sweeps and timing

ok I FINALLY can do six string sweeps up and down different arpeggios using eighth notes at 250 bpm smooth and clean.

(just to ensure I am correct about this eighth note thing....I have my metronome set at 250 bpm and I am playing two notes for every click...those are eighth notes right?)

O.K. My question is this......It seems to me that not a whole lot of songs are written at 250 bpm (unless it is electronika) so I think that I am going about my timing the wrong way....should I be using triplets or 16th notes or something at a slower and more common tempo?
ie: how should I be timing my sweeps?

Okay, first of all, I wish I could sweep like that. :)
Anywhoo, your timing question.....different songs that have sweep picking runs have tonnes of different rhythms and variations, triplets, 32nd notes, etc. The thing you should be working on is being ready to play any rhythm like this, not necessarily at 250 bpm, but at a reasonable speed. This way, your ready to play anything you might come across, and even write some stuff with odd sweep picking in it if you like.

Now that you can play 8ths at 250, you can also play 16ths at 125. 120 is a very common tempo in music. You should drop your metronome setting by half and practice sweeping 4 notes per click. This will be a bit harder at first (less clicks are harder to subdivide the beats in your head). Now, put on a song you know around 120 tempo (just start a song and line up the metronome with it, if it's about 120, good, otherwise find a different song). Say that the chord progression is something like G, Em, C, D. Try sweeping these chords with 16th notes over the song. This will give you not just sweeping practice, but practice playing in time with other musicians and feeling the pulse of the drums rather than a metronome.

isn't 2 notes per beat half notes?

I guess I always assumed that 2 notes per beat is half notes, 4 per beat is quarter notes 8 per beat is 8th notes, but maybe I was wrong

I don't really care I just play

either way most rock tempos are around 120 - 160 bpm so get comfortable with those speeds

The names derive from beats in 4/4 or "common" time.

So a half note would be 2 beats, since their are 4 beats in a measure, 2 would be half.

Then a whole would be all...... Quarter 1/4 or "1" beat...... Eight - 1/2 beat etc.......

And since this worked so well in 4/4 time, it works in the same principle in others.....
in 2/4 time you never see "whole" notes because that is 4 beats, and there aren't that many beats in the measure.

So your assumption is wrong -
whole - 4 beats
half - 2 beats
quarter - 1 beat
eighth - 1/2 beat or 2 times in 1 beat
16th - 1/4 beat or 4 times in 1 beat
32nd - 1/8 beat or 8 times in 1 beat

got it? good....


But Ya me 2, I basically just play. I only really look at the tempo markings if I haven't heard the song ever or in awhile.


And I just don't bother when writing my own stuff, cuz it stays in my head usually.


But all the classical stuff I do, I use all that stuff. Plus I play the tenor sax in the school band, and hafta know it.

interesting..

Why EVER put your metronome that fast?

Put it much lower, say.. half 250. 125 (lets put it at 120 just for the hell of it). At 120... try 16th notes, 32nd, 16th triplets, septuplets, quintuplets, etc etc. I mean, if you CAN, try these at 250.. but I know I sure can't! :P

And you SHOULD care about little things like... you know, music. I've gotten plenty of gigs, over more qualified guitarists, simply because I can read music so well, and I know so much about it. The bands may not get the flashiest, craziest guitar playing.. but they're not going to have to waste hours of time trying to explain simple concepts to someone.

Originally posted by sambob

And you SHOULD care about little things like... you know, music. I've gotten plenty of gigs, over more qualified guitarists, simply because I can read music so well, and I know so much about it. The bands may not get the flashiest, craziest guitar playing.. but they're not going to have to waste hours of time trying to explain simple concepts to someone.

I know what you mean, heh heh. Besides, knowing this stuff can help you pull off the flashiest, craziest guitar playing, which includes that sweeping stuff Marauder was asking about, so its all good.

And I should care about "little things like...you know....music"???
What the hell is that supposed to mean. Just because I am trying to better my technical ability doesn't mean I don't know anything about music. I know LOTS about music. I have no shortage of creativity on the guitar, keyboard, or with electronics. You don't know a thing about me musically or otherwise so any statement like that is an ignorant one.
I spend more time writing songs than I do working on my chops but I do like to work on my chops too. There is nothing wrong with that.....go tell STeve Vai he should worry about those "little things"....hahahahahahaha

and your little comment about wasting hours trying to explain something simple to someone is equally stupid. I thought that is what this forum is for? Or are we all just supposed to come on here each day and just tell each other how great we are because we already know and can do everything? I must say I am deeply honored to be in the digital presence of such a master. I had no idea about the company I was in.
Besides, if it takes "hours" for you to type a simple reply then maybe you should try typing with your hands.......just a thought

Can I have your autograph?¿¿¿

and your little comment about wasting hours trying to explain something simple to someone is equally stupid. I thought that is what this forum is for? Or are we all just supposed to come on here each day and just tell each other how great we are because we already know and can do everything? I must say I am deeply honored to be in the digital presence of such a master. I had no idea about the company I was in.
Besides, if it takes "hours" for you to type a simple reply then maybe you should try typing with your hands.......just a thought

You obviously missed the point. I was talking about actually working with a band. Having to explain little points of theory to someone in the middle of band practice is VERY annoying.

And furthermore, you needn't take such offense, because my post was directed at ...

I don't really care I just play

THAT comment, nothing you said. Calm down.

Although, despite all that nonsense up there, there is one good thing:

I must say I am deeply honored to be in the digital presence of such a master. I had no idea about the company I was in.

Although I am not that master, you shouldn't be surprised to find out that there are people like that out there. Shred guitarists like Rusty Cooley, Francesco Farer, Mike Campese, Tom Kopyto, Chris Brooks.. spend time on the internet. It wouldn't surprise me a bit if people like this even posted HERE from time to time.

Originally posted by sambob
Why EVER put your metronome that fast?



And you SHOULD care about little things like... you know, music. I've gotten plenty of gigs, over more qualified guitarists, simply because I can read music so well, and I know so much about it. The bands may not get the flashiest, craziest guitar playing.. but they're not going to have to waste hours of time trying to explain simple concepts to someone.

Ok I write 90% of the music in my band, and I completely understand key signatures and all of that stuff, and Ive never had to have someone waste hours trying to explain to me something

in my experience there's either people who know a ****load about music, but cant play and there's people who can play but dont know much about what they are doing, there are very little who do both, again this is in my experience

I fall under the second category and I could care less about knowing what minor dictations and what a augmented Gm add 7 minus 11 chord is

my band just finished a prety cool song, Ill post it up soon and give you an idea of what my playing is like

The Wizard, I don't really care about your playing.

If you weren't familiar with basic rhythmic groupings like half notes... quarter notes, etc, then I would think ANYONE would assume that you knew very little about theory at all. I wasn't trying to be rude, I was just trying to help you out.

Originally posted by TheWizard
in my experience there's either people who know a ****load about music, but cant play and there's people who can play but dont know much about what they are doing, there are very little who do both, again this is in my experience

And those "very little" are the ones that we hail as the greats.... so we might as well become them.....

Yeah, really, Chris Brooks posts all over the place... and (in my opinion at least) he's one of the best guitarists out there right now!