Getting Started With The Forward Roll

Now we get into the fun process of developing cross-picking technique, and applying it to various situations. I found several different cross-picking patterns to be very useful, and we’ll go through all of them, and apply them to playing tunes. Since a lot of cross-picking is the emulation of banjo style fingerpicking patterns I’ve used names for them that banjo players use. We’re going to cover three different patterns: forward roll, backward roll, and the inside out roll. I know, it sounds like we’re going out for sushi, and I’m getting hungry just thinking about it, but let’s get back to the patterns. Each of these patterns uses three adjacent strings. Since we have six strings we could possibly play these patterns in four different sets of strings – 1, 2, 3, or 2, 3, 4, or 3, 4, 5, and the last being 4, 5, 6. I will demonstrate the use of each pattern on one set of these strings, and I would encourage you to try all of the patterns out on each of the string sets.

So let’s get started. The first one that we’ll be doing is one that I find to be the most commonly used pattern – the forward roll. The way we perform a forward roll is by playing the three strings in an ascending order, meaning lowest pitch string to the highest pitch. We’re going to start with a 4/4 time cross-picking pattern on the first three strings. The string sequence would be 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2.

This short example uses three chords on the first three strings – C, to F, to G. I’ve written the first using economy picking, and alternate picking for the second part. Which style of picking you use is totally up to you. I would recommend working on both since both styles are useful. If we wanted to use this pattern for 3/4 time then we would just eliminate the last two notes of the pattern.

As a side note there is a slight variation that you can use with the forward roll, and it would be to take the very last note of the pattern and place it on the first string rather than the second. The string sequence would now be 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1, 3, 1.

Good luck with these, and don’t forget to try them on other string sets. Next we’ll look at the Backward Roll. If you enjoyed the post, and know someone who might benefit from it please pass it on, or like us on Facebook.

Happy picking!