Sweep picking

[Blue(s) Skies]

Hi,

I've been playing the (electric) guitar now for 4 to 5 years and
I really want to learn sweep picking. I've tried a bit but found out
that I need help. I've looked on youtube but haven't found what I am looking for, so I thought I'd ask you guys if someone of you had hints on starting.

Can anyone of you tell me how he mastered sweep picking?
Could you recommend any DVDs or books on that technique? I know it's going to be a long way and (perhaps) blisters on my hands but I am willing to spend time on it. By the way, if you know a DVD or instructional book which is like from the rock or metal genre and teaches you sweep picking very well, let me know.I know that sweep picking is giant thing in metal, I don't mind playing or practising riffs from other genres if they help.

Thank you and looking forward to getting some hints

Blue(s) Skies

[Ollie]

Sweeping is a serious test of patience. You can learn how to do it but you reall NEED to be patient and persistent. It's also a very boring procedure. It litereally is the only technique I've ever properly practiced with discipline.

Whatever shape you decide to start with, the key is to do as follows:

*Start incredibly slow and play to a click track/metronome

*Ensure you are not picking each string with a seperate movement, but rather playing one fluent downward and upward motion

*Start with the three highest strings (meaning six notes in total) and gradually increase the number of strings

When I say all this I really mean you have to be seriously committed to slowing the whole exercise down so much that time may indeed stop. It's all about perfecting the technique as much as possible before speeding up where you'll have less control.

There's nothing worse that people who can't sweep in time and nothing better that people who can perfectly sweep in time! It's up to you how much slow boring practice you put in to it but if you do, I promise you'll see results =]

[brwnhornet59]

+1 to that Ollie.

Frank Gambale has dvd's and books on the subject.

Morten Faerstrand, a member of this forum has stuff all over youtube.

[metalmike31216]

Go to chopsfromhell.com, in the online columns section there are countless examples. Also check out insaneguitar.com. In the masterclass section there is a good article, and there are tons of examples within the archives section. When you practice take everything into account that Ollie said previously, and also pay very close attention to making sure that you play these in time properly.

[Astronomer]

Sweep picking is insanely difficult to perfect. I attempted it once when I was a complete noob and while I got the basic motions mapped out, it just wasn't clean. I think the hardest part is eliminating ALL excess noise, which can either be done via muting or just awesome coordination (some people say the first method is cheating haha). But yeah, it's one of the few techniques where starting super slow is the only way to get it right.

[wich]

Good advice from John Petrucci on the subject:

[M-ster]

Too bad about the guy sitting next to Petrucci. He pretty much disrupts the presentation, no?

[mr. beaumont]

Yeah, I try not to be outright mean to people, but by 2 minutes in I wanted to shove that guys microphone down his throat and smack him in the back of his head with the guitar to get it back out.

[brwnhornet59]

Ditto!!!

[Ollie]

I have to say in retrospect my post may be a unclear in some ways. I had just woken up when I posted. Some additional bullet points:

*Practice clean - Distortion will disguise mistakes to an extent.
*Watch loads of videos and read text lessons. I can't remember which exactly helped me but the more you've seen, the more you can judge the best approach for yourself. As above, you can't go wrong with Petrucci. He is your God.

*Start with this major triad shape (Personal opinion) and loop it.


|------------9-12-9------------|
|---------10--------10---------|
|--------9-------------9-------|
|-----11-----------------11----|
|7-12-----------------------12-|
|-------------------------------|

When I mentioned starting with three strings (six notes) I meant to play like >

|-------------9-12-9------------|
|----------10--------10---------|
|--------9-----------------------|
|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|
and loop until fluent before introducing a new string to the shape. With five strings generally mastered it's time to starting speeding up!

[wich]

I should have warned about that dude, I know... But apart from that it's sound advice. I really got a lot of good training from doing those two-string sweeps.

[Blue(s) Skies]

Hi,

haven't been on Jazz Guitar Forum for a few days and WOW got a lot of hints to really learn this technique! I'll check your replies in detail,
and in the mean time , I have a video on youtube, what do you think?

at the moment I am working on:


-----------12-12---------------------------------
--------13-------13------------------------------
-----14-------------14---------------------------
--(15)-------------------(15)------------------------
downstroke upstroke

I started with only the highest strings and I am working on the fourth now, mainly to use my pinky as well. Thanks Ollie for helping me there!
I got that from the youtube video, also I am making sure that I don't pick the notes, and trying to pick them in one movement like playing a chord.
I am telling this because I want you to correct me if you see that I make any mistakes, could save me a lot of time.

On Chops from Hell, I found this but I think it's above my head at the moment:

Chops from Hell Guitar Site - Guest Columnist - Francesco Fareri

This one could be an interesting exercise in a few weeks, what do you think?

Chops from Hell Guitar Site - Guest Columnist - Andy Garrett

And I'll look at this:

Sweep Picking 101 Free Guitar Lessons, Guitar Master Classes, Learn Guitar | Insane Guitar

Seems like there's a lot out there on the internet.

@Ollie:
Should I stick to the my Tab or to yours?

Thank you!

Blue(s) Skies!

[Arpeggio]

No tilting of the pick up or down, instead have it lean forwards slightly (as in the thumb side goes "downhill") so that you minimise movement and rely on the curve at the end of the pick to roll off the strings for both up and down sweeping direction.

Like on 0:23 of this clip.

(he uses the same pick angle / roll off the curve up and down for fast alternate picking too).

As you might notice it's harder to sweep up the strings than down. I sometimes start upward then go down so that form is dealt with from the start and the same in both directions, rather than relaxing into a posture for the easier downward motion that makes you stumble on the upwards. Sweep picking while palm muting is a good challenge!

[morroben]

Yeah, I try not to be outright mean to people, but by 2 minutes in I wanted to shove that guys microphone down his throat and smack him in the back of his head with the guitar to get it back out.

That's Sterling Ball, owner of Ernie Ball/Music Man. I used to work for that guy...

[Extrapolation]

I agree that the triad shapes are a great way to get the motion down. If you play a minor triad followed by three major triads you not only get a less mechanical-sounding exercise, but you practice the shapes in different parts of the neck.

Try playing F#m triad, Emaj triad, Dmaj triad, and C#maj triad in succession to practice lower on the neck, and Bm, Amaj, Gmaj, and F#maj triads to practice higher up. Start with quarter notes at 40 BPM (this will not only test your patience but will force you play cleanly and with good time); then after mastering that, eight notes at 40 BPM, then eighth note triplets at 40 BPM, etc., until many months later you can play them super fast and clean while staying relaxed.

Sample shapes for major/minor triads:

F# minor triad
---------5-9-9-5---------------
-------7----------7-------------
-----6--------------6-----------
---7------------------7---------
-9----------------------9-------
---------------------------------

F# major triad
---------6-9-9-6---------------
-------7----------7-------------
-----6--------------6-----------
---8------------------8---------
-9----------------------9-------
---------------------------------

Muting unwanted string noise is something that will come in time after much repetition and hitting unwanted notes and muting the notes you want to sound cleanly will happen a lot at first and will be frustrating, but like everything else keep on doing it and eventually your neurons will make the connections for good technique. Both hands will be involved in muting going both up and down, though I find the right hand is more active in muting during the downstroke and the left hand during the upstroke. It's good to watch lessons from the masters on sweep picking of course, but there is no substitute for mastering the technique yourself by consistent, focused practice, figuring out the solutions to problems yourself. I know I still have light years to travel and years of practice before I master this technique.

Have fun and stay inspired!

[Blue(s) Skies]

Thanks for your replies!

I am really excited on sweep picking at the moment and I'll look over your
hints and licks the next days, palm muting while sweep picking was an excellent idea,
it helps you also to focus on your right hand.
A hint from me: if you know the lick then it's simply
good to close your eyes while playing it and to focus on the sound to hear if everything you play is clean and right or if you are more or less playing the arpeggio as a chord.