Case's Signature Sweep licks

by case211

Votes 3 | Rating 4.67

Okay, here's a lick that I use that I can honestly call my own. I've never heard anything like it(if you have please tell me! I don't want to look stupid XD).
The lick can be moved around however, to stay in the same key you will have to change up the approach each time. I'll give you 3 examples from different root notes to show how to use this lick.
First, out of the basic Minor scale box shape in the key of G. For this lick however, out root note will be the Minor mode, E.

e--------12h14h15p14p12------

B------13--------------13----

G----12------------------12--

D--14----------------------14

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

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

This lick is derived from a very common Marty Friedman sweep pattern. It sounds relatively "happy" when you remove the F# note from the lick(14th fret on high e).
To add a bit more of an exotic and melodic feel you can throw a tap in wherever you like. My personal favorite would be this:

e--------12h14h15t19p15p14p12------

B------13--------------------13----

G----12------------------------12--

D--14----------------------------14

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

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

Adding a B note into the lick puts a very different spin on the sound.

For the second example, we will stay in the same key(G) but we will alter the root note to be A rather than E.

e--------17h18h19p18p17------

B------19--------------19----

G----17------------------17--

D--19----------------------19

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

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

Again throwing in a tap in the middle will give you a different sound, but I won't tell you where. It's up to you!

For the final example, we will again stay in the key of G, however our root note is going to be changed to F#. This one is probably the hardest(same with the Phrygian root note) due to what the middle finger will have to do during the run.

e--------14h15h17p15p14------

B------15--------------15----

G----14------------------14--

D--16----------------------16 

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

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

These sweep licks can be used in any key, you just have to adjust accordingly to the right places, however I find them to sound extremely good not as a repetition lick but rather as a melodic piece to end a run on, or a "passing" lick.

Enjoy, but use at your own risk! :)