Gah, can't get it..

Hey guys!

I've been working on sweep picking now for almost a year, but I just don't get it. I have some progress in sweeping the e, b and g string, but I really want to improve my skills so I can do 4-5 string sweeps.

So, I started with doing the movement really slow so I wouldn't miss to mute, check my fingering and so on.. I have mostly played A minor sweep and Petruccis examples on Rock Discipline:


e|--------------15-12------------------------16-13--------------
B|----------14---------13----------------15---------14----------
G|------13----------------14---------14-----------------15------ etc.
D|--12------------------------15-13-------------------------16--
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------


Anyway, I suppose I will stop training myself in this technique if I won't see any progress soon..

If you have suggestions of anykind, please let me know!!

Bye!

I've never really found anything John Petrucci said to do very helpful at all...

Especially in that Rock Discipline video. I dont see how its supposed to teach anything.

But, if thats what you're working with. Just take every waaay slow, like eighth notes or triplets at 100 bpm. If you can get it then, take it slower.

Hahaha Ive been playing for 5 years and I dont even know what Sweep Picking is!

Its a speed technique isnt it?

I think Pertucci helps alot on the video, but yeah, take it real slow.
You should actually try 3 string sweeps first, then work your way down to 4, 5, and 6.

I've been playing for 3 years, and i can do my basic fast acsending and decsending scales... and my kirk hammett tremolo picking shreds....... BUT STILL i cna barley do sweeps, i mena i can but very sloppy.

Never give up man, and keep on trying, Thats what im going to do.

Petrucci's sweeps on Rock Dicipline arn't really the best starting point for someone who hasn't got a good grasp of sweep picking already.

Also, rolling your finger over 2 strings is alot harder than just playing each string with a seperate finger.

I dont know how people post tab on here...so i'll just make it up.


I'd start with:

E |------------------13----h17---p13---------------------|
B |---------15--------------------------------15-----------|
G |--14------------------------------------------------14--|
1 2 1 4 1 2 1



The fingering is in order, but not under the notes, cos I've messed that up somehow :P

Upstrokes when going up and downstrokes when going down. I'd play it with the above fingering, but I know alot of people play the 3 string one there 2,3,1,4,1,3,2.

Then add 1 more string.

E |---------------------13--h17--p13---------------------|
B |--------------15-------------------------15-------------|
G |-------14---------------------------------------14------|
D |--15-------------------------------------------------15-|
2 1 2 1 4 1 2 1 2

Then just add the 17th fret on the A string with the 4th finger... nice minor arpeggio shape there.

I know this probably isnt much help as it's exactly what you've seen before, but i'd stick to practicing this shape and the major shape, building them up until you get to 5 or 6 strings. I palm mute when im sweeping, but I know quite a few guys would mute with their fingers, just use whatever is best. Also make sure your hands are "lazy" when your playing, don't tense your fingers. Bend the pick the way your sweeping too, don't keep it straight like in alternate picking, just half hold it in your fingers so it can glide along. Well..... that's what I do anyway. :)

I'd stay clear of rock discipline until you've got the basic shapes down :)

Just stay on light distortion... not loads of gain and keep at it!
You could use a clean sound, but then it'd be harder to hear if your muting properly.

Hope something out of that helped!

I'd post a sound file to go with it... but I dunno how to.

- J

Hmm, to better explain how I feel about Petrucci's teaching style...

Its like he's ONLY showing you technique, not actual music. If always preffered teaching (and learning by) taking an existing song, isolating a specific technique (say I'm teaching sweep picking), and explaining it in the context of the song.

Like when I start to get people into 'shred' techniques, a song I always point them to is Tony Macalpine's "Wheel Of Fortune". Its got alternate picking, its got sweep picking, its got arpeggios, its got the whole works... but its also a really good song (just to listen to if you will), so it gives people ideas right away.

Maybe I'm just not smart enough (or musically inclined enough) to follow Petrucci,

Originally posted by Jamiephofe
I dont know how people post tab on here...so i'll just make it up.

Check http://www.guitartricks.com/forum/misc.php?action=bbcode#buttons and roll down to the "The Code and PHP Tags" topic. =D

Well guys, I appreciate your comments. I suppose I should start over with it and start playing 3-strings arpeggios again. I found out that I'm really tenseing my right hand and that may be the reason why I can't proceed.

Debating Petrucci, I'm kinda glad he doesn't play part of songs etc. (he some examples also there, but in his way of explaining techniques..) but mostly draw attention how to play techniques before compeling them into song parts.. But I suppose some ways are better for some people and other ways are better for other people..

Anyway, I will use your help and if I make progress I'll let you know!

But keep give me suggestions, please!

Sweeping arpeggios are easy. The more strings involved, the easier. Your picking hand will not shift positions as fast if you cover a larger span of strings, whereas you'll be sweeping much quicker if you cover only 3 strings (using repeating patterns). Does this make sense? Anyways, some people find certain things easier and some do not, but it's no reason to stop training yourself in that technique.

Guess you're right, cruncher..