Sweep Picking question

Springbok · 05-10-2005, 11:02 PM

Hi,

I have been reluctant to learn sweep picking fora few reasons. The first being that I havent felt confident about to my approach, picking down is easy, but picking up is where I lose it, when I pick up, should my pick be angled in a way that leaves it being tilted towards me in a pulling motion?

Also, fingerings. I am very very particular about my fingerings. I have started to list out the main shapes and am not certain about fingerings. When you have a sweep that goes down along the same fret, am I supposed to bar my finger and roll it across the strings muting the strins either side of the note being played?

More over, how does Yngwie use his fingers in sweeps?

Len H · 05-11-2005, 12:17 AM

Sweeping upward is awkward at first, but with practice it gets to be second nature. The most difficult part of sweeping from the picking hand's perspective is transitioning from sweeping down to sweeping up while keeping everything in time. Angling the pick as you describe is probably a good idea.

As for fingerings, rolling the fretting finger is the accepted way to sweep. For example, to sweep an Em shape at the 12th fret on the top 3 strings, form a partial barre with your index finger at the 12th fret, but don't fret all 3 notes. Begin the downward sweep with your picking hand. As the pick contacts the 3rd string, fret the "G", then begin to "roll" your finger, damping the "G", and apply fretting pressure to the 2nd string "B" as the pick contacts the 2nd string. Keep rolling to the 1st string "E" while continuing with your downward sweep. At this point, you make the transition to an upsweep by using your left pinky to fret the 1st string 15th fret and picking it with an upstroke. This is followed by a pull-off to the 12th fret "E", rolling the fretting finger "backwards" and picking the "B" at the 12th fret 2nd string with an upstroke. This one sweep pattern involves this: down, down, down, up, pull-off, up. As for how Yngwie sweeps, a video is worth a million words; get the G3 in Denver, or better yet the Concerto for guitar and orchestra DVD.

rmuscat · 05-11-2005, 06:58 AM

the only thing i can add is to not give up and try it slow.

it took me ages to get the basic motions right at reasonable speed and in synch and i'm still not 100% confident.

At least i know i'm better at sweeping after 1.5 years! Yet there's a long way to go!

Personally sweeping proved itself the hardest technique to get to grips with.

05-10-2005, 11:02 PM	#1
Springbok Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: Cheltenham Town, England (from SA) Posts: 110	Sweep Picking question Hi, I have been reluctant to learn sweep picking fora few reasons. The first being that I havent felt confident about to my approach, picking down is easy, but picking up is where I lose it, when I pick up, should my pick be angled in a way that leaves it being tilted towards me in a pulling motion? Also, fingerings. I am very very particular about my fingerings. I have started to list out the main shapes and am not certain about fingerings. When you have a sweep that goes down along the same fret, am I supposed to bar my finger and roll it across the strings muting the strins either side of the note being played? More over, how does Yngwie use his fingers in sweeps?

05-11-2005, 06:58 AM	#3
rmuscat In the woodshed Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Malta Posts: 897	the only thing i can add is to not give up and try it slow. it took me ages to get the basic motions right at reasonable speed and in synch and i'm still not 100% confident. At least i know i'm better at sweeping after 1.5 years! Yet there's a long way to go! Personally sweeping proved itself the hardest technique to get to grips with. __________________ Edwin Land: Creativity is the sudden cessation of stupidity.

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05-11-2005, 12:17 AM	#2
Len H Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 199	Sweeping upward is awkward at first, but with practice it gets to be second nature. The most difficult part of sweeping from the picking hand's perspective is transitioning from sweeping down to sweeping up while keeping everything in time. Angling the pick as you describe is probably a good idea. As for fingerings, rolling the fretting finger is the accepted way to sweep. For example, to sweep an Em shape at the 12th fret on the top 3 strings, form a partial barre with your index finger at the 12th fret, but don't fret all 3 notes. Begin the downward sweep with your picking hand. As the pick contacts the 3rd string, fret the "G", then begin to "roll" your finger, damping the "G", and apply fretting pressure to the 2nd string "B" as the pick contacts the 2nd string. Keep rolling to the 1st string "E" while continuing with your downward sweep. At this point, you make the transition to an upsweep by using your left pinky to fret the 1st string 15th fret and picking it with an upstroke. This is followed by a pull-off to the 12th fret "E", rolling the fretting finger "backwards" and picking the "B" at the 12th fret 2nd string with an upstroke. This one sweep pattern involves this: down, down, down, up, pull-off, up. As for how Yngwie sweeps, a video is worth a million words; get the G3 in Denver, or better yet the Concerto for guitar and orchestra DVD.