# Economy picking — join at the string change > Interactive page: [`economy.html`](economy.html) · Lab: [`economy-lab.html`](economy-lab.html) Economy is how you run **long scale shapes** (especially **3NPS**) without string-hopping: strict alternate *on one string*, then at a string change takes the shortest path: another down toward high e, or another up toward low E. That repeated direction is the **join** (`=` on RH / X) — intentional, not a mistake. **Technique path:** [Alternate](alternate.md) first → this page → [Economy lab](economy-lab.md) → [Sweep](sweep.md) for rest-stroke across many strings. **Order:** alt vs econ on open G–B–e → ascending / descending joins → progressive 3NPS and 2NPS (**2→4→6** strings) with 3-string as the mid step → U-turn → fives → into rake → six-string ascending → engineer 3+2+3 → descending 3NPS from e. **4/4 updowns:** multi-string updown cells *repeat the peak* so the length is even (friendly for bars of 4/4) — same convention as [Alternate](alternate.md). ## Scales job — why economy exists Economy is the picking design for [3NPS major](scales.md) and [mode](modes.md) shapes: odd notes per string let the pick *continue* into the next string (a join). - **3NPS cells are scale fragments** — say note names while you join. - **Odd continue / even turn** engineers the scale line (3+2+3, U-turn). - **2→4→6** grows one scale shape across the neck. - **Lab:** [Economy lab](economy-lab.md) defaults to 3NPS Scale shape. Chord-tone outlines → [Sweep](sweep.md). **Odd continue / even turn:** odd notes on a string keep the pick moving the same way into the next string (a join). Even notes reverse at the change — same as alternate. Gambale *job* (engineer the line), not a copied etude book. **Sources (two-check):** Guitar World economy / directional picking · Guitar Nine “economy demystified.” --- ## Lesson 1 · Hear the join · open G B e **Alternate** D U D: ``` e|-----------0 B|-------0---- G|---0-------- D|------------ A|------------ E|------------ LH 0 0 0 RH D U D X: o i G B E ``` **Economy** D= D= D: ``` e|-----------0 B|-------0---- G|---0-------- D|------------ A|------------ E|------------ LH 0 0 0 RH D= D= D X: = = G B E ``` ## Lesson 2 · Ascending join · D5–7–9 then G5 ``` e|---------------- B|---------------- G|---------------5 D|---5---7---9---- A|---------------- E|---------------- LH 1 2 4 1 RH D U= D= D X: = = G A B C ``` ## Lesson 3 · Descending join · start up G8–7–5 then D9; first stroke up. ``` e|---------------- B|---------------- G|---8---7---5---- D|---------------9 A|---------------- E|---------------- LH 4 2 1 4 RH U D= U= U X: = = D# D C B ``` ## Lesson 4 · 3NPS · progressive 2→4→6 Compare [Alternate lesson 8](alternate.md) (progressive 3NPS 2→4→6). **Two strings · D G** — twelve eighths (peak repeated): ``` e|------------------------------------------------ B|------------------------------------------------ G|---------------5---7---8---8---7---5------------ D|---5---7---9---------------------------9---7---5 A|------------------------------------------------ E|------------------------------------------------ LH 1 2 4 1 2 3 3 2 1 4 2 1 RH D U= D= D U D U D= U= U D U X: = = = = G A B C D D# D# D C B A G ``` **Four strings · D G B e** — twenty-four eighths: ``` e|---------------------------------------5---7---8---8---7---5------------------------------------ B|---------------------------5---6---8---------------------------8---6---5------------------------ G|---------------5---7---8---------------------------------------------------8---7---5------------ D|---5---7---9---------------------------------------------------------------------------9---7---5 A|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ E|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ LH 1 2 4 1 2 3 1 2 4 1 2 4 4 2 1 4 2 1 3 2 1 4 2 1 RH D U= D= D U= D= D U= D= D U D U D= U= U D= U= U D= U= U D U X: = = = = = = = = = = = = G A B C D D# E F G A B C C B A G F E D# D C B A G ``` **Six strings · full neck** — thirty-six eighths. One-way ascending is [lesson 10](#lesson-10--six-string-3nps--ascending). ``` e|---------------------------------------------------------------5---7---8---8---7---5------------------------------------------------------------ B|---------------------------------------------------5---6---8---------------------------8---6---5------------------------------------------------ G|---------------------------------------5---7---8---------------------------------------------------8---7---5------------------------------------ D|---------------------------5---7---9---------------------------------------------------------------------------9---7---5------------------------ A|---------------5---7---9---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------9---7---5------------ E|---5---7---9---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------9---7---5 LH 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 3 1 2 4 1 2 4 4 2 1 4 2 1 3 2 1 4 2 1 4 2 1 4 2 1 RH D U= D= D U= D= D U= D= D U= D= D U= D= D U D U D= U= U D= U= U D= U= U D= U= U D= U= U D U X: = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = A B C# D E F# G A B C D D# E F G A B C C B A G F E D# D C B A G F# E D C# B A ``` ## Lesson 5 · Three-string 3NPS updown Mid step between two- and four-string cells. Eighteen eighths (peak repeated). Then lesson 4b / 4c for four and six. ``` e|------------------------------------------------------------------------ B|---------------------------5---6---8---8---6---5------------------------ G|---------------5---7---8---------------------------8---7---5------------ D|---5---7---9---------------------------------------------------9---7---5 A|------------------------------------------------------------------------ E|------------------------------------------------------------------------ LH 1 2 4 1 2 3 1 2 4 4 2 1 3 2 1 4 2 1 RH D U= D= D U= D= D U D U D= U= U D= U= U D U X: = = = = = = = = G A B C D D# E F G G F E D# D C B A G ``` ## Lesson 6 · 2NPS progressive · 2→4→6 · then fives **Two strings · D G** — ascending changes show `i` (no join). Peak repeated for eight eighths; the turn can show joins on the reverse. ``` e|-------------------------------- B|-------------------------------- G|-----------5---7---7---5-------- D|---5---7-------------------7---5 A|-------------------------------- E|-------------------------------- LH 1 3 1 3 3 1 3 1 RH D U D U D= U= U D X: i = = G A C D D C A G ``` **Four strings · D G B e** — sixteen eighths: ``` e|---------------------------5---7---7---5------------------------ B|-------------------5---7-------------------7---5---------------- G|-----------5---7-----------------------------------7---5-------- D|---5---7---------------------------------------------------7---5 A|---------------------------------------------------------------- E|---------------------------------------------------------------- LH 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 RH D U D U D U D U D= U= U D U D U D X: i i i = = i i G A C D E F# A B B A F# E D C A G ``` **Six strings · full neck** — twenty-four eighths: ``` e|-------------------------------------------5---7---7---5---------------------------------------- B|-----------------------------------5---7-------------------7---5-------------------------------- G|---------------------------5---7-----------------------------------7---5------------------------ D|-------------------5---7---------------------------------------------------7---5---------------- A|-----------5---7-------------------------------------------------------------------7---5-------- E|---5---7-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------7---5 LH 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 RH D U D U D U D U D U D U D= U= U D U D U D U D U D X: i i i i i = = i i i i A B D E G A C D E F# A B B A F# E D C A G E D B A ``` **3+2 five-cell** (join appears) — ten eighths with peak: ``` e|---------------------------------------- B|---------------------------------------- G|---------------5---7---7---5------------ D|---5---7---9-------------------9---7---5 A|---------------------------------------- E|---------------------------------------- LH 1 2 4 1 3 3 1 4 2 1 RH D U= D= D U D= U= U D U X: = = = = G A B C D D C B A G ``` ## Lesson 7 · U-turn 3NPS up, two notes on B, reverse including the peak — sixteen eighths. ``` e|---------------------------------------------------------------- B|---------------------------5---8---8---5------------------------ G|---------------5---7---8-------------------8---7---5------------ D|---5---7---9-------------------------------------------9---7---5 A|---------------------------------------------------------------- E|---------------------------------------------------------------- LH 1 2 4 1 2 3 1 4 4 1 3 2 1 4 2 1 RH D U= D= D U= D= D U D= U= U D= U= U D U X: = = = = = = = = G A B C D D# E G G E D# D C B A G ``` ## Lesson 8 · Economy fives updown Same 3+2 cell as lesson 6b as a named gym loop (also [Break rut](break-rut.md)). Peak repeated. ``` e|---------------------------------------- B|---------------------------------------- G|---------------5---7---7---5------------ D|---5---7---9-------------------9---7---5 A|---------------------------------------- E|---------------------------------------- LH 1 2 4 1 3 3 1 4 2 1 RH D U= D= D U D= U= U D U X: = = = = G A B C D D C B A G ``` ## Lesson 9 · 3NPS into G B e rake Seed of a sweep — continue on [Sweep picking](sweep.md). ``` e|-----------------------5 B|-------------------5---- G|---------------5-------- D|---5---7---9------------ A|------------------------ E|------------------------ LH 1 2 4 1 1 1 RH D U= D= D= D= D X: = = = = G A B C E A ``` ## Lesson 10 · Six-string 3NPS · ascending Same frets as lesson 4c, one direction only (eighteen notes). Full updown is lesson 4c. ``` e|---------------------------------------------------------------5---7---8 B|---------------------------------------------------5---6---8------------ G|---------------------------------------5---7---8------------------------ D|---------------------------5---7---9------------------------------------ A|---------------5---7---9------------------------------------------------ E|---5---7---9------------------------------------------------------------ LH 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 3 1 2 4 1 2 4 RH D U= D= D U= D= D U= D= D U= D= D U= D= D U D X: = = = = = = = = = = A B C# D E F# G A B C D D# E F G A B C ``` ## Lesson 11 · Engineer 3+2+3 · joins and a turn Odd notes on D continue (join) into G; even on G → no join / inside into B; odd on B. Then reverse including the peak — sixteen eighths. ``` e|---------------------------------------------------------------- B|-----------------------5---6---8---8---6---5-------------------- G|---------------5---7---------------------------7---5------------ D|---5---7---9-------------------------------------------9---7---5 A|---------------------------------------------------------------- E|---------------------------------------------------------------- LH 1 2 4 1 3 1 2 4 4 2 1 3 1 4 2 1 RH D U= D= D U D U D U D= U= U D U D U X: = = i = = i G A B C D E F G G F E D C B A G ``` ## Lesson 12 · Descending 3NPS from e · start up One-way eight eighths (no reverse). Start up; U= joins toward lower strings. Connects to [Sweep](sweep.md). Then [Economy lab](economy-lab.md) (2/4/6 presets, 4NPS, crawl, 4/4 updowns). ``` e|---8---7---5-------------------- B|---------------8---6---5-------- G|---------------------------8---5 D|-------------------------------- A|-------------------------------- E|-------------------------------- LH 4 2 1 4 2 1 4 1 RH U D= U= U D= U= U D X: = = = = C B A G F E D# C ``` --- ## Practice note 5 minutes. A/B lesson 1 first. Then one join lesson and expand a multi-string cell **2→4→6** (3NPS lesson 4 or 2NPS lesson 6) or engineer 3+2+3. Listen for even-length updowns that land in 4/4. Then [Economy lab](economy-lab.md), [Sweep](sweep.md), [Solo drills · economy](drills-solo.md#econ).