# Sweep Picking



## Lumberjackjosh (Jan 16, 2009)

What its Sweep picking, where is it used, and how do you do it 

Many thanks


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

There's piles of stuff on YouTube. Like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2nUnvbhdBw&feature=fvw


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

sweep picking is a technique used to play across 2-8 strings (yeah, 8!) very quickly. It can be used in any genre of music, most often found in various types of metal. To sweep, you lightly "rake" the pick across as many strings as you want, playing 1 or 2 notes per string. It takes a lot of practise and is difficult to do well.


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## lbrown1 (Mar 22, 2007)

Budda said:


> sweep picking is a technique used to play across 2-8 strings (yeah, 8!) very quickly. It can be used in any genre of music, most often found in various types of metal. To sweep, you lightly "rake" the pick across as many strings as you want, playing 1 or 2 notes per string. It takes a lot of practise and is difficult to do well.


"difficult being a bit of an understatement in this player's opinion....for me - it isn't the picking hand that's the issue - it's the cement fret hand that's the problem


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

it really depends on how often you practise, I think (same with anything though). i don't practise much, and when i do try to sweep it's usually sloppy as all get out


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## Eager Beaver (May 31, 2009)

lbrown1 said:


> "difficult being a bit of an understatement in this player's opinion....for me - it isn't the picking hand that's the issue - it's the cement fret hand that's the problem


+1 

My left hand definitely has no problem with the speed. I'm usually just off with my right hand. Pain in the butt...


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## Lemmy Hangslong (May 11, 2006)

I'm no master but I utilize sweep/rake picking and from an early age it became part of my vocablary so to speak.

Based on an economy of motion where by you pick in one direction in a fluid motion. The real trick is creating a seemles transition between sweep picking and other techniques such as alternate picking, hamer ons and pull offs.

Check out Dave Gilmour for ( rakes ) old school sweeps and YJM for classic sweeps.

For me sweep picking can get boring fast and there are more than enough players that over sweep in my opinion. As with all other techniques... I like it best when it's used with taste. This generally means sparingly in my world.

Start with down stroke picked accending three note arpeggios that are familiar to your ear such as A minor. Find the places on the fretboard that the arpeggio starts on the Low E, A, D, and G strings. Once familiar with these move to the usually harder up stroke picked arpeggios. Find all the places where the arpeggio starts on the High E, B, G, and D strings.

Once you get these under your fingers start adding a scale note by pulling off and so on and so forth.

Here are very rudimentary examples of what I'm talking about.

Rake A major arpeggio

e---9------------------
b---10-----------------
g---9-------------------
d----------------------
a----------------------
e-----------------------

Sweep A major arpeggio

e--------9------------------
b-----10-----------------
g---9-------------------
d----------------------
a----------------------
e-----------------------

Sweep A major with scale tone pull off

e--------9-12-(p)9--------
b-----10------------10----
g---9-------------------9-
d-------------------------
a-------------------------
e-------------------------


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