Hi Mike,

      Generally speaking, learning to alternate DUs in an efficient and relaxed way at as many different tempos as possible is one of the really critical skills to master the flatpicking style. You might just start out with one string and practice at an even and steady up and down motion to begin with. Then move to playing lines or scales that way. I usually tell students to float the little finger or little and ring fingers of the picking hand on the pickguard of the guitar for stability and as kind of a depth guage for how deep into the strings to use your pick. I also find that heavier guage picks are much more pleasing in tone although harder for the novice to master at first. It's worth it to start out with a fat pick.

   Crosspicking is a technique whereby a chord fragment or inversion is held and then it's three or four (or more) note components picked in sequence to simulate a banjo roll or fingerstyle effect. It is a really cool way to vary the sound of the flatpicking style so that it isn't quite so single line oriented. Check out George Shuffler for a good reference.         

  Anyone else out here should please feel free to chime in. Don't be shy boys and girls! This board is a lot more fun if we get a lot of participation from some of the lurkers out there. And I also want to hear what other pickers think <G>.

   Anyway Mike I hope this helps and good luck with your playing. Hang in there and you will see some results.