Sweep Picking Help

[Speiro]

I've been following that arps thread and had a look at the links posted in there. I really want to learn to sweep pick. I've been playing for years and just can't seem to get it. Can anyone advise a video or something to get me started? The simpler the better, lol.
Thanks
Tony

[Nazgul]

See if this helps you:
http://www.cyberfret.com/techniques/...king/index.php

it also shows everthing on video. you must have real player codecs installed as it's in .rm .

[jjw]

hi tony
if you live near me come on over and i can teach you easily enough for free

1st tip

try simple 3 string triads,i would sugest a D shaped major triad as you wont have to roll your left hand to seperate the notes as you would on other shapes

lets say d major triad


E---------14--17--14--------
B-----15-------------15------
G-14--------------------14---

now on the top E string hit the 17th fret harder than normal to accent it

try making it smooth

ok now you have that sussed-do the same shape in Minor,as its only a minor triad just drop that bright sounding 3rd to a darker minor 3rd

E--------13--17--13--------
B-----15-------------15----
G-14-------------------14--

Now try a diminshed shaped arp

E-------------14--17--14-------------
B---------16--------------16---------
G-14--17---------------------17--14--

once you have these smooth,then extend them into full 6 string shapes across the entire board range

last one is one of my fav licks at the moment that i will show as D major tonality for ease of use here with the others


E14-15-16-17-14-15---14----------------------14------14--------------
B-------------------17---15--------------------------------------------
G---------------------------16--14--17(bend19)--17-16---17-16-14---14
D------------------------------------------------------------------16--

[Speiro]

Thanks for the link Nazgul.
JJW, thanks for that, just printed it out and will spend some time on it. I live near Ascot, miles from you but work in Basingstoke (still quite a way from you) otherwise I would have taken you up on the offer and drooped in.
Cheers
Tony

[jjw]

You dont have to sweep arp shapes mate,try this lil progression out

E-14-17-14----------14-17-14---------
B----------15-14-15-----------15-14-15 repeat x2

E-17-21-17---------17-21-17---------
B----------19-17-19---------19-17-19 repeat x2

E-16-19-16----------16-19-16---------
B----------17-16-17----------17-16-17 repeat x2

E-16-19-16---------16-19-16---------
B----------18-15-18---------18-15-18 repeat x2

http://www.justinjohnwakely.com/downloads/reflections.mp3

Just alternate pick these shapes-I use these in the chorus to my tune Reflections.I think Gary Moores white Knuckles inspired this when i was taught it years ago.Picking arps gets a great tone and shows you dont need to sweep them

[shredmonster]

Have the pick at an angle to the strings not flat so that you get more of a smooth "roll" from string to string.

Pick in circular fashion - one half circle going down and one half circle coming back up. Its a little harder to do with 3 string sweeps than with full 5 or six string sweeps because with the 3 string ones you have just a little room in which to make your full circle. You can get the feel of it better on the larger sweeps - at least I did.

You will have to move your arm up and down from the elbow and I use my fingers and wrist as well.

Its important to get even spacing between the notes so you don't run them together. This can be difficult at first especially on sweeps that say have two or three notes on one string before you continue to the next string. But anyway, strive for even note separation.

Also people will sweep the same note twice sometimes - lets say your last note is the 17th note on the high E string - sometimes you end your sweep down on the 17th note then as you sweep back up you hit the 17th note again. You can do the same technique on the lower strings as you hit your last bass or lower note on the A for example.

There are a variety of techniques you will come accross as you develop your technique.

Circular picking will elinimate pick scraping and smoothen out your sound.

Anyway thats my take on the picking side of things.

[fuel0707]

If you want a video recommendation, an excellent choice would be Joe Stump's "Arpeggio Lesson Volume I". He starts with 2-string sweeps and moves up to 3-, 4- and 5-string sweeping. Joe says this is a basic lesson on sweeping and intended to help start people who've not done much with that technique. The video is done in a very laid-back manner and the examples that Joe gives are really very musical. Plus, he's a very good instructor.

You can order the DVD from his website: Joe's DVD link

[Speiro]

Thanks jjw, I will try that out tonight.
Shredmonster, some really good tips there, thanks.
Fuel, thanks for the link on there. I will probably go for that DVD, it seems like a good price too.

[Nazgul]

If you want a video recommendation, an excellent choice would be Joe Stump's "Arpeggio Lesson Volume I". He starts with 2-string sweeps and moves up to 3-, 4- and 5-string sweeping. Joe says this is a basic lesson on sweeping and intended to help start people who've not done much with that technique. The video is done in a very laid-back manner and the examples that Joe gives are really very musical. Plus, he's a very good instructor.

You can order the DVD from his website: Joe's DVD link

I have his video lesson called "2,3,4&5 string arpeggios" that I downloaded from eMule and I like it very much (watching it right now). I didn't see it on his site and i'm wondering now if that's the same as the one you described. it's about 58 min long and he's is playing in a small messy-looking room with a big tower of cds in a background. he's playing his cream-white esp strat with black knobs and what seem to be a scalloped fretboard. is that it? if so, do you have any tabs for it?

[fuel0707]

I have his video lesson called "2,3,4&5 string arpeggios" that I downloaded from eMule and I like it very much (watching it right now). I didn't see it on his site and i'm wondering now if that's the same as the one you described. it's about 58 min long and he's is playing in a small messy-looking room with a big tower of cds in a background. he's playing his cream-white esp strat with black knobs and what seem to be a scalloped fretboard. is that it? if so, do you have any tabs for it?

Sounds like the same footage. As for the tabs, you might try posting on the discussion board at Joe's website - I think there might be some tabs but I don't recall for sure. By the way, if you are interested in some other tabs done by Joe himself, check out: Joe's own tabs

And yes, Joe does have his guitars scalloped. He's been playing on scalloped fingerboards for quite some time. I don't know if he was doing the scalloped thing when he was in Trash Broadway, but I think he's used them since his first solo release. He's also been an ESP endorser for a long time.

[jgcable]

If you want a video recommendation, an excellent choice would be Joe Stump's "Arpeggio Lesson Volume I". He starts with 2-string sweeps and moves up to 3-, 4- and 5-string sweeping. Joe says this is a basic lesson on sweeping and intended to help start people who've not done much with that technique. The video is done in a very laid-back manner and the examples that Joe gives are really very musical. Plus, he's a very good instructor.

You can order the DVD from his website: Joe's DVD link

If anybody has this video please let me know. I could use a copy of it.
I would rather not have to wait 2-4 weeks for delivery direct from Joe.

[thetroy]

John it's a very basic video, he just goes through major, minor, and diminished arps on 2,3,4, and 5 strings I think all in the key of E minor. I think it's stuff you would already know

[Axiom]

Can someone explain to me how this is actually played (which notes are picked) ? I only get confused when I try to play it in loop ...

E-------------14--17--14-----------
B---------16--------------16-------
G-14--17---------------------17----

To me, it is much easier to play using this pattern :
E-------------14--17--14-----------
B---------16--------------16-------
G-----17---------------------17----
D-19-------------------------------

Thanks.

[jjw]

well the 1st one you can pick every note if you want too

start with a up stroke-then down stroke 17/16/14 in a smooth sweep
up stroke 17 and down stroke 14

now the tricky part is upstroking both 16 and 17 in sweep motion

you can also hammer any note in that shape and throw the pick away-that shape and other triads are easy to play with no pick

you dim arp shape in continual sweep pattern works as well

you could also skip strings and play 3 notes per string for great speed/tone

[Nazgul]

If anybody has this video please let me know. I could use a copy of it.
I would rather not have to wait 2-4 weeks for delivery direct from Joe.

you can download it from every other p2p sharing program. I suggest eMule.