Sweep picking

[John O'Carroll]

Try SEARCHing on "sweep picking" on this sites search vehicle. I found a number of threads on the subject. I sort of understand how to do it (I've been "sweep picking" for years and didn't even know it was called that -- just thought it sounded good) but I couldn't really explain it any better than what I read here. Hope this helps.

[iamthe_eggman]

Hey guys, I read the old topic on this, I forget where it is (maybe it was archived). Anyways, I don't think I get it. Could someone please reexplain this to me? I get the feeling that it is a very difficult technique.

------------------
ok, i'm not really the eggman

[Cavefish X]

I guess I use 2 types of sweep picking.
1) the "Yngwie" sweep type which I mostly use in Arpeggios. Its a lot like strumming a chord, all down strokes or upstrokes only slower and your fret hand is fingering each note instead of holding a stationary chord formation.
2) the "Frank Gambale" sweep type. Which I use for scales. For Example on a 3 note per string scale, instead of alternate picking Dn Up Dn Up Dn Up you would go
Dn Up DN DN UP DN(this is the picking pattern for the first two strings, but repeats across the fingerboard.) The tough part of it is when you play a scale formation that has only 2 notes on a string. If you have used alt. picking from day one it will feel pretty damn funky! I was actually doing this before I knew who Gambale was...It just seemed logical if you wanted to play fast.
hope this helps!


------------------
Erik
cavefishX@aol.com