SWEEP PICKING and ARPEGGIOS

- Basic sweep – pick must stop on the next string, never between strings.
- THE KEY: THE PICK HAND NEVER STOPS MOVING – IT ONLY SLOWS DOWN FOR ANY
HAMMERS AND PULLOFFS, BUT THE HAND MUST KEEP MOVING. FOCUS ON THIS AND YOU
WILL PROGRESS FAST.
- USE METRONOME – aug 2014 115 sep 145
o Practice on open strings over and over until speed can be built up
o Then add the simple 1 2 3 4 and mirror image pattern.
o Then do the same but going up the neck each run by half step
o Now add minor and major arp shapes.
o When pulling off, your pick is already resting on the next string.
o Now work on connecting arpeggio shapes
 You need to make sure you lift the fingers off the strings (fretting hand) in
order to prevent two strings sounding together! At the same time, only lift
them about 1cm, not more! This lifting also means relaxing the tension of
the fretting hand and thus being relaxed.
 There are two options – you can sweep from wrist and from the
elbow. You need to mute all strings above – this is normally done
with the bass of the palm (same as your regular mute) – vs Hess –
thumb. Try this – pick very slowly and after each strings test the
strings above for muting.
 Another exercise – play the notes of the arpeggio only with
hammers (no picking) – this is to make sure there is no overlap of
notes.
 Great exercise – two string sweep – the hard part is to turn around
and pick upwards after going down, so all we do here is change
directions – great practice.
 Play 5B 6E 5E 6B 5B 7E 5E 7B 5B 8E 5E 8B
o ADD A STRING AND PLAY 5G 6B 7E AND REVERSE. To
develop fingers, try using fingers 2,3,4.
- MASTERY TASK (from LL)
o Play diatonic chords 1-8 with sweep picking the chords
 ARPEGGIOS
- Remember do not stop with the pick between the strings
- Finger rolling over 2 and 3 strings is required here
 More 3 string arpeggios
- Remember, play at your fastest speed – what prevents you from being faster? Analyse, slow
down and remove those, then speed up again.