Good article on sweep picking

[DankStar]

I've been trying to sweep pick for like 10 years (off and on). I can play fast as a mother through scales and riffs, but when it comes to sweeping, it's like I've just picked up the guitar for the first time when I try it. I'm pretty much only going to practice sweeps until I get it down now, it's starting to bug me so much.

I found this article that I think is pretty good. It starts slow, and builds on itself, and has a few tricks I hadn't seen before (especially the first exercise under "5 and 6 string sweeps," which really helps you isolate where your weaknesses are).

booya to ya:

http://www.insaneguitar.com/mc/sweeping.html

 

[Diocletian]

Re: Good article on sweep picking

Thanks for that, taking a look now. Sweeping is something I'd like to do, but I doubt I have the time to practice it enough.

 

[DankStar]

Re: Good article on sweep picking

good luck! I think it might come more naturally to some people or something. I can do them slow, but the fast, flowing sweeps just don't click with me.

 

[edsmith]

Re: Good article on sweep picking

I had a hard time learning to sweep until I watched Paul Gilbert's video. He says to make sure you push through. That sounds easy enough but what he is talking about is not all that obvious.

When you practice, you push the pick through to rest on the next string before your finger reaches the next note. Same way ascending. You have to play it extremely slow at first but after a while your hands will sync and that is key to playing good clean sweeps.

Also pick twice at the top. A lot of people try hammerons and pulloffs on the high E instead of picking before the pulloff. It can really screw with your technique if you use that shortcut.

---------------------------------------------(...)12-17_12----------
---------------------------------------(...)13-------------(...)13----
---------------------(rest pick here)12------------------------------ etc...
---(pick rests here)14-----------------------------------------------
-15-----------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Another thing to do is practice only with your left hand. When you can play it clearly with your left hand, start picking it.

Those were the most useful tips I ever found for playing sweeps.

 

[DankStar]

Re: Good article on sweep picking

cool ed, thanks a lot. i'll play around with that tonight....

 

[McLaughysSN]

Re: Good article on sweep picking

I'll be revisiting this thread when I get home tonight. I've watching video after video on youtube, but everyone is emphasizing fretting more than picking, which is what i have my problem with in sweeping. Thanks man.

 

[vinterland]

Re: Good article on sweep picking

Getting used to playing more verticle scale intervals with speed (perfect 4ths, 7ths), having right hand control, and economy picking are all good places to build to sweeping.

Even with constant practice sweeping is almost one of those feel things that one day you just sorta get.

 

[DankStar]

Re: Good article on sweep picking

Getting used to playing more verticle scale intervals with speed (perfect 4ths, 7ths), having right hand control, and economy picking are all good places to build to sweeping.

Even with constant practice sweeping is almost one of those feel things that one day you just sorta get.

cool tips

 

[arbiter]

Re: Good article on sweep picking

this just takes the fun out of guitar for me...

 

[DankStar]

Re: Good article on sweep picking

this just takes the fun out of guitar for me...

It just reminds me of beginning to play guitar. Frustrating, but challenging, and hopefully rewarding in the end.

 

[daemon barbeque]

Re: Good article on sweep picking

I think Sweep picking is boring for my style....Great way to learn arpeggios tho!

 

[arbiter]

Re: Good article on sweep picking

well...i am a hopeless downstroker. and i have tried HARD to overcome that urge, but it just doesn't work. every time i made myself to keep on practicing and when i got to the point of playing it properly i realized it just isn't fun at all. so i decided to just embrace the beast

 

[JohnnyGuitar]

Re: Good article on sweep picking

It took me some time to understand how to do it. I think I'm pretty good at it, here's what helped me:
a. I've started sweeping between two strings, up and down, any two given notes. Then three strings, then four...
b. Sweeping in scales instead of arpeggios. I've started going up and down from one point to the other point in the scales I'm comfortable with. It gives you a cool way to start a line and it lets you try the technique in a more familiar setting.


Hope it helps.