Joined: 03 Feb 2008 United States Lessons: 2 Karma: 7

Sweep Picking 101 by shredguitar17 16 Feb 2008 Views: 11228

Definiton of Sweep Picking

Sweep picking is a technique that is used today. It was created sometime in the late 70's. Sweep picking is when you play an arpeggio, or chromatic, by strumming while picking with the other hand. So you are strumming like a chord, but picking like a solo.

How to Achieve the effect

First mute all the strings and strum up and down without lifting the pick off the strings and slightly slant the pick downwards while strumming down, and slightly upwards when strumming up, like so:

     e------x-x--x-x---------------------

     B------x-x--x-x---------------------

     G------x-x--x-x--------------------- 

     D------x-x--x-x---------------------

     A------x-x--x-x---------------------

     E------x-x--x-x---------------------

Now, before actually trying a 3 stringed sweep, I have to tell you the importance of playing with a metronome, and synching your left hand with your right. In order to achieve the full affect of sweep picking, you need to strum and play the notes in perfect unison. When you are done playing a note, you do not let the note ring out. You take your finger off the string. So the notes make a "sweeped" sound.

Try this simple arpeggio:

     e----------7-------7--------------

     B-----------8-----8---------------

     G-------------9-9----------------- 

     D-------------------------------

     A-------------------------------

     E-------------------------------

Once you get that down, you can build up to this arpeggio which is a A major (I think):

     e-------------9-12p9-----------------

     B-----------10--------------------

     G----------9--------------------- 

     D--------11-----------------------

     A------12-------------------------

     E-------------------------------

There you have it, Sweep picking is very very complicated, and can take years to get down. I have been sweep picking for about a year, and I still have trouble with it. So never give up, and happy playing.