Plectrum

The way how you use your plectrum is of great importance for the execution of your performance. It determines the timing, feel and sound you display and is worthwhile to pay attention to.

First the pick itself should be chosen correctly. The size, thickness and material will have to suit your playing style. It's often possible to buy and try sets with multiple types (e.g. at the guitar.net.shop)

The pick is normally held firmly between thumb and index finger and the movement comes from the wrist while your underarm is resting on the guitars body. For slow licks one way strokes will do but for faster runs the alternate picking is more appropriate. In the last case the pick is moved up and down with the pointy end of the pick just touching the strings.

Try to keep the movement as small as possible, yet hit the string with sufficient power to sound clear and loud so listeners can follow the notes. I always notice that the concentration on the pick movements helps to play the notes with more precision. In fact, when you do this, the fretting hand should play the licks with a certain matter of course (vanzelfsprekendheid) so the focus on the picking is assured.

The "automation" of the fretting hand is a matter of finger memory that you build up while practicing/playing a lot. This is why scales are practiced so much.
So the fast runs and licks are played with the plectrum moving up and down every other note and you are very aware of the picking which prevents stumbling and missing the strings.

The best way to learn this is to start with playing two notes on a string with your index and middle finger alternately and change the speed of picking. The change in tempo forces you to move the wrist of the picking hand slower or faster and as said, the focusing on the picking helps to play clear. Then you expand this exercise and play three notes on a string with three fingers. At last a scale on all the six strings can be played. Exercises for this are available in the first two lessons.

It's a good idea to practice these exercises with a clean and pure sound. That's harder, but you won't have the tendency to cheat a little which can happen when playing with a high gain compressed sound.

When you can use a drum computer, play with a slower tempo just fast enough for alternate picking as well. This helps you to control the picking technique on a slower tempo which is more difficult then playing this technique at speedy tempos.

Next time there will be several audio samples with tabs where you can hear licks with alternate picking and vibrato.