[Ola’s signature Washburn Solar guitar is tuned down one step to D Standard: D G C F A D.]
Ola On Downpicking
A very common question I get about my guitar playing is, ‘How do you get your picking so clear when you do rhythm stuff?’ Something I do when I train is, if I have a lick that’s strictly alternate picking, I’ll also try to play it using only downpicking. Whenever I learn a riff, I also practice it using only downstrokes. If you play a simple riff, a simple chug, it will always sound better using only downstrokes, whereas if you play it [with alternate picking], it kind of loses its attack. Downpicking all the time is more fierce.
Check out our other lessons with Ola where he teaches us the solo to The Haunted’s ‘Eye Of The Storm’ and the solo to Feared’s ‘Mass Destruction.’ Also see Part 1 and Part 2 of our interview with Ola to learn about the disciplined life of an ambitious entrepreneur and family man who’s carved out a career for himself in the new music business!
[Special thanks to Chris Dingman and Alexander Pierce for their video work, Chris for his additional editing assistance, and Paul Schneider for his transcriptions!]
