Here's a little picking exercise for you in the key of A, ala Frank Gambale. It's economy picking; 'down-up-down, down-up-down', etc... 3 notes per string.

v = down
^ = up

   v ^ v v ^ v v ^ v v ^ v v ^ v v ^ v
e|-------------------------------5-7-9-|
B|-------------------------5-7-9-------|
G|-------------------6-7-9-------------|
D|-------------6-7-9-------------------|
A|-------5-7-9-------------------------|
E|-5-7-9-------------------------------|

Then play it descending, 'up-down-up, up-down-up', etc...

   ^ v ^ ^ v ^ ^ v ^ ^ v ^ ^ v ^ ^ v ^
e|-9-7-5----------------------------------|
B|-------9-7-5----------------------------|
G|-------------9-7-6----------------------|
D|-------------------9-7-6----------------|
A|-------------------------9-7-5----------|
E|-------------------------------9-7-5----|


This is just another picking style you can try. You can get flying with this technique.
Try it. :) BTW, you can move this around too. Try playing it starting on any fret on the top string (Low E). For example, if you play it starting at the 10th fret you'd be in the key of D, 3 fret would be G, 12th fret would be E, 8th fret C.