Sweep picking - is it ok to rock your hand?

I am aware that it is usually considered good practice to play with your fingers more or less parralel to the frets, this helps fingers move independently. For some sweep-picking patterns though I find myslelf tempted to change the angle of my fretting hand wrist. Is this OK?

I noticed as far as practice, welll JJJ started at age 8 and practices a hell of alot. And all the best I can think of practice religously. I mean that's what it takes. Seems they've either got the stck to it or no.

My two cents

AS LONG AS YOU DONT PLAY A LES PAUL, AND WEAR THE GUITAR HALF WAY DONT YOUR LEG LIKE A FRIEKIN IDIOT, I WOULD SAY YOUR FINE. J/K

But really, If you can hear all the notes you are attempting to play, and it is comfortable for you, than chances are it's perfectly normal. If not, I would consult a proven player to visually inspect your eurgonomics.

JJJ

Are u the jaunese who just got plugged on this site? you have two songs uploaded for listening to? If ur the dude, i give u respect for your shreading abilites, very impressive...if your not....forget what i just wrote, and maybe the moderater can delete this response :)

Yep,
That's him, for real.

would any of you guys happen to know how to play the 'cascade' style picking used by paul simon in the 60's? I'm having a hell of a time tryin to figure it out.

Originally posted by JOHN JAUNESE
AS LONG AS YOU DONT PLAY A LES PAUL, AND WEAR THE GUITAR HALF WAY DONT YOUR LEG LIKE A FRIEKIN IDIOT, I WOULD SAY YOUR FINE. J/K


JJJ

Im an idiot then!! I have to move the guitar up on to my knee or hold it in the air (in true 80's cheesey style) to sweep!!

I find it very hard to play anything even remotely flash at the top end in such a position, it buggers up my hand angle. I prefer to wear my guitar so high it's like a big scary medallion so I look even dafter than slash does with his fashion-statement-vertical-guitarneckpose.

this is a simple chord backing to a song of mine, could someone give me a picking reccomendation please...
D Dsus4
E|-----2------2-------3------3----||
B|---3----3-3---3---3----3-3---3--||
G|-------2-2------------2-2------:||
D|-0--------------0---------------||
A|-------------------------------:||
E|--------------------------------||

Dude,

As far as I can recall from reading many tutorials and lessons of sweep picking technique long ago when i was learning to do the same that moving your fretting hand to accomodate the movement over the strings was ok and in most cases most comfortably necesary. Especially if you have small hands and a large fret board. Whatever doesn't caue you wear and fatigue is probably safe too. Yes, rolling you fretting hand, if that is what you are doing is quite safe and practical while sweeping. Or you can be insane and work on keeping your hand stationary and use your fingers mostly...it doesn't relaly matter how you play as long as it doesn't hurt you and it sounds good. Technique is relative, all the best guitarists have their own way of doing things, learn for their example.

Hope that helps any...

Also you have songs somewhere that I could listen to?

Thanks for the advice. As for songs, well I don't really know what sort of music you like other than it probably involves lots of clever shredding. That being the case I should recommend Baptism of Fire by Glenn Tipton (former Judas Priest guitarist), there are lots of hoarse screechy vocals (not really my scene) but the title track is an instrumental with Billy Sheehan (Bass) and Carmen Apice (I think on Drums) and it kicks tons of ass. It's kind of based on Holst's the Planets Mars theme and has spooky organ in it too. The bass and guitar are totally jaw dropping both players are cutting edge of their instruments.
If you like Jazz check out Shaun Baxter's Jazz Metal if you can get hold of it. I listened to Joe Satriani for years (and Satch is possibly my fave guitarist) before I heard this album but was still shell-shocked by the guy's virtuosity and abillity to change keys and timing and superb phrasing and tone. If you want something really beautiful to listen to try "Exit.. STage Left" by Rush,
lots of people dont' like Geddy Lee's voice but I think I can live with it happily in view of the amazing Lead Work by Lifeson, check out La Villa and Xanadu, taste, style, virtuosity my fave guitar solos ever.

Originally posted by Axl_Rose

Originally posted by JOHN JAUNESE
AS LONG AS YOU DONT PLAY A LES PAUL, AND WEAR THE GUITAR HALF WAY DONT YOUR LEG LIKE A FRIEKIN IDIOT, I WOULD SAY YOUR FINE. J/K


JJJ

Im an idiot then!! I have to move the guitar up on to my knee or hold it in the air (in true 80's cheesey style) to sweep!!

Learn to "nipple ride" the true eighties style with your strat just below your nipple! :)

It's so much easier to play a guitar that high up your body, I think the daft lo-slung-guitar pose is kinda restricted to grungey punksters who don't have to play anything hard.