Hi rasmus,

I'm not sure there's a true consensus. Personally, I try to use alternate picking where possible when I'm running through scales and soloing, but there are sequences where this might not be the most efficient way of playing the notes.

For example, if during a solo I had a pause and was then running through a new passage, I wouldn't start with an upstroke just because my previous sequence of notes in the solo ended on a downstroke - I'd view this sequence as a new starting point and start with a downstroke. However, if starting with a downstroke was leaving me out of position for my next passage, I might intentionally start with an upstroke.

I wouldn't think it's really good practice doing all downstrokes unless you're looking for a particular sound that this might give you.

More advanced players (than me) can do sweep picking for some fast soloing which is effectively playing a sequence of downstrokes or upstrokes.

Hope that made sense!