Alternate or Sweep Picking?

[rattojack]

I'm currently trying to learn how to economy pick or sweep picking as it's sometimes called. Not arpeggios, but just scales. I've always strictly used alternate picking even when changing from one string to another. The economy/sweep picking seems really odd and it seems to slow down my playing.
Do any of you find economy/sweep picking to really help you play faster than just alternate picking? (Not talking about arpeggios - just scales).

Thanks

[micha]

Re: Alternate or Sweep Picking?

I don't use it for just two strings, but from three strings up, I tend to sweep.
the shorter, the faster. this slowing down is definetely something happening in your brain, not your fingers.

[jjw]

Re: Alternate or Sweep Picking?

I use a mixture of both and think everyone should be able to sweep(economy)scales as well as alternate pick them.

The Advantages of these two techniques are as follows.

1/Economy picking is smoother sounding with a softer attack from the pick

2/Alternate picking has that pleasing hard attack that has the illusions of extra speed and is also need for a majority of licks

Combining both of these gives the musician more scope for expressing themself

[nandrewjackson]

Re: Alternate or Sweep Picking?

I've never heard of anyone calling it economy picking, but I know what you're talking about.

I ALWAYS alternate picked unless it was a string skip lick or an arpeggio, then one day about two years ago, I realized sometimes when you are alternate picking and going to the next string down or the next string up, you are sometimes picking the opposite way

So I worked with it and got to a point where if I was going the wrong way at a point where changing strings, I would "sweep" up to it even if I was in the opposite direction during alternate picking.

It slowed me down at first, but I think if you work at it slowly, you';ll get the feel.

It seems like you really have to be thinking a lot to get it down.

Also, I agree that it does take some of the attack away from the sound.

nandrew

[fuel0707]

Re: Alternate or Sweep Picking?

The alternate picking thing is cool (listen to Steve Morse or John Petrucci) but I tend to use economy picking. It saves a little bit of pick hand movement and I think it can be maybe just a shade faster, all other things being equal. But then again, no one will ever accuse Morse or Petrucci of being in the slow lane. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[Michiel Angelo]

Re: Alternate or Sweep Picking?

I don't think sweep picking is actually the same as economy picking as economy picking is usually just from one string to another.
Anyway, anyone tried a mixture of alternate picking and legato like Shawn Lane?

[delt]

Re: Alternate or Sweep Picking?

I've been playing for about 15 years (10 years of which mostly classical guitar) and when playing with a pick i used to always use "economy" picking - or "directional" picking as i called it... i'm now working on re-forming my right hand technique so i can also use strict alternate picking.

In most cases, i find strict alternate to be better (more steady) but i'm not yet as natural with "outside" picking ie. when you skip over the string you're ABOUT to play and pick it from underneath for an upstroke, or from the top for a downstroke. In these cases i used to always do mini-sweeps (economy / directional picking) i'm trying to correct that.

[snc2716]

Re: Alternate or Sweep Picking?

Good post, thanks for the info.

[delt]

Re: Alternate or Sweep Picking?

> Good post, thanks for the info.

[img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

> Anyway, anyone tried a mixture of alternate picking
> and legato like Shawn Lane?

legato is too easy, no challenge (: (: