Keep your timing in check with Berton Averre's cool down-picked riffing from The Knack's debut
At first glance you may assume this riff poses no great challenge. There are no stretches or feats of fret hand strength required, after all. The real challenge comes in the timing of those single note octave lines. There's no real 'trick' - just notice that the bass and guitar are in unison with each other so take your cue from the low end.
Guitarist Berton Averre plays the part using downpicking, but you could try a 'down up' alternate picked approach. This has the benefit of placing all the offbeat notes on an upstroke, with the on-beat notes falling on downstrokes, and may help you with timing and note placement. Whichever picking approach you take, make sure to pick with plenty of energy and gusto.
Click here to download the 'My Sharona' preset for the Peavey Vypyr VIP-2
'My Sharona'
© 1979 The Knack
Tutor: Jamie Hunt
Videographer: Martin Holmes
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