Tremolo picking

Very fast, continuous alternate picking on a single note or a tight group of notes, held for a sustained effect.

Tremolo picking is a stamina and relaxation exercise as much as a technique: the pick moves in a small, economical arc and the wrist stays loose so the attack does not tire. It is used to sustain a note on an instrument without much natural sustain, to build tension in surf and black-metal styles, and to fill long notes in mandolin and bluegrass playing. Keep the motion small and let the pick, not the arm, do the work.

Example: A surf instrumental such as a reverb-drenched lead often holds one note with tremolo picking to imitate the shimmer of a violin.

Tremolo picking

See also