Sweep Picking Exercises
Contents
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-|
Major
Root Pos.
d---| u---| d---| u---| d---| u---| d---| u---| 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.
d---| u---| d---| u---| d---| u---| d---| u---| 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.
d---| u---| d---| u---| d---| u---| d---| u---| 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.
d---| u---| d---| u---| d---| u---| d---| u---| 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.
d---| u---| d---| u---| d---| u---| d---| u---| 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.
d---| u---| d---| u---| d---| u---| d---| u---| 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.