Sweep Picking

[Ermz]

Interesting to see how many people have given false definitions for sweep picking. Think about the word in itself. What do you do when you sweep? You do wide strokes in one direction, then reverse that direction.

Here's an illustration:

--------12------
-----13---------
--14------------
----------------
----------------
----------------

You would play all 3 of those notes doing a downstroke... a singular motion downwards, unless you're Peter (from Opeth) and you like to pick each individual note downwards... which in my opinion defeats the entire purpose of sweep picking.

Then:

--17p12---------
---------13-----
------------14--
----------------
----------------
----------------

You would play all those notes with an upward stroke, with the exception of the octave on the E string, because pulling off the 17th fret would have already played that note.

So if you put those 2 lil tabs in order and play them in sequence you would have a fairly simple 3-string arpeggio that's played via sweep picking.

As far as mastering it, no. I don't think any half-decent guitarist truly ever believes they've mastered anything. There's always room for improvement in all areas.

 

[Risquit]

For a textbook (and jaw dropping) example of sweep picking, get Necrophagist's Epitaph.

 

[OGM]

Wanna learn teh sweep picking, eh? I'll teach you! First you do this...*shuffles around with guitar*...then you do one of these...*shuffles around with guitar*...and finally, you go waaaay up at the top of the fret board where the iddy bitty frets are and you do this...*shuffles around with guitar*...and there ya go! Ta da!

 

[Bored]

yea ive been sweeping for around 4 years pretty much got it down.. bored of it really.. im more into alternate picking more now.. but its always nice to pshcotically do some vai sweeps and stuff ..

 

[Shadows Skulk]

Nothing over 3 strings

 

[sands of the seas]

I don't remember hearing any sweeps in opeth's music. i could be wrong though. the closest i can think of would be the lead after the clean part in The Leper Affinity and even that isn't really fast enough to sweep in my opinion.
I think sweeps can be very tasteful if use in the right setting though. When somebody just sweeps up and down the neck constantly it CAN be quite stupid, but it's just another technique. It's like constant tremolo picking. That can sound stupid or effective, depending on the situation.

 

[Ermz]

Opeth use it plenty of times. Near the end of the Forest of October solo. Peter's solo in The Leper Affinity. The solo at the end of White Cluster. One or two solos in The Funeral Portrait. All arpeggiated.

 

[bracky]

If you want to hear some incredible sweeps listen to Dokken's Mr. Scary. It doesn't get any better.

 

[Kenneth R.]

i was wondering if any of you mastered sweep picking?

not in the slightest. i'm virtually un-versed in alternate picking as well.

my playing style currently is what 80s metal would be without the wanking, and with more blues influence.

 

[synergy]

I think that psychotic guitarist from Shadows Fall does a lot of sweep picking

 

[DiscipleofTruMetal]

i've got it down for the most part, but i actually like alternate picking arpeggios better. the notes sound more defined and you can do more things. sweeping is really more of a showoff technique, but it can sound good if controlled and used in the right spots. i wouldn't overdo it.

but if you some of you want to do it, one of the keys is to use really thick picks. i use the purple jim dunlop picks and i can't use anything else now. you want to use a thick pick because the thinner picks will have a slighty delay when you pick notes at a high speed which will throw your timing off.

 

[Bored]

cehck out the band callled cacophony with marty friedman and jason becker.. especially their song called speed metal symphony.. i did a cover of that way back its pretty nice

 

[Md Player]

i am playing death metal.Most of the time i use alternate picking,i have a fast right hand.Sweep picking is awesome technique,but imo you must very good(MASTERED) at alternate picking before you start practising sweep.Cause if you complicate both or cant play well, it sounds bad...

 

[Reaper of Souls]

that is very true, i do like alrenate picking more, i just beleive if i get better at sweeps it could imporve me in other areas as well

 

[Ermz]

Well their applications are entirely different. It's quite normal in metal to mix up both alternate and sweep picking, depending on what's being played.

 

[sands of the seas]

Opeth use it plenty of times. Near the end of the Forest of October solo. Peter's solo in The Leper Affinity. The solo at the end of White Cluster. One or two solos in The Funeral Portrait. All arpeggiated.

Arpeggios do not equal sweeps. If that were the case, the clean part before the leper affinity lead would be a sweep too. It's at the same speed as the lead and is arpeggiated too, but i don't think you'd catch many people trying to sweep it.
Well anyway i guess i stand corrected. I think it depends on the player whether they are sweeped or not, but yeah you could call those you mentioned sweeps. It's just i can't sweep that slow so i alternate pick all of those except the Forest of October solo which you got me on I'm sure some are more advanced at sweeping though and have better right hand control to be able to sweep at that speed.

 

[Ermz]

Actually yeah, I sweep that Leper Affinity acoustic interlude when playing with a pick . Don't think Mike does. It really depends on the player, as you said, but most arpeggiated parts can be sweeped.

 

[Bored]

me too man.. i find it sounds cooler ..

 

[Bored]

i sweep it too i meant

 

[murderedbysound]

how bout the kokko bros from Kalmah. Hades, Alteration, The Blind Leader etc.. they sweep alot? form how you guys explain it it sounds like they would. and we cant forget another legend for musical masturbation - Yngwie Malmsteen!