Is this an accurate description of crosspicking technique?

Playing Technique
#1

I came across this website, and it has different descriptions of picking techniques, and here’s what it says about crosspicking:

“6. Cross picking
This is a style often or mainly used in Bluegrass music on guitar, mandolin and sometimes on the banjo if not played with finger picking. It’s a different feel and phrasing than what is achieved with alternate picking.
The strokes used are D D U D D U D U or U U D U U D U D. (D = down-stroke, U = up-stroke)
Advantage:
It results in the correct articulation for forward and backward rolls when not done with finger picking.
Disadvantage:
Probably the technique with the most heavy duty string-crossing.”

http://www.hodosy-music.com/flatpick.html

Does this sound right?

#2

This seems to have little if anything to do with what Troy calls crosspicking, but of course I will dever to him or one of the experts.

#3

haha, thats funny because I just ran across that site about an hour ago.

I dont think that picking pattern has anything to do with CTC style crosspicking. I think its just a certain picking pattern that gives a certain arpeggiated feel. Its probably cool but its not CTC style crosspicking

we should try to find examples of it

#4

It is a common bluegrass definition of crosspicking, for sure. It’s the way I was taught by a bluegrass guitarist and the way many well known bluegrass guitarists crosspick. Tony Rice comes to mind for example.

1 Like