astrozombie
KatyPerryologist
I suck. I often alternate pick them. :banghead:
any tips, or great online lessons?
any tips, or great online lessons?
Sweep Picking for dummies?
- Thread starter astrozombie
- Start date
J
Jay 77
Guest
Re: Sweep Picking for dummies?
I have yet to find one! Seems like one of those things you just have to plug away at for hours a day in order to work up to it.
I have yet to find one! Seems like one of those things you just have to plug away at for hours a day in order to work up to it.
Lazarus1140
New member
tone4days
Heel Whacker
Re: Sweep Picking for dummies?
when i got into sweeping, it became abundantly clear to me that it is completely NOT about mechanics
it is about RIDICULOUS familiarity with the fretboard and RIDICULOUS understanding of chord construction and arpeggios
the basics are fairly easy in terms of laying out the number of notes per string based on if you will be going in the same direction or changing directions to get to the next string .. if you will be changing, you use an even number per string and if you will keep going, you use an odd number per string ... this provides the 'economy' of getting two notes in a row from one picking motion
when i studied with gambale at NGSW for a coupla days in the early 90s, he kinda glossed over this little fact and smirked saying "yeah - i kinda assumed guys would have all that down "
the hopeful element of it all is that you can kinda kill two or three birds with one stone if you want to get deep into sweep ... it is a pretty cool trick to pull out every now and again, but it is only one arrow in the quiver for me ... i didnt have the time or need or talent to be able to become completely dedicated to it
when i got into sweeping, it became abundantly clear to me that it is completely NOT about mechanics
it is about RIDICULOUS familiarity with the fretboard and RIDICULOUS understanding of chord construction and arpeggios
the basics are fairly easy in terms of laying out the number of notes per string based on if you will be going in the same direction or changing directions to get to the next string .. if you will be changing, you use an even number per string and if you will keep going, you use an odd number per string ... this provides the 'economy' of getting two notes in a row from one picking motion
when i studied with gambale at NGSW for a coupla days in the early 90s, he kinda glossed over this little fact and smirked saying "yeah - i kinda assumed guys would have all that down "
the hopeful element of it all is that you can kinda kill two or three birds with one stone if you want to get deep into sweep ... it is a pretty cool trick to pull out every now and again, but it is only one arrow in the quiver for me ... i didnt have the time or need or talent to be able to become completely dedicated to it
astrozombie
KatyPerryologist
Re: Sweep Picking for dummies?
I just like how Avenged Sevenfold's Synyster Gates uses them as a brief transition to something else.
sounds awesome.
but my problem isnt making them up, its performing them.
I just like how Avenged Sevenfold's Synyster Gates uses them as a brief transition to something else.
sounds awesome.
but my problem isnt making them up, its performing them.
vinterland
New member
Re: Sweep Picking for dummies?
1. practice
2. practice
3. practice more
There are no shortcuts to arps. I still have some trouble on certain 6 and 7 string arp shapes but I know it's because I haven't put enough time into them.
1. practice
2. practice
3. practice more
There are no shortcuts to arps. I still have some trouble on certain 6 and 7 string arp shapes but I know it's because I haven't put enough time into them.
Last edited:
tone4days
Heel Whacker
Re: Sweep Picking for dummies?
light finger pressure and reduced overall fretting hand tension
metronome
slow at first - build up speed a coupla bpms at a time
its performing them.
light finger pressure and reduced overall fretting hand tension
metronome
slow at first - build up speed a coupla bpms at a time
fatigueofheart
New member
Re: Sweep Picking for dummies?
Ouch. That sounds like it hurts.
Well, if you can alternate pick them at the speeds of say, Steve Morse, then I don't see what's the problem. Or why are you hangin' out with us mere mortals here.
Not seems. Is haha.
I discovered sweeping and started pretty much like everyone else. 5-string root-b3-5 arpeggios, and also the same minor arp on the 3 high strings. Trust me you get tons of mileage out of those shapes. Other simple way of getting it "internalized" is whenever you see notes on adjacent strings coming up play both with a single picking motion.
As for general tips that I've been told and some that I've thought about:
-I'd say it's all about the coordination and the muting. It's about reducing that flam effect to a friggin' unnoticeable minimum. Of course you need to mute however you can to avoid notes ringing like crazy out there. Most people I know (myself included) mute with both hands, the left index finger mutes anything higher than what I'm playing (which I should have added, isn't always the case because of the fingerings), while the right hand palm mutes any string lower than what's being played. Of course the finger that's playing the note that's sounding needs to successfully mute that note as soon as you're going to move to the next. Those two things are what I consider to be a PITA about sweep picking.
-Don't bounce the pick. It's a single picking motion.
-You can use the wrist alone as a pivot point, the elbow, or a mix of both. I think the problem with the wrist alone is that unless your hands are big as you go towards the high strings you lose reach, and on top of that the angle of the pick in relation to the string changes with every string unless you hold your thumb/index differently than you would normally. Elbow alone, just doesn't seem very practical and seems somewhat prone to cause injury. Both together though, is what works for me. I use mostly wrist with some elbow. I can mantain the same pick/wrist/string angle on every string this way.
-As much as you're tempted to go fast, don't. Most of the times I feel I can/should blaze beyond my limits and it and it sounds fine. Hear it with some attention though, and the same thing that I see plagues people who think they've "got it down" happens to me, and that's that the first couple notes and the very last notes come out clear and articulate, but the notes in the middle are a mushy chord.
I haven't checked this website in a while, but it was real helpful in getting the concept and execution into my head. Here's a couple articles by Eric Vandenberg.
An introduction to sweep picking:
http://www.ibreathemusic.com/article/22
A closer look:
http://www.ibreathemusic.com/article/124
And another one by Mike Campese. This one seems more example ridden and less chit chat, but I just gave it a quick glance. If it is like I said, I guess this would be good for when you've already read the other two articles.
http://www.ibreathemusic.com/article/190
As for YouTube, I'm sure there's millions of video lessons there.
I'll try to dig some cool ones up. Also check GP, Guitar World, etc for some lessons on the topic. They're filled with annoying ads and crap, but there's some good material in those lessons.
Edit:
Here's the three string minor shape I was talking about. It's the first one he plays. It's a nice place to start. Nice looking Strat BTW...
Then here's the 5-string minor shape I was talking about. He's not really playing very clean but he explains a bit about rolling your fingers, which is another total PITA. If you notice there's some parts where he gets that "clean at the beginning, not so clean during the middle, then clean again for the last couple of notes" thing.
This one seems pretty complete, but I'm so tired I'm not gonna go through it. I'm gonna get some sleep. And no I'm not saying it looks complete because the guy titled it "Ultimate Guide to Sweep Picking" :lol:.
Paul Gilbert. Nice hair, even better player. Like Morse, he's got some sick picking chops and even if he doesn't seem to be a big fan of sweeping that sure as hell don't mean he can't.
Ouch. That sounds like it hurts.
Well, if you can alternate pick them at the speeds of say, Steve Morse, then I don't see what's the problem. Or why are you hangin' out with us mere mortals here.
Not seems. Is haha.
I discovered sweeping and started pretty much like everyone else. 5-string root-b3-5 arpeggios, and also the same minor arp on the 3 high strings. Trust me you get tons of mileage out of those shapes. Other simple way of getting it "internalized" is whenever you see notes on adjacent strings coming up play both with a single picking motion.
As for general tips that I've been told and some that I've thought about:
-I'd say it's all about the coordination and the muting. It's about reducing that flam effect to a friggin' unnoticeable minimum. Of course you need to mute however you can to avoid notes ringing like crazy out there. Most people I know (myself included) mute with both hands, the left index finger mutes anything higher than what I'm playing (which I should have added, isn't always the case because of the fingerings), while the right hand palm mutes any string lower than what's being played. Of course the finger that's playing the note that's sounding needs to successfully mute that note as soon as you're going to move to the next. Those two things are what I consider to be a PITA about sweep picking.
-Don't bounce the pick. It's a single picking motion.
-You can use the wrist alone as a pivot point, the elbow, or a mix of both. I think the problem with the wrist alone is that unless your hands are big as you go towards the high strings you lose reach, and on top of that the angle of the pick in relation to the string changes with every string unless you hold your thumb/index differently than you would normally. Elbow alone, just doesn't seem very practical and seems somewhat prone to cause injury. Both together though, is what works for me. I use mostly wrist with some elbow. I can mantain the same pick/wrist/string angle on every string this way.
-As much as you're tempted to go fast, don't. Most of the times I feel I can/should blaze beyond my limits and it and it sounds fine. Hear it with some attention though, and the same thing that I see plagues people who think they've "got it down" happens to me, and that's that the first couple notes and the very last notes come out clear and articulate, but the notes in the middle are a mushy chord.
I haven't checked this website in a while, but it was real helpful in getting the concept and execution into my head. Here's a couple articles by Eric Vandenberg.
An introduction to sweep picking:
http://www.ibreathemusic.com/article/22
A closer look:
http://www.ibreathemusic.com/article/124
And another one by Mike Campese. This one seems more example ridden and less chit chat, but I just gave it a quick glance. If it is like I said, I guess this would be good for when you've already read the other two articles.
http://www.ibreathemusic.com/article/190
As for YouTube, I'm sure there's millions of video lessons there.
I'll try to dig some cool ones up. Also check GP, Guitar World, etc for some lessons on the topic. They're filled with annoying ads and crap, but there's some good material in those lessons.
Edit:
Here's the three string minor shape I was talking about. It's the first one he plays. It's a nice place to start. Nice looking Strat BTW...
Then here's the 5-string minor shape I was talking about. He's not really playing very clean but he explains a bit about rolling your fingers, which is another total PITA. If you notice there's some parts where he gets that "clean at the beginning, not so clean during the middle, then clean again for the last couple of notes" thing.
This one seems pretty complete, but I'm so tired I'm not gonna go through it. I'm gonna get some sleep. And no I'm not saying it looks complete because the guy titled it "Ultimate Guide to Sweep Picking" :lol:.
Paul Gilbert. Nice hair, even better player. Like Morse, he's got some sick picking chops and even if he doesn't seem to be a big fan of sweeping that sure as hell don't mean he can't.
Last edited:
astrozombie
KatyPerryologist
Re: Sweep Picking for dummies?
this was really awesome. thanks, I'm on my way to improvement!
this was really awesome. thanks, I'm on my way to improvement!
Re: Sweep Picking for dummies?
Oooh another thing I forgot to add...I know it might be considered cheating and I do hear a big difference in tone (at least I think I do), but you can totally wrap a piece of cloth or a hair tie just slightly over the nut to help you mute stuff. Specially when sweeping on the 7th, 9th, and 12th fret where you could accidentally sound any artificial harmonic.
Of course, it's way better if you're just awesome and do it all by yourself.
Oooh another thing I forgot to add...I know it might be considered cheating and I do hear a big difference in tone (at least I think I do), but you can totally wrap a piece of cloth or a hair tie just slightly over the nut to help you mute stuff. Specially when sweeping on the 7th, 9th, and 12th fret where you could accidentally sound any artificial harmonic.
Of course, it's way better if you're just awesome and do it all by yourself.
