Sweep Picking Guide - Do YOU want it?

[80H]

Broke ground on the guide. Got maybe 30-45 different concepts that are unorganized now and day 1 is mostly finished. Going to do days 1-14 and then polish them all up over the next few days. Estimated time for completion is June 14th or 15th

 

[bey0ndreaz0n]

Have gotten a little more serious about sweeping in the last few months. I've made the best improvement ever since I backed the metronome off, so I think going slow really is the quickest way to go faster.

It's quite comforting reading all the posts in this thread, to know that you're not alone! It's taken me about 2 years to realise a lot of the intricate mechanics involved in this technique, and I feel I'm still only at surface level, this guide couldn't be more well timed, I'm looking forward to it!

 

[in-pursuit]

I'm actually really looking forward to getting my hands on this and doing some serious practice for the first time in a few years. I've just recently been trying to put some time into economy picking and it's rekindled the flame a little bit.

 

[stuglue]

Can I ask that your guide emphasises using correct rhythm for sweeping, I've seen a lot of players just learn a shape but they have no idea about the rhythm, I saw one guy learn a shape but it was neither triplets nor 16th notes. Lets have some consistency so that when practising with a click you can hear the rhythm.

Also make sure that if showingan arpeggio as a sweep that its complete and not an octave and a half or missing a note to make it complete, again I've seen guys play a two octave arpeggio but only partially. If you are playing an arpeggio make sure the highest note is the same note as you started on. If its A major then the highest note will be A, don't stop when you get to the fifth and then descend.

 

[Osorio]

Also make sure that if showingan arpeggio as a sweep that its complete and not an octave and a half or missing a note to make it complete, again I've seen guys play a two octave arpeggio but only partially. If you are playing an arpeggio make sure the highest note is the same note as you started on. If its A major then the highest note will be A, don't stop when you get to the fifth and then descend.

This may not be the best place, but I'm curious... Why? Is there a problem with not playing an arpeggio top to bottom or skipping a few notes here and there?

 

[stuglue]

Remember this is a guide, he's promoting how to sweep correctly, may as well get beginners into the habit of playing the compete arpeggio. Its like learning scales, you wouldn't only learn the first 6 notes, you'd look to play it from octave to octave.

Musically when applying this stuff, its up to you, but when learning make sure the full information is presented.

 

[tedtan]

^ stuglue

In that case (playing the entire arpeggio) you'll have to play each and every note in the arp, and you'll end up with some 2 note per string groupings mixed in that will break up the sweeping. This intended to be a beginner's sweep picking guide, not a proper arpeggio guide, so I won't hold it against 80H if he leaves some notes out or even uses some chromatic shapes just to help people get the technique down. They can expand on what they sweep down the line.

 

[Judge_Dredd]

I'm looking to learn some soloing techniques. So it would be really cool if you'd make a guide.

 

[stuglue]

^ stuglue

In that case (playing the entire arpeggio) you'll have to play each and every note in the arp, and you'll end up with some 2 note per string groupings mixed in that will break up the sweeping. This intended to be a beginner's sweep picking guide, not a proper arpeggio guide, so I won't hold it against 80H if he leaves some notes out or even uses some chromatic shapes just to help people get the technique down. They can expand on what they sweep down the line.

Ok, but wouldn't it be more beneficial to tackle multiple facets of sweeping and arpeggios together? You get to practice the technique and learn arpeggios as well.

 

[ncfiala]

Ok, but wouldn't it be more beneficial to tackle multiple facets of sweeping and arpeggios together? You get to practice the technique and learn arpeggios as well.

The problem with that is that one probably uses different shapes for different techniques. I use very different shapes for the same arpeggio depending on if I'm picking but not sweeping, sweeping, or two-handed tapping.

Honestly, I think guides like this do more harm than good. You spoonfeed someone some "shapes" and 90% of the people who look at the guide just memorize the shapes. They have no idea how to figure out the shape, why the arpeggio is named the way it is, what the intervals of the arpeggio are, or how to apply the arpeggio. People should learn how to construct their own shapes based on what makes the most sense to their brain and their fingers. It's not hard. I for one probably use different sweeping shapes than most people.

The technique part of such a guide could have value to some people though since there are many subtleties involved.

 

[80H]

Can I ask that your guide emphasises using correct rhythm for sweeping, I've seen a lot of players just learn a shape but they have no idea about the rhythm, I saw one guy learn a shape but it was neither triplets nor 16th notes. Lets have some consistency so that when practising with a click you can hear the rhythm.

Also make sure that if showingan arpeggio as a sweep that its complete and not an octave and a half or missing a note to make it complete, again I've seen guys play a two octave arpeggio but only partially. If you are playing an arpeggio make sure the highest note is the same note as you started on. If its A major then the highest note will be A, don't stop when you get to the fifth and then descend.

Creating music only has anything to do with specific arpeggios when you want a specific arpeggio. I can tell someone the notes of an Am9 arpeggio in a specific order, but it doesn't matter if that's not what they want to play or is even the fastest or most efficient way to learn. The goal is to teach them how to figure these things out themselves. I also have to account for people that know their theory and people that don't.

Sweeping doesn't have anything to do with a particular rhythm. It is very versatile and can be used in a ton of different rhythmic contexts. I will include rhythm, but there is no way to zero in on a "correct" rhythm, as you put it.

This may not be the best place, but I'm curious... Why? Is there a problem with not playing an arpeggio top to bottom or skipping a few notes here and there?

No. There is no problem with teaching people different approaches to sweeping. Sweeping itself is a technical approach and the theory is applied -AFTER- the technique is understood.

Remember this is a guide, he's promoting how to sweep correctly, may as well get beginners into the habit of playing the compete arpeggio. Its like learning scales, you wouldn't only learn the first 6 notes, you'd look to play it from octave to octave.

Musically when applying this stuff, its up to you, but when learning make sure the full information is presented.

Nobody is going to remember the positions of an excess of about 90 notes on their first go or even their first day. If they do, they probably don't need a guide to figure all this stuff out. People need individual pieces in a logical and linear progression that they can follow on their own time and pace. You have to work with what -THEY- know and understand, not with what -YOU- know and understand.

^ stuglue

In that case (playing the entire arpeggio) you'll have to play each and every note in the arp, and you'll end up with some 2 note per string groupings mixed in that will break up the sweeping. This intended to be a beginner's sweep picking guide, not a proper arpeggio guide, so I won't hold it against 80H if he leaves some notes out or even uses some chromatic shapes just to help people get the technique down. They can expand on what they sweep down the line.

Exactly. In application, sweeping doesn't purely apply to arpeggios. Sometimes you want to throw a different interval into an arpeggio, and then what? Should I make another guide on adding intervals into complex arpeggios? And then what about slides and hammers and pulloffs and harmonics? Should I devote 10 hours of practice to using a b3 versus a 3 in various applications?

It's easy to say "this needs more," but you're opening pandora's box. The line has to be drawn somewhere or else the book will go on forever.

I'm looking to learn some soloing techniques. So it would be really cool if you'd make a guide.

you got it dude (` - `)b

Ok, but wouldn't it be more beneficial to tackle multiple facets of sweeping and arpeggios together? You get to practice the technique and learn arpeggios as well.

Yeah it would. The problem with that, though, is that we have a lot of different people here with different motivations for playing. I can't cater to anyone without alienating someone else, so I have to be as broad and general as I can without selling anyone short. It's a tightrope.

The problem with that is that one probably uses different shapes for different techniques. I use very different shapes for the same arpeggio depending on if I'm picking but not sweeping, sweeping, or two-handed tapping.

Honestly, I think guides like this do more harm than good. You spoonfeed someone some "shapes" and 90% of the people who look at the guide just memorize the shapes. They have no idea how to figure out the shape, why the arpeggio is named the way it is, what the intervals of the arpeggio are, or how to apply the arpeggio. People should learn how to construct their own shapes based on what makes the most sense to their brain and their fingers. It's not hard. I for one probably use different sweeping shapes than most people.

The technique part of such a guide could have value to some people though since there are many subtleties involved.

The whole point of this guide is to teach people how to construct and apply their own shapes from the perspective of the technique.

 

[80H]

I'm actually really looking forward to getting my hands on this and doing some serious practice for the first time in a few years. I've just recently been trying to put some time into economy picking and it's rekindled the flame a little bit.

I keep the flame alive by always having way more to practice than I have time for lol. At this point it's an intentional part of my growth.

 

[tedtan]

Care to elaborate on how you use the lack of sufficient time to practice everything you want to practice as a tool to spur growth, 80H?

 

[stuglue]

The problem with that is that one probably uses different shapes for different techniques. I use very different shapes for the same arpeggio depending on if I'm picking but not sweeping, sweeping, or two-handed tapping.

Honestly, I think guides like this do more harm than good. You spoonfeed someone some "shapes" and 90% of the people who look at the guide just memorize the shapes. They have no idea how to figure out the shape, why the arpeggio is named the way it is, what the intervals of the arpeggio are, or how to apply the arpeggio. People should learn how to construct their own shapes based on what makes the most sense to their brain and their fingers. It's not hard. I for one probably use different sweeping shapes than most people.

The technique part of such a guide could have value to some people though since there are many subtleties involved.

Yeah but that's outside of the OPs guide, he's not here to teach the theoretical side. I don't have a problem with people learning the shapes. I guess the OP could state at the start that wherever you can find the triad notes you can play an arpeggio. That way learners figure positions out for themselves. That's how I did and I think its beneficial to learn as many different fingerings as you can because it gets you out of a rut of playing the same shapes and knowing multiple fingerings makes it easier to transition from one "lick" into the next.

 

[80H]

Care to elaborate on how you use the lack of sufficient time to practice everything you want to practice as a tool to spur growth, 80H?

Well, I'm going to die eventually. There's never going to be enough time for all of it anyways. From that perspective, you can either quit or accept the size of it all and chip away at the skill.

At the end of the day, I'm still going to want to make music and I probably will tomorrow to. I'd rather just pick whatever and practice it today than waste 2 weeks that I could've used to grow. I love linear practice routines though which is why I do things like this guide or the theory challenge I'm doing right now (which I need to update)!

 

[Kaickul]

In for this, would love you to share your guide.

 

[80H]

UPDATE: TEASER. READ THE WHOLE THING. ONLY BABIES AND WEAK PEOPLE DON'T READ


Got a bunch of stuff to include that hasn't been fully worked out yet. General idea of the guide is finished, I know what the over-arching goal is now.


---THIS PART IS VERY IMPORTANT---

I'll cover this more in the guide itself. As a primer though, there's TOO MUCH STUFF to cover. Slipped down the rabbit hole with this one.

What I did was start analyzing and studying and looking up guides and blah blah blah blah blah, but what I REALIZED---- is that sweep picking is a reflection of the ability to learn a specific sweep shape with the cognizance (mental, skillful awareness) to use it musically and mix it fluidly with other technical skills.

The implications of it are beautiful. There's horizontal movement, vertical movement, diagonal movement, ascension, descension, incorporation (hammers, slides, harmonics, pull offs, tapping), rhythmic applications, melodic applications, weird crazy tosin abasi implications and a lot more that aren't coming to me but most likely exist CAUSE I CANT REMEMBER EVERYTHING DAMMIT, WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT FROM ME


Ok, point being. The guide is going to be a primer on __LEARNING__ to sweep in a timely and accurate manner. It will also include how to identify possible sweeps within whatever scale by way of simple logic and a resource list of the guides that I've personally used to get my results (which I am damn STOKED with, even in just these last few weeks).




Any ideas on what you guys want next? I'm happy with my sweeps, happy with how quickly I'm learning them and there's nothing more that I can do at this very moment other than keep practicing. With that said, I want to keep running challenges with myself and writing a guide for an audience to keep myself honest and motivated. If there's another topic you want a guide on, lemme know. If I can do it and NEED to do it, I will.



To the future wooo0w0owoeoeoeowoewoe0owe
-Adam

 

[penningmic]

A guide would be nice just so I don't have to lay it out for myself by hand......again... But the other thing that would be cool is to use inversion patterns with your right hand over the chord you are already doing, haven't tried it but worth a shot

 

[xzyryabx]

Yes please!!

 

[Quitty]

Sounds good.

And when you go 'wooo0w0owoeoeoeowoewoe0owe' on our asses, you remind me of Slipperman (the recording distorted guitars from hell dude) - which is great!