Tremolo picking
Encyclopedia
Tremolo picking, also known as alternate picking or double picking, describes the musical technique of picking
on a guitar
or other string instrument
in which a single note is played repeatedly in quick succession. It can be achieved either with the fingers or with a pick
. In the latter case, the pick is moved up and down rapidly to hit the intended string of the guitar
evenly. This technique adds sustain
to a melodic line where the notes would otherwise decay rapidly. If picked fast enough, the note sounds constant.
One example of tremolo picking is Dick Dale's
lead guitar playing on the song "Misirlou
."
Another example of this is the song "Blackout" by English rock band Muse
from their album Absolution. The picking style became an element of other surf rock instrumentals, including "Pipeline"
by The Chantays
. The technique is also exhibited frequently in Bluegrass
mandolin
playing, Russia
n balalaika
playing, death metal
, black metal, flamenco
, and Turkish folk music
.
All notes in this picking style are even--and there is not commonly a note in a tremolo sequence that is accented
. It sounds as if the player is letting one note ring, but that note is broken up in a staccato sequence.
Since the late 1970s the technique grew increasingly popular, and is used extensively by shred
players along with numerous other metal and rock bands/artists. The song Eruption by Van Halen has a notable phrase of tremolo picking.
Guitar picking
Guitar picking is a collection of techniques for setting a string into motion to produce an audible note; that is, plucking or strumming the strings on a guitar. Picking can be done:-* With a plectrum held in the hand...
on a guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
or other string instrument
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
in which a single note is played repeatedly in quick succession. It can be achieved either with the fingers or with a pick
Guitar pick
A guitar pick is a plectrum used for guitars. A pick is generally made of one uniform material; examples include plastic, nylon, rubber, felt, tortoiseshell, wood, metal, glass, and stone...
. In the latter case, the pick is moved up and down rapidly to hit the intended string of the guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
evenly. This technique adds sustain
Sustain
In music, sustain is a parameter of musical sound over time. As its name implies, it denotes the period of time during which the sound remains before it becomes inaudible, or silent.Additionally, sustain is the third of the four segments in an ADSR envelope...
to a melodic line where the notes would otherwise decay rapidly. If picked fast enough, the note sounds constant.
One example of tremolo picking is Dick Dale's
Dick Dale
Dick Dale is an American surf rock guitarist, known as The King of the Surf Guitar. He experimented with reverberation and made use of custom made Fender amplifiers, including the first-ever 100-watt guitar amplifier.-Early life:Dale was born in South Boston, Massachusetts and lived in nearby...
lead guitar playing on the song "Misirlou
Misirlou
Misirlou , is a popular Greek song with popularity in five styles of music: Greek rebetiko, Middle-Eastern belly dancing, Jewish klezmer, American surf rock, and international orchestral easy listening .- History :...
."
Another example of this is the song "Blackout" by English rock band Muse
Muse (band)
Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
from their album Absolution. The picking style became an element of other surf rock instrumentals, including "Pipeline"
Pipeline (song)
"Pipeline" is a surf rock tune by The Chantays which was recorded in 1963.The tune, originally called "Liberty's Whip," was renamed after the band members saw a surfing movie showing scenes of the Banzai Pipeline in Hawaii. The tune, fitting in with the popular surfing craze of the time, swiftly...
by The Chantays
The Chantays
The Chantays are an American surf rock band from the early 1960s, known for the hit instrumental, "Pipeline" . Their music combined electronic keyboards and surf guitar, creating a unique ghostly sound.-History:...
. The technique is also exhibited frequently in Bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
playing, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n balalaika
Balalaika
The balalaika is a stringed musical instrument popular in Russia, with a characteristic triangular body and three strings.The balalaika family of instruments includes instruments of various sizes, from the highest-pitched to the lowest, the prima balalaika, secunda balalaika, alto balalaika, bass...
playing, death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
, black metal, flamenco
Flamenco
Flamenco is a genre of music and dance which has its foundation in Andalusian music and dance and in whose evolution Andalusian Gypsies played an important part....
, and Turkish folk music
Turkish folk music
Turkish folk music combines the distinct cultural values of all civilisations that have lived in Anatolia and the Ottoman territories in Europe and Asia...
.
All notes in this picking style are even--and there is not commonly a note in a tremolo sequence that is accented
Accent (music)
In music, an accent is an emphasis placed on a particular note,either as a result of its context or specifically indicated by an accent mark.Accents contribute to the articulation and prosody of a performance of a musical phrase....
. It sounds as if the player is letting one note ring, but that note is broken up in a staccato sequence.
Since the late 1970s the technique grew increasingly popular, and is used extensively by shred
Shred guitar
Shred guitar or shredding is lead electric guitar playing that relies heavily on fast guitar solos. While some critics argue that shred guitar is associated with "... sweep-picked arpeggios, diminished and harmonic minor scales, finger-tapping and ... whammy-bar abuse", several guitar...
players along with numerous other metal and rock bands/artists. The song Eruption by Van Halen has a notable phrase of tremolo picking.