Sweep Picking
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-------------| E----------------12h17-12----------------- B-------------13----------13-------------- G----------14----------------14----------- D-------14----------------------14-------- A-12h15----------------------------15p12-- E-----------------------------------------
The d---| indicates to downpick all notes within the specified range, and uppick for u---|.
Contents
PreReqs
Technique
While simple in concept, actually performing sweep picking is very difficult and requires disciplined practice to master. 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
Your picking hand must sweep through the strings in-time with the beat.
d-| u-| d-| u-| |:--x-x-----x-x--:| |-x-----x-x-----x-|
d---| u---| |-----x-x-----| |:--x-----x--:| |-x---------x-|
d-----| u-----| |-------x-x-------| |:----x-----x----:| |---x---------x---| |-x-------------x-|
These exercises will help master your timing. We simply mute the strings with the left hand, so we can focus on right hand timing. Notice that they repeat. Set your metronome so each note = 1 beat. You want your right hand to make one smooth, slow (at first) motion to pick all the notes in that direction, instead of making individual strokes for each note.
Mastering keeping time while making one downward or upward picking motion through multiple strings is half the battle. The other big hurdle is the "turn-arounds" where we transition from the downstroke to the upstroke and vice versa. Notice the first exercise is doubled, stressing that the transition from up to down needs to be practiced as much as down to up. The exercises have repeats, which mean that the up to down transition is there, even if it isn't as clear as the first example.
Sounding only One String at a Time
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 fret notes before you 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.
A special case that needs to be mentioned is when consecutive strings use the same fret. In this case, you will have to barre one of your fingers to play the notes. But as just mentioned you only want to fret one note at a time. The trick is to roll the finger to only fret one note at a time. Again, this is much easier said than done.
Finally, remember good muting technique. As you sweep, slide your right hand palm up and downward to mute the strings that are thicker than the one you're playing. Where possible, use the underneath of the left-hand index and/or other fingers to mute unplayed thin strings.
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 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| 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.
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