Over the last year or so I've been talking to you all about scales, offering some explanation of their construction, and giving examples of how you might apply them to musical situations. I'd now like to focus more on the music, and with that in mind would like to concentrate more on technique; on what it is that separates the good guitarist from the mediocre... Phrasing. This month, we'll be getting a little flashier... by introducing sweep picking.
The sweep picking technique is used to blast through an arpeggio shape at speed. We'll use the A Major arpeggio from the 5th string, twelfth fret, as an example for discussion:
E|----------------------------12--(h)—17--(p)--12------------------------------
B|------------------------14-------------------------14-------------------------
G|--------------------14--------------------------------14----------------------
D|----------------14---------------------------------------14-------------------
A|--12--(h)--16-----------------------------------------------16--(p)--12-------
E|------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The fretting hand technique doesn't differ greatly from standard arpeggio playing, but it is imperative that you lift your fingers the second the note is played so as to keep the notes separate – we don't want to have it sound like strumming a chord. So, we keep the picking hand motion constant – all down strokes whilst ascending the arpeggio, and all up strokes to descend. It is up to you whether to hammer and pull notes on the A and E strings – note that if you decide to pick them all, you'll want to begin with an up stroke so your pick is moving in the right direction for the sweep. Personally, I always hammer and pull. Also, the D, G and B string 14th fret notes are all played with a ring finger barre which means you have to roll your finger across the 3 strings as you pick them.
That final point will, from experience, take a little time to get together. As with everything else, start slow and build speed. Although it's tempting to just crash through the arpeggio as fast as possible (and many players do), spending time on the technique will reward you with the ability to use it at will, and to articulate every note. No other technique gives such a flurry of speed when executed correctly.
For reference, the 'Scale of the Month' articles that you may find useful as background to sweep picking are below:
Aeolian: http://www.guitartricks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24663
Major: http://www.guitartricks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24420
Diminished: http://www.guitartricks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25349
The following exercises should help you build the technique, and the last one incorporates a tap demonstrating how you might extend the arpeggio. The first two exercises are atonal – they will help you learn the technique but you would have to be pretty brave to try to use them musically! Exercises 3, 4 and 5 are moveable – so practice moving them! Experiment with different keys so they're under your fingers no matter what the musical situation.
Some Examples (Tab symbol key below)
1) 3 string sweep pattern:
E|--------9--7--------------9--7--------------9--7--------------9--7--------------9--7-------
B|-----8--------8--------8--------8--------8--------8--------8--------8--------8--------8----
G|--7--------------9--7--------------9--7--------------9--7--------------9--7--------------9-
D|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2) 4 string pattern, ascending:
E|--------10--7---------------11--8-----------------12--9--------------------13-- .sim
B|------9-------8----------10-------9------------11-------10--------------12-----
G|----8-----------9------9------------10------10-------------11--------11--------
D|--7--------------10--8----------------11--9-------------------12--10-----------
A|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3) 3 string Am7:
E|--------12--15--------------12--15--------------12--15--------------12--15-------
B|-----13--------13--------13--------13--------13--------13--------13--------13----
G|--14--------------12--14--------------12--14--------------12--14--------------12-
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4) Em, then Am:
E|------------------7-(h)-12-(p)-7--------------------------------12-(h)-17-(p)-12------------
B|----------------8-----------------8--------------------------13-------------------13--------
G|--------------9---------------------9---------------------14-------------------------14-----
D|------------9-------------------------9----------------14-------------------------------14--
A|--7-(h)-10-----------------------------10--12-(h)-15-------------------------------------15-
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5) A major, with tapped third:
E|---------------------12-(h)-17-(p)-12-------------------------------12-17-t21-17-12----------
B|------------------14-------------------14------------------------14------------------14-------
G|---------------14-------------------------14------------------14-----------------------14-----
D|------------14-------------------------------14------------14-----------------------------14--
A|-12-(h)-16-------------------------------------16--12-16-----------------------------------16-
E|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hammer ons: h.
Pull offs: p.
Vibrato: ~.
Bends: b.
Release bend: br.
Tap: t.
Slides: / or \ depending on direction.
Full Access Subscribers can access more lessons in Sweep Picking at www.guitartricks.com – including:
http://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=10967
http://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=8750
http://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=10914&s_id=403
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