How Would You Approach This?

[fireworks_god]

Hi, I've been working on sweep picking recently. It is coming along quite nicely, although it was difficult to become comfortable with upstrokes for awhile (worked on striking each string individually with upstrokes to become comfortable before I started striking successive strings).

Anyways, there is one kind of pattern that is still giving me trouble, and I'm wondering exactly what type of picking approach works best for it.


D#||--13----------13----------13----------13----------|
A#||-----14----14----14----14----14----14----14----14-|
F#||--------15----------15----------15----------15----|
C#||--------------------------------------------------|
G#||--------------------------------------------------|
D#||--------------------------------------------------|

--12----------12----------12----------12----------||
-----13----14----13----14----13----14----13----14-||
--------15----------15----------15----------15----||
--------------------------------------------------||
--------------------------------------------------||
--------------------------------------------------||

Take something like that, for instance, sixteenth notes at, say, 190 bpm. How would you go about picking sweep patterns like that with three strings. Would you go with an upstroke from the D# string down acrossed all three strings, and then a downstroke acrossed the A# string, followed with another upstroke acrossed all three strings again...

Or would you do an upstroke acrossed all three strings, do a downstroke acrossed the A# and D# string, and then an upstroke acrossed the A# and F# string, and repeat?

Or perhaps some entirely different approach? If I had to guess, the second approach that I explained would probably work best, but I'm simply just seeking advice on this from anyone who might have an opinion before I really start to work on these types of patterns.

Thanks for the help!

[guitarded]

if your starting it out with upstrokes do the 3 upstroke and 2 downstrokes and if you start with downstrokes switch it...once you get both down you wont have to worry about the "right" way of doing it.

[Padawan]

The best way is to start with a downstroke, play the next note with an upstroke and then sweep pick the next three notes

[fireworks_god]

The best way is to start with a downstroke, play the next note with an upstroke and then sweep pick the next three notes

So, once the pattern gets going, you are basically upstroking the A# string and sweeping the other three back down?

Its not a matter of wanting to know the "right" way of doing it, simply seeking advice as to how ya'll approach it. ;)

[Padawan]

So, once the pattern gets going, you are basically upstroking the A# string and sweeping the other three back down?

exactly! :cool:

[oRg]

I would start with a downstroke, then play the next two notes upstroke, next two notes down stroke...etc etc. I play it this way for less wrist movement and because it feels more natural. It really does depend on what feels more comfortable. There is no rule saying that you should play a certain lick a certain way.