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{{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---|''.
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| eE----------------12h17-12----------------- |-|-|3|-|-|-| bB-------------14----------14-------------- |-|-|r|-|-|-| gG----------14----------------14----------- |-|-|5|-|-|-| dD-------14----------------------14-------- |r|-|-|-|3|-| aA-12h16----------------------------16p12-- |-|-|-|-|-|-| eE-----------------------------------------
i p m m m i p i m m m p i
d----------------| u------------| alternate root pos.
|-|r|-|-|-|3| eE----------------13h17-13----------------- ------------- |-|5|-|-|-|-| bB-------------13----------13-------------- ------------- |-|-|3|-|-|-| gG----------14----------------14----------- ------------- ... |-|-|-|r|-|-| dD-------15----------------------15-------- ----------15- |3|-|-|5|-|-| aA-12h15----------------------------15p12-- -------15---- |-|-|-|-|-|-| eE----------------------------------------- -13h17-------
i r p m i i p i i m p r i i p r r
d----------------| u------------|
|-|-|3|-|-|5| eE----------------14h17-14----------------- |-|-|-|r|-|-| bB-------------15----------15-------------- |-|-|5|-|-|-| gG----------14----------------14----------- |-|-|-|-|3|-| dD-------16----------------------16-------- |5|-|-|-|-|r| aA-12h17----------------------------17p12-- |-|-|-|-|-|-| eE-----------------------------------------
i p r i m i 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.
This is the most common minor shape from my experience.
d----------------| u------------|
|5|-|-|-|-|r| eE----------------12h17-12----------------- |-|3|-|-|-|-| bB-------------13----------13-------------- |-|-|r|-|-|-| gG----------14----------------14----------- |-|-|5|-|-|-| dD-------14----------------------14-------- |r|-|-|3|-|-| aA-12h15----------------------------15p12-- |-|-|-|-|-|-| eE-----------------------------------------
i p r r m i p i m r r p i
d----------------| u------------| alternate root pos.
|-|-|r|-|-|3| eE----------------14h17-14----------------- ------------- |-|-|5|-|-|-| bB-------------14----------14-------------- ------------- |-|-|3|-|-|-| gG----------14----------------14----------- ------------- ... |-|-|-|-|r|-| dD-------16----------------------16-------- ----------16- |3|-|-|-|5|-| aA-12h16----------------------------16p12-- -------16---- |-|-|-|-|-|-| eE----------------------------------------- -14h17-------
i p p i i i p i i i p p i i p r r
d----------------| u------------|
|-|3|-|-|-|5| eE----------------13h17-13----------------- |-|-|-|r|-|-| bB-------------15----------15-------------- |-|-|5|-|-|-| gG----------14----------------14----------- |-|-|-|3|-|-| dD-------15----------------------15-------- |5|-|-|-|-|r| aA-12h17----------------------------17p12-- |-|-|-|-|-|-| eE-----------------------------------------
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.
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. Be sure to keep muting the thick strings with your palm as you tap - this is a bit difficult to manage with the transition between picking and tapping because you wrist will turn, but you'll get it with some practice.
===Major Triad===
d----------------| u------------|
|5|-|-|-|-|r|-|-|-|3| E----------------12h17t21p17-12-----------------
|-|-|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 t p i m m m p i
d----------------| u------------| alternate root pos.
|-|r|-|-|-|3|-|-|5| E----------------13h17t20p17-13----------------- -------------
|-|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 t p i i m p r i i p r r
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
d----------------| u------------| alternate root pos.
|-|-|r|-|-|3|-|-|-|5| E----------------14h17t21p17-14----------------- -------------
|-|-|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 t p i i i p p i i p r r
d----------------| u------------|
|-|3|-|-|-|5|-|-|-|-|r| E----------------13h17t22p17-13-----------------
|-|-|-|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 t 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.
== 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]]
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{{Technique Crumbs|9}}
[[Category:Guitar]]
[[Category:Technique]]
[[Category:Sweep Picking]]
[[Category:Notation]]
[[Category:Shred]]