This run is based on the G half–whole diminished scale, also known as the octatonic scale. It’s a symmetrical scale made of alternating half steps and whole steps, which gives it that tense, dramatic sound often heard in metal and fusion. You can use it over: – A single bass drone note (very common in metal) – Dominant 7 flat 9 chords – Dominant 7 sharp 9 chords – Diminished 7th chords It fits a lot of different harmonic situations, but here we’re mainly using it as an alternate picking workout. The sequence is built around eight notes, and I recommend practicing it as “eight notes plus one.” That means you play the first eight notes, then restart from the next note, connecting each section exactly as shown in the video. Work on each section for 3–5 minutes, then move on and revisit it over a few days. Focus on total accuracy — if you do that, the speed will come naturally. If you want to download the Guitar Pro, MIDI, and PDF files for this lesson, you’ll find them inside the Guitar Gains course in the Classroom (Premium tier). Now, a quick note — if you haven’t checked it out yet, the first module of the Alternate Picking Deep Dive is completely free. It gives you a taste of how structured training works when everything is laid out for you step by step. And if you want access to all the Deep Dives, bonus lessons, and every Guitar Gains file and course, that’s what you get in the Premium tier. It’s designed to give serious players a clear, results-driven system for improving every part of their technique. Right now the Premium tier is still $29/month, but that price is locked only for the first 50 members. Once those spots are filled, the rate goes up — and I won’t be offering this level of access again at that price. So if you’ve been thinking about going all-in and finally building consistent progress, this is the time. Join the Premium tier in the Classroom and start getting real results from your practice.

Guitar Gains is a series of short, high-impact lessons designed to help you make real progress on guitar — one focused exercise at a time. Each post gives you something you can practice immediately to build speed, control, and overall precision. This exercise not only sounds cool, it’s one of the most effective ways to build real control in your alternate picking. As shown in the video, play the pattern in four ways: 1. All downstrokes 2. All upstrokes 3. Alternate starting with a downstroke 4. Alternate starting with an upstroke Working through all four angles forces total control of your motion. The goal is to make every version sound equally clean and powerful. Most players are comfortable with all-downstrokes from Metallica-style riffing, but the all-upstroke version is where hidden weaknesses show up. That one alone can solve many picking issues — even when you only play one direction, you still need the opposite motion to reset. You can apply this four-way method to any scale, lick, or sequence.Keep accuracy your top priority — clean execution beats speed every time. If you want to download the Guitar Pro, MIDI, or PDF tabs, they’re available in the Premium tier in the Guitar Gains course. And if you want to go even deeper into mastering alternate picking, check out the Alternate Picking Deep Dive in the Classroom.