attn: guitar players

[halfassedjediknight]

why is sweep picking so hard?

[Coelho]

for me the hardest part of this is the left hand to follow the speed of the right hand sweep pick...

[yoda]

got any videos of what you mean? go to youtube and type in something like tap guitar, look for eric montrain or something like that. now that is some hard shit.

[missybit]

the hardest part for me is to subtle about the sweep, without strumming.

i think i may be alone in this, but i have a really difficult time playing while high. either my fingers don't work, or i just get lost in the middle of a song...

[halfassedjediknight]

got any videos of what you mean? go to youtube and type in something like tap guitar, look for eric montrain or something like that. now that is some hard shit.

im really not into tapping. anyways, thats a whole different technique. i can do some tapping, its easier for me than sweep picking.

i think if i were better at solos, i.e. putting scales together, i could sweep pick fine. i can do the "sweep" with the pick, its just the notes sound like audio diahrea.

[grasshopper420]

its just hard because its not a natrual motion for your body kinda like patting your head and rubbing your stomach.... just practice with an easy song like smells like teen spirit or crazy train.... well those are easy for me but your skill level may be different try seek and destroy or maybe like i dunno just try your easiest song and keep practicing homie itl come

[halfassedjediknight]

its just hard because its not a natrual motion for your body kinda like patting your head and rubbing your stomach.... just practice with an easy song like smells like teen spirit or crazy train.... well those are easy for me but your skill level may be different try seek and destroy or maybe like i dunno just try your easiest song and keep practicing homie itl come

i dont think smells like teen spirit has enough notes across the width of the fretboard for sweep picking to be properly initiated.

crazy train is a fun song to play too though.

the only metallica song i like to play is battery.

[grasshopper420]

yeah probably right hmmm welll im not sure battery has the right rythm try diary of a madman by ozzy ozbourne its almost all sweep picking but i warn you its tough as shit remember randy rhaods wrote it

[halfassedjediknight]

yeah probably right hmmm welll im not sure battery has the right rythm try diary of a madman by ozzy ozbourne its almost all sweep picking but i warn you its tough as shit remember randy rhaods wrote it

oh i was just saying i like to play that song haha. i dont really like metallica.

i dont really wanna learn a song to learn the technique, thats the thing i guess.

i just need to get scales down more i think.

[timothylearyisdead]

it just takes years of practice. i find sweeping easier to do using both hand tap style, plus you can get a hell of a lot more notes in in a quicker amount of time. but that's just me. i taught myself how to play like the great Stanley Jordan, probably the greatest guitarist that will ever live. if you don't know who that is, YouTube him, i promise you wont regret it.

[halfassedjediknight]

it just takes years of practice. i find sweeping easier to do using both hand tap style, plus you can get a hell of a lot more notes in in a quicker amount of time. but that's just me. i taught myself how to play like the great Stanley Jordan, probably the greatest guitarist that will ever live. if you don't know who that is, YouTube him, i promise you wont regret it.

im self taught, been playing since i was 11.

so thats 10 years. and still this sweep picking has eluded my talents.

i like to play a lot of metal type stuff, so tremolo picking is my favorite i guess. haha.

[timothylearyisdead]

im self taught, been playing since i was 11.

so thats 10 years. and still this sweep picking has eluded my talents.

i like to play a lot of metal type stuff, so tremolo picking is my favorite i guess. haha.

I've been playing since I was 4, so 15 years now, but I can tell you this: I didn't start turning heads until I stopped playing metal and picked up an acoustic and tried playing the same type of crazy shit on that. It works my friend. Trust me.

[halfassedjediknight]

I've been playing since I was 4, so 15 years now, but I can tell you this: I didn't start turning heads until I stopped playing metal and picked up an acoustic and tried playing the same type of crazy shit on that. It works my friend. Trust me.

i play accoustic too, i play everything. trust me, I am no n00b. haha!

[Breukelen advocaat]

im self taught, been playing since i was 11.

so thats 10 years. and still this sweep picking has eluded my talents.

i like to play a lot of metal type stuff, so tremolo picking is my favorite i guess. haha.

Some of the best players do not sweep at all - they only use alternate picking.

Frank Gambale wrote a good sweep-picking instruction book, it's called "Speed Picking"*. I don't know if it's still in print. Jimmy Bruno did a video on picking which includes sweeping, but I don't have it. He does say, though, on another video, that sweep technique "takes a long time" to learn. It has many other names, including "economy picking".

*Edit - I just checked - Speed Picking is available on Amazon.

[halfassedjediknight]

Some of the best players do not sweep at all - they only use alternate picking.

Frank Gambale wrote a good sweep-picking instruction book, it's called "Speed Picking". I don't know if it's still in print. Jimmy Bruno did a video on picking which includes sweeping, but I don't have it. He does say, though, on another video, that sweep technique "takes a long time" to learn. It has many other names, including "economy picking".

ill look into this book Gambale wrote. gratsi!

[timothylearyisdead]

I don't even use picks anymore, they just get in my way. Plus it's a hell of a lot more fun to play 2 melodies at the same time using both your hands by hammering the notes. Shit if I'm playing a not-so-complicated melody, I don't even bother using my right hand at all, I just hammer out the whole thing with my fret hand.

[Breukelen advocaat]

I don't even use picks anymore, they just get in my way. Plus it's a hell of a lot more fun to play 2 melodies at the same time using both your hands by hammering the notes. Shit if I'm playing a not-so-complicated melody, I don't even bother using my right hand at all, I just hammer out the whole thing with my fret hand.

You sound like you'd be good at the Chapman Stick - now that thing is incredible. Unfortunately, it always has to be plugged into an amp to be heard.

[halfassedjediknight]

i like to use my fingernail for a pick sometimes, not for more strumming but for tremolo picking. not like classical fingernail picking...just like if you had a pick, but without the pick.

but the top of my nail gets all worn down and dusty.

[Breukelen advocaat]

i like to use my fingernail for a pick sometimes, not for more strumming but for tremolo picking. not like classical fingernail picking...just like if you had a pick, but without the pick.

but the top of my nail gets all worn down and dusty.

Maybe try metal or plastic fingerpicks. They're not as accurate as a bare finger/fingernail, but they won't wear down as fast. They're louder than bare fingers, also.

[timothylearyisdead]

i like to use my fingernail for a pick sometimes, not for more strumming but for tremolo picking. not like classical fingernail picking...just like if you had a pick, but without the pick.

but the top of my nail gets all worn down and dusty.

Ouch!

[halfassedjediknight]

Ouch!

nahhh it doesnt hurt! i mean i dont play like that until it wears the nail down to skin under my fingernail haha.

and i dont really play like that much just when im trying to tremolo pick real fast, black metal style.

i dont do it anymore actually, now that i think about it. i just hold the pick between my thumb and index finger, but i only let a very small amount of the pick hang out of my fingers. good for that black metal/trash metal fast tremolo pick type of crap.

[grasshopper420]

i have callouses on my hands all over i taught myself i idolize randy rhoads he was a god may he Rock In Peace shame he went so soon he couldve been so much greater all the good one die on us...... o welll i love his style of picking fucking kid was amazing big fan .... i think ill go play my Beast

[Turtlepik]

Practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice etc.

Generally I start as slow as I can possibly go, then when I have it down, I speed up a little. After a while, you'll be as smooth as baby shit.

[halfassedjediknight]

ive said forget trying to learn this technique and im just starting to practice my tremelo picking and scales more. i dont care for sweep picking as much anymore.

[josh g]

Cuz it takes a lotta skill! Ive been playing for 5 years and performing for 4. And well not to boast, but i can do it! :thumbsup:

[rebgirl420]

you know whats REALLY hard? learning how to play slap bass....bad times..

[josh g]

My one band's bassist can slap..
But well he's a full fleged pro so yeah. :thumbsup: hahaha!

[Maui Wowie]

The only Metallica I like and play is Anesthesia Pulling Teeth.

Otherwise this vid is a given.

YouTube - Metallica, Richard Cheese - Enter Sandman (http://youtube.com/watch?v=L8dj11BMw80)

[bucknuts1870]

Arpeggios from Hell - Yngwie Malmsteen. Any Yngwie shit will have sick ass sweep arpeggio licks. One of my favorite guitarists ever. The hardest part is keeping up with the right hand. I have never really worked real hard on sweeps but I can do elementary type licks. Start off on a very slow tempo and do that untill you don't fuck up then move it up a bit. Trilogy Suite Opus 5 also by Yngwie was kind of created that way. His tape player at home played the song just a little bit faster so when he got home to listen to it after the studio he just kept speeding it up and up since he thought it sounded better that way, fucking amazing song, it's my lifes goal as a guitarist to play that whole thing perfectly. I have seen two peoeple ever pull it off, my guitar teach and Yngwie himself.

[Maui Wowie]

YouTube - Yngwie malmsteen Super Amazing Guitar God lesson. (http://youtube.com/watch?v=p_tuLEmWccM)

[bucknuts1870]

it just takes years of practice. i find sweeping easier to do using both hand tap style, plus you can get a hell of a lot more notes in in a quicker amount of time. but that's just me. i taught myself how to play like the great Stanley Jordan, probably the greatest guitarist that will ever live. if you don't know who that is, YouTube him, i promise you wont regret it.

Stanley Jordan is the fucking man. I am a blues/country/bluegrass guitarist. I haven't played a metal song in years unless I am jamming with someone and that's what they wanna play. Latley I have been real into Brent Mason, Albert Lee, Scotty Anderson. Double stops, triple stops, the whole country soloing thing has really got me right now. I still can't get through a practice session w/o busting out a few SRV licks though, it's in the blood...

I just put Texas Special pickups in my Mexi-Strat and put an aluminum pickguard on it and holy fuck, I played it nect to my buddys american strat nd it sounded BETTER, fucking amazing...I am about to buy this Highway 1 tele off a guy at guitar center that is getting a 1970 blonde tele they just got in, trying to get my twang thang on ya know what i'm sayin?

[bucknuts1870]

YouTube - Yngwie malmsteen Super Amazing Guitar God lesson. (http://youtube.com/watch?v=p_tuLEmWccM)

fuck that...Yngwie revolutionized the guitar. Scalloped fretboards come on, who was using scalloped fretboards before him?

YouTube - Arpeggios From Hell (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiYwOfaPf5I)

YouTube - Sweep Picking Practice (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mbx03mP5eg)

[bucknuts1870]

YouTube - Sweep Picking | Sweep Arpeggio (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y23LnDqd-l0)

damn now you got me shredding again...I thought I gave this shit up...

[Maui Wowie]

"I actually taught God how to play guitar."

[Creesab]

One of the most amazing guitar players I ever saw was Michael Hedges.
I am also a big fan of Hendrix, Clapton, SRV, Alan Holdsworth, Steve Hunter, Mark Knopler, Steve Howe... the list goes on,....... I love to play guitar!