Originally posted by Azrael
also very usefull is to practive inward and outward-picking (i think Petrucci came up with that).

lemme try to explain..

finger a powerchord (only root and fifth - no octave)

then play the two notes (root and fifth) alternately like

x----5----5-----5----5
x--3----3----3-----3--

in that case inwardpicing would be UDUD (root up, fifth down) - so you are moving the pic *inside* (or between) the two strings

outward picking would be the other way round DUDU (root down, fifth up) - so you are hitting the strings from above and below - the outside of the chord.

if you can do both fluently and at any speed and changing it at any time, you´ll never have troubles with any runs that involve uncomfortable pick-movements

OK, so I take it Inward pickin's supposed to be easier is it? Still, I see the point in practicing things the hard way, that way technique ceases to become an object.