¾ or waltz time, and then incorporate that into the song “Amazing Grace”. This is unit meant to be simple and attainable, but please do not try to speed through it. Stay in control by playing at an attainable speed.

Get your guitar tuned up, and let's get going with some basic crosspicking patterns in the next section.