Downpicking, sometimes referred to as Downstroke picking, is the technique used by musicians that perform on plucked string instruments in which the plectrum, or pick, is moved in a downward motion, relative to the position of the instrument, against one or more of the strings to make them vibrate. If downstrokes are played without the addition of upstrokes (as in alternate picking), the tip of the pick never comes in contact with the strings during the time the hand is moving back up to repeat the downstroke.