8,720
edits
Changes
m
Once a string has been played and it's time to move ''A special case that needs to be mentioned is when consecutive strings use the next stringsame fret.''' In this case, you will have to pick barre one of your left hand finger up off fingers to play the notes. But as just mentioned you only want to fretone note at a time. This The trick is easier said than done. Itto ''roll's simple enough to stop fretting it, but it's important here to try to pick the finger straight up off the string, without putting any additional tension on it. If you accidentally bend the string just slightly, when you completely remove your finger, it may act as to only fret one note at a slight pull-off to the open string, which will then ring outtime. This seems very simple, but in the context of moving all your fingers to make the chord shape and when playing fastAgain, it this is difficultmuch easier said than done.
A special case that needs to be mentioned is when consecutive strings use the same fretFinally, '''remember good muting technique'''. In this caseAs you sweep, you will have to barre one of slide your fingers right hand palm up and downward to play mute the strings that are thicker than the notes. But as just mentioned one you only want to fret one note at a time're playing. The trick is to "roll" Where possible, use the underneath of the finger left-hand index and/or other fingers to only fret one note at a time. Again, this is much easier said than donemute unplayed thin strings.
d----------------| u------------| e----------------12h17-12-----------------Since you are picking with the index and thumb of the right hand, you'll have to use your middle or ring finger to tap. b--Be sure to keep muting the thick strings with your palm as you tap -----------14----------14-------------- g----------14----------------14----------- d-------14----------------------14-------- this is a-12h16----------------------------16p12-- e----------------------------------------- i p m m m i p i m m m p ibit difficult to manage with the transition between picking and tapping because you wrist will turn, but you'll get it with some practice.
d----------------| u------------| alternate root pos. e|-|r|-|-|-|3|-|-|5| E----------------13h17t20p17-13------------14h17-14---- ------------- b|-|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| B-------------13----------------13---15----------15- ------------- g|-|-|3|-|-|-|-|-|-| G----------14----------------------14----------- ------------- ... d|-|-|-|r|-|-|-|-|-| D-------15-----------------16-----------15-------- ---16-------15- a|3|-|-|5|-|-|-|-|-| A-12h15-----------------12h17-----------------15p12-- -------15--17p12-- e|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| E----------------------------------------------- -13h17------- i r p r m i i m p i t p i i m i p r i i p ir r
d----------------| u------------| alternate root pos. e|-|-|r|-|-|3|-|-|-|5| E----------------12h1714h17t21p17-1214----------------- b-------------13 |-|-|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| B-----13--------14------ g----------14-------------- --14----------- d|-|-|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| G----------14----------------------14----------- a-12h15------------... |-|-|-|-|r|-|-|-|-|-| D-------15p1216-- e--------------------------16-------- -------This is the most common minor shape from my experience.---16- |-|3|-|-|-|5| -|-|-|-|r-| A-12h16----------------------------------16p12-|-| |-|-|5|-|-|-|--16---- |-|-|-|3-|-|-| -|5-|-|-| E----------------------------------------------|-|r| |-|14h17---|-|-|-|-| i p p i i i p t p i i i p p i i p r r
d----------------| u------------| e|-|3|-|-|-|5|-|-|-|-|r| E----------13h17------13h17t22p17-13----------------- b|-|-|-|r|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| B-------------15----------------15-------------- g|-|-|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| G----------14----------------------14----------- d|-|-|-|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| D-------15----------------------------15-------- a|5|-|-|-|-|r|-|-|-|-|-| A-12h17----------------------------------17p12-- e|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| E----------------------------------------------- i p m i m i p t p i m i m p i
no edit summary
{{Top-Level Crumbs|1}}{{Lesson Crumbs|4}}{{Technique Crumbs|9}} ''Sweep Picking '' (also called ''sweep arpeggios'') is a technique used for arpeggiating chords where you use a single downward or upward picking motion across multiple strings. Its advantage is speed - a sweep picked arpeggio can be played faster than an alternate-picked one. It is possible to play 7-8 note arpeggios ascending or descending with all notes played in order without repetition.
In tab, sweep picking is usually indicated above the tab line as follows:
d----------------| u-------------| eE----------------12h17-12h17p1212----------------- bB-------------13----------13-------------- gG----------14----------------14----------- dD-------14----------------------14-------- aA-12h15----------------------------15p12-- eE-----------------------------------------
The ''d---|'' indicates to downpick all notes within the specified range, and uppick for ''u---|''.
== PreReqs ==
* [[Basic Technique]]
* [[C Major in Open Position and Alternate Picking]]
== Technique ==
While simple in concept, actually performing sweep picking is very difficult and requires disciplined practice to master. There Remember to practice continuous ascending and descending motion, not just one cycle. And don't just practice transitioning from ascending to descending - both transitions are equally important. To master the technique, there are two main areas to concentrate on:
=== Right-hand Timing ===
This is much easier said than done. You must ensure your right and left hands are in near perfect sync. The right hand should be plucking the string as the left hand fingers the fret at the same time as the beat. This means practicing arpeggio shapes with the left hand.
'''Be sure not to try to "cheat" by fretting fret notes before you play pick them. ''' Especially don't fret the barre chord shape on all the strings. You will likely hear them faintly ringing out or otherwise making noise before they are played. Since sweep picking is associated with speed, you will have to fret the notes quickly, and this can accidentally create a slight hammer-on, so the string is ringing before it is picked, interfering with preceding notes. Once a string has been played and it's time to move to the next string, you have to '''pick your left hand finger up off the fret'''. This is easier said than done. It's simple enough to stop fretting it, but it's important here to try to pick the finger straight up off the string, without putting any additional tension on it. If you accidentally bend the string just slightly, when you completely remove your finger, it may act as a slight pull-off to the open string, which will then ring out. This seems very simple, but in the context of moving all your fingers to make the chord shape and when playing fast, it is difficult.
To practice all this, focus on the chord shapes below. Start slow and focus on technique before trying to build speed.
==== Major ====
Root Pos.
E-------------------------------------------------5-5-----
B----------------------------------5-5----------7-----7---
G-------------------4-4----------6-----6------7---------7-
D-----4-4---------6-----6------7---------7----------------
A---6-----6-----7---------7-------------------------------
E-7---------7---------------------------------------------
2nd Inv.
E-------------------------------------------------7-7-----
B----------------------------------7-7----------8-----8---
G-------------------6-6----------7-----7------7---------7-
D-----6-6---------7-----7------7---------7----------------
A---7-----7-----7---------7-------------------------------
E-7---------7---------------------------------------------
1st Inv.
E-------------------------------------------------6-6-----
B----------------------------------6-6----------6-----6---
G-------------------5-5----------5-----5------7---------7-
D-----5-5---------5-----5------7---------7----------------
A---5-----5-----7---------7-------------------------------
E-7---------7---------------------------------------------
==== Minor ====
Root Pos.
E-------------------------------------------------5-5-----
B----------------------------------5-5----------6-----6---
G-------------------4-4----------5-----5------7---------7-
D-----4-4---------5-----5------7---------7----------------
A---5-----5-----7---------7-------------------------------
E-7---------7---------------------------------------------
2nd Inv.
E-------------------------------------------------6-6-----
B----------------------------------6-6----------8-----8---
G-------------------5-5----------7-----7------7---------7-
D-----5-5---------7-----7------7---------7----------------
A---7-----7-----7---------7-------------------------------
E-7---------7---------------------------------------------
1st Inv.
E-------------------------------------------------6-6-----
B----------------------------------6-6----------6-----6---
G-------------------5-5----------5-----5------6---------6-
D-----5-5---------5-----5------6---------6----------------
A---5-----5-----6---------6-------------------------------
E-6---------6---------------------------------------------
== Common Shapes ==
===Major Triad===
d----------------| u------------| |5|-|-|-|-|r| E----------------12h17-12----------------- |-|-|3|-|-|-| B-------------14----------14-------------- |-|-|r|-|-|-| G----------14----------------14----------- |-|-|5|-|-|-| D-------14----------------------14-------- |r|-|-|-|3|-| A-12h16----------------------------16p12-- |-|-|-|-|-|-| E----------------------------------------- i p m m m i p i m m m p i d----------------| u------------| alternate root pos. |-|r|-|-|-|3| E----------------13h17-13----------------- ------------- |-|5|-|-|-|-| B-------------13----------13-------------- ------------- |-|-|3|-|-|-| G----------14----------------14----------- ------------- ... |-|-|-|r|-|-| D-------15----------------------15-------- ----------15- |3|-|-|5|-|-| A-12h15----------------------------15p12-- -------15---- |-|-|-|-|-|-| E----------------------------------------- -13h17------- i r p m i i p i i m p r i i p r r d----------------| u------------| |-|-|3|-|-|5| E----------------14h17-14----------------- |-|-|-|r|-|-| B-------------15----------15-------------- |-|-|5|-|-|-| G----------14----------------14----------- |-|-|-|-|3|-| D-------16----------------------16-------- |5|-|-|-|-|r| A-12h17----------------------------17p12-- |-|-|-|-|-|-| E----------------------------------------- i p r i m i p i m i r p iIf the stretch above is too difficult, you can start on the higher note on the 5th string, which is the root of the chord. ===Minor Triad===This is the most common minor shape from my experience. d----------------| u------------| |5|-|-|-|-|r| E----------------12h17-12----------------- |-|3|-|-|-|-| B-------------13----------13-------------- |-|-|r|-|-|-| G----------14----------------14----------- |-|-|5|-|-|-| D-------14----------------------14-------- |r|-|-|3|-|-| A-12h15----------------------------15p12-- |-|-|-|-|-|-| E----------------------------------------- i p r r m i p i m r r p i d----------------| u------------| alternate root pos. |-|-|r|-|-|3| E----------------14h17-14----------------- ------------- |-|-|5|-|-|-| B-------------14----------14-------------- ------------- |-|-|3|-|-|-| G----------14----------------14----------- ------------- ... |-|-|-|-|r|-| D-------16----------------------16-------- ----------16- |3|-|-|-|5|-| A-12h16----------------------------16p12-- -------16---- |-|-|-|-|-|-| E----------------------------------------- -14h17------- i p p i i i p i i i p p i i p r r d----------------| u------------| |-|3|-|-|-|5| E----------------13h17-13----------------- |-|-|-|r|-|-| B-------------15----------15-------------- |-|-|5|-|-|-| G----------14----------------14----------- |-|-|-|3|-|-| D-------15----------------------15-------- |5|-|-|-|-|r| A-12h17----------------------------17p12-- |-|-|-|-|-|-| E----------------------------------------- i p m i m i p i m i m p i If the stretch above is too difficult, you can start on the higher note on the 5th string, which is the root of the chord. == Adding a Tap ==You can extend the sweep further, and interrupt the change of direction longer by adding a tap. This also adds more legato, making the high notes more fluid. Depending on your picking strength and style, this may be wanted or unwanted.
===Major Triad=== d----------------| u------------| |5|-|-|-|-|3r|-|-|-|53| E----------------12h17t21p17-12----------------- |-|-|3|-|-|-|-|r-|-|-| B-------------14----------------14-------------- |-|-|5r|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| G----------14----------------------14----------- |-|-|5|-|-|-|-|-|3-|-| D-------14----------------------------14-------- |5r|-|-|-|3|-|-|-|-|r-| A-12h16----------------------------------16p12-- |-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| E----------------------------------------------- i p m m m i p t p i m m m p i
d----------------| u------------|
|-|-|3|-|-|5|-|-|-|-|r| E----------------14h17t22p17-14-----------------
|-|-|-|r|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| B-------------15----------------15--------------
|-|-|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| G----------14----------------------14-----------
|-|-|-|-|3|-|-|-|-|-|-| D-------16----------------------------16--------
|5|-|-|-|-|r|-|-|-|-|-| A-12h17----------------------------------17p12--
|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| E-----------------------------------------------
i p r i m i p t p i m i r p i
If the stretch above is too difficult, you can start on the higher note on the 5th string, which is the root of the chord.
===Minor Triad===
This is the most common minor shape from my experience. d----------------| u------------| |5|-|-|-|-|r|-|-|3| E----------------12h17t20p17-12----------------- |-|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| B-------------13----------------13-------------- |-|-|r|-|-|-|-|-|-| G----------14----------------------14----------- |-|-|5|-|-|-|-|-|-| D-------14----------------------------14-------- |r|-|-|3|-|-|-|-|-| A-12h15----------------------------------15p12-- |-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| E----------------------------------------------- i p r r m i p t p i m r r p i
If the stretch above is too difficult, you can start on the higher note on the 5th string, which is the root of the chord.
== Examples ==
* Dream Theater - ''The Glass Prison'' intro
* Metallica - ''Leper Messiah'' solo
* Yngwie Malmsteen - ''Rising Force'', whole album
== Q & A ==
== Related Lessons ==
* [[C Major in Open Position and Alternate Picking]]
{{top}}
{{Technique Crumbs|9}}
[[Category:Guitar]]
[[Category:Technique]]
[[Category:Sweep Picking]]
[[Category:Notation]]
[[Category:Shred]]