just thought maybe musicians here want to interact with each other and share ideas?

and also learn from each other... let's set this up also as a free clinic for all music enthusiasts.

what is a guitar?

it is the sexiest instrument in the world... and best of all, it screams.  O0

Heeey, I knew it! You're a guitarist...

anyway, just bought my guitar 'package' from some dude in quezon city last aug 4, 2007. Got myself a (please don't laugh) an Ibanez GAX70 (yeah, it's a Gio  :-\, but it's sorta modified.) and an Orange Crush 10 practice amp. All for the price of 8,500.00

well, I've been into legato lately. I've been practicing this etude since... uhm.. last night, heh heh...

I could go around for 80bpm? Sheesh.. sloooow...

Question: Is it really better that when I ascend, I start with an upstroke?

it depends on whether you start your scale descending or ascending...

what guitar books usually start teaching is an alternate picking with upstroke (^) and downstroke (v).

if you start with say the A maj scale form with your root on the 6th string 5th fret, normally you start with a v working your way alternately. so upon reaching the 2nd octave or the last note of the given scale on the 1st string 5th fret you would end up with a v.

regarding your question.
1. follow the instructions of the book you are using
2. work from it, basing on note accessibility and finger comfort.
3. train, don't strain

hwow... sorta confused here... (^) is an upstroke and (v) is the downstroke? I thought it was otherwise... no, nobody told me. it was how i perceived tabs. dear me, im a noob..

somethin like this, on the most common AmP.S.:

    v i begin this with an upstroke, then alternate pick...
I---5--8--------------------------------I
I---------5--7--------------------------I
I---------------5--7--------------------I
I---------------------5--7--------------I
I---------------------------5--8--------I
I---------------------------------5--8--I

tama ba ako sa aking terms?

ascend - what i meant was from the higher strings (higher notes) going down.
upstroke - picking from the direction of ground to air... gosh... i can't find words!

i think you got the terms right.

but try this... so as to get a better picture of the scale.

a. ascending to descending

         
e I---8---5--------------------------------------------------------------------------5---8--I
G I-----------8---5-----------------------------------------------------------5---8---------I
D I-------------------7---5-------------------------------------------5---7-----------------I
B I---------------------------7---5----------------------------5---7------------------------I
A I----------------------------------7---5-------------5---7--------------------------------I
E I-----------------------------------------8---5---8----------------------------------------I


b. descending to ascending

         
e I---------------------------------------5---8---5--------------------------------------------I
G I--------------------------------5---8-------------8---5------------------------------------I
D I-------------------------5---7----------------------------7---5----------------------------I
B I------------------5---7-------------------------------------------7---5--------------------I
A I----------5---7-----------------------------------------------------------7---5------------I
E I---5---8--------------------------------------------------------------------------8---5----I


try both with an alternate upstroke downstroke or you can experiment with downstroke upstroke or even up up down down.
whatever suits you as long as the notes are clear and your timing is good.

Whew... at least at some point I got some things right.

Uhm, bro, could you post a good workout routine? I mean, I began with this...

A I---------5----5--7--I
E I--5--8-----8--------I

and I repeat that pattern all througout the box of that AmP.S.

a beginner's workout... Okay, so I got quite around it for some time. Well, if you may, can you try to share something else? Something like, uhh, a finger dexterity/span improvement pattern? if you may... :

just found time to log in...

bout your question about finger dexterity...

most upper body exercises are used by professional guitarists for physical exercise to prevent muscle strain and improve player longevity.

constant practice of scales and chords will definitely help.

O0

nice avat.