Speed Playing. Part 4

The last speed playing is going to be more of a catalogue of excerises to play ,some will include small tips and tricks to help you but mainly these are going to be varying and technical skills that hopefully will help you in your guitar playing. This lesson will be divided up into 5 sections:

1. Sweep picking/sweep tapping
2. Tapping
3. String skipping
4. Alternative picking
5. Legato

==================================================================

Sweep Picking/Sweep Tapping

Ok I won't go over the tips but I'll go over all the shapes so you know them and can easily construct them.

1. Standard Major - The root is always on the A string and the note on the B string.

E|----------12-15----------14-17------0-3----------16-19----------
B|--------13-------------15----------1-----------17---------------
G|------12-------------14-----------0----------16-----------------
D|----14-------------16------------2---------18-------------------
A|--15-------------17-------------3--------19---------------------
E|----------------------------------------------------------------
    C               D             C         E

2. Alternative Major - Same as above, but these require 3 string finger rolls and the root is the last high E note. Remeber to get the very tip of your finger and roll down as you pick, play slow and watch both hands as you do it.

E|-------------12-17-------------15-20---------6-11---------------
B|-----------14----------------17-------------8-------------------
G|---------14----------------17--------------8--------------------
D|-------14----------------17---------------8---------------------
A|--12h16-------------15h19-------------6h10----------------------
E|----------------------------------------------------------------
    A                  C                 D#

3. Standard Minor - Root note is always the A and high E last note, these have a 2 finger roll in them, so be careful, remeber to emphasise the intial downpicked note and up picked pull off.

E|-------------12-17--------7-12--------------17-22---------------
B|-----------13------------8----------------18--------------------
G|---------14-------------9---------------19----------------------
D|-------14--------------9--------------19------------------------
A|--12h15------------7h10----------17h20--------------------------
E|----------------------------------------------------------------
    A                E               D

4. Alternative Minor - A bit like the standard major, but we shift the 2nd note of the arpeggio down half a step (1 fret).

E|----------11-15----------15-19---------8-12---------------------
B|--------13-------------17------------10-------------------------
G|------12-------------16-------------9---------------------------
D|----13-------------17-------------10----------------------------
A|--15-------------19-------------12------------------------------
E|----------------------------------------------------------------
    C               E              A

5. Standard diminished - These are same as your standard arpeggios but have a minor second and third giving them a dark sound. The initial G string and last high E string note are the same root note.

E|---------7-10-----------10-13-----------13-16-------------------
B|-------9-------------12--------------15-------------------------
G|--7h10---------10h13-----------13h16----------------------------
D|----------------------------------------------------------------
A|----------------------------------------------------------------
E|----------------------------------------------------------------
    D             F               G#

6. Alternative diminished - Exactly the same as above but we miss out the first note making them quite easy arpeggios.

E|-------7-10--------11-14--------16-19-------------------------
B|-----9----------13-----------18-------------------------------
G|--10---------14-----------19----------------------------------
D|--------------------------------------------------------------
A|--------------------------------------------------------------
E|--------------------------------------------------------------
    D          F#           B

7. Major sweep tap - Always tap the root of the arpeggio on the high E string, remeber to position your hand slightly closer, also some people like to tap with their pick but ultimatly this will make your arpeggios sloppy and noisey, use that third finger if you can.

                   T             T                 T
E|----------12-15-20-------7-10-15----------16-19-24-------------------
B|--------13--------------8---------------17---------------------------
G|------12---------------7--------------16-----------------------------
D|----14----------------9-------------18-------------------------------
A|--15----------------10------------19---------------------------------
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------
    C                  G             E

7. Minor string sweep - With minor sweep taps always tap the second note of the arpeggio, so A minor, tap C and G minor, tap A#.

                      T                    T                    T
E|-------------12-17-20-------------10-15-18-------------14-19-22-------
B|-----------13-------------------11-------------------15---------------
G|---------14-------------------12-------------------16-----------------
D|-------14-------------------12-------------------16-------------------
A|--12h15----------------10h13----------------14h17---------------------
E|----------------------------------------------------------------------

You don't always have to tap the root note on majors and the second note and minors, they just usually sound better, here a list of sweep excersises you can practice.
8.

E|------17h22p17-----17h20------15h18p15------13h17p13------11h15p11---
B|----18-----------17---------15------------15------------13-----------
G|--19-----------17---------15------------14------------12-------------
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------

9.

E|--19p15--------------------15h19-10p7-------------7h10--17p14-----------
B|-------17----------------17----------8-----------8-----------15---------
G|---------16------------16-------------7---------7--------------14-------
D|-----------17--------17----------------9-------9-----------------16-----
A|-------------19-14h19-------------------10-7h10--------------------17---
E|------------------------------------------------------------------------

10.

                   T                   T                   T
E|----------12h15h20p15p12------12h15h20p15p12------12h15h20p15p12----
B|--------13--------------13--13--------------13--13------------------
G|------12------------------12------------------12--------------------
D|----14--------------------------------------------------------------
A|--15----------------------------------------------------------------
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------

11.

         (slide with tapping finger)
                   T                   T  T  T
E|----------11h14h19/21/19------11h14h19h21p19p14p11--------------
B|--------12--------------12--12--------------------12------------
G|------11------------------11------------------------11----------
D|----13------------------------------------------------13--------
A|--14----------------------------------------------------14------
E|----------------------------------------------------------------

12.

E|----------13h17p13------11h14p11-----7h10p7---7h10p7---7h10p7h10p7-----
B|--------15--------15--13--------13--9------9-8------8-8-----------8----
G|------14------------14------------10--------7--------7-------------7---
D|----15-----------------------------------------------------------------
A|--17-------------------------------------------------------------------
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------

==================================================================

Tapping

I think I covered most about tapping in my other lesson but heres a few people have asked me which is better to tap with. Pick or finger? Well personally I use my third finger, theres not really a particular better one but finger tapping gives you accuracy, usefull when sweeping or playing with pick, gives a thicker, rounder soung. Using a pick is mainly for trill tapping, it lets you tap really fast but thats about it to be honest but its entirely up to you, play how you want.

1.
(Tr = Trill tap)                                  (Bend as tapping)
      Tr     Tr      Tr       Tr       Tr             Tr
E|----------------12h15p12----------------------------------------
G|---------7h10p7----------12h15p12-----------10b(12)h14p10-------
B|--7h10p7-------------------------12h14p12-----------------------
D|----------------------------------------------------------------
A|----------------------------------------------------------------
E|----------------------------------------------------------------

2.

        T       T       T        T        T       T      T
E|--12h19p15--------------------------10h17p14-----------------
G|-------------------------------------------------------------
B|----------11h16p11---------11h16p12----------9h16p12---------
D|-------------------------------------------------------------
A|-------------------10h17p14--------------------------7h12p9--
E|-------------------------------------------------------------

3.
     
       T      T      T      T      T      T       T      T
E|--0h12p2p0h12p4p0h12p5p0h12p7p0h12p9p0h12p11p0h12p2p0h12---
G|-----------------------------------------------------------
B|-----------------------------------------------------------
D|-----------------------------------------------------------
A|-----------------------------------------------------------
E|-----------------------------------------------------------

4.

     T          T         T            T           T          T
E|--14p13p11p9---------------------------------------------------------
G|-------------11p10p7p6-----------------------------------------------
B|-----------------------10p8p6p4--------------------------------------
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------
E|---------------------------------1h2h6p2p1h4/6h7h11p9p7p6/4h9p2p1----

5.

     T  T  T  T    T    T     T      Tr
E|-----------------7p5-----------------------------
G|---------------------14p12-----------------------
B|------------2p1------------16p14-----------------
D|---------4p2-------------------------------------
A|------5p4------------------------12h14p12--------
E|--7p5--------------------------------------------

==================================================================

String Skipping

Here we jsut take notes from scales or arpeggios and use them a bit like we did in the tapping lesson I did, alternative picking is qutie useful here because if you get your hand into that motion you don't have to focus too much on picking the notes, remeber to mute the lower strings with your palm right after playing them.

Here a few Paul Gilbert style skips:

1.

E|------------7--------------------10------------------5--------
G|--------------------------------------------------------------
B|-----7h9h10---10p9p7----10h14h16----16p14p12---5h7h9---9p7p5--
D|--------------------------------------------------------------
A|--10-----------------14----------------------8----------------
E|--------------------------------------------------------------

2.

E|----------12------------------8------------------13-----------
G|--------------------------------------------------------------
B|----12h16----16p12-------8h12---12p8-------13h17----17p13-----
D|--14---------------14-10-------------10-15----------------15--
A|--------------------------------------------------------------
E|--------------------------------------------------------------

3.

E|--------5-7-8-7-5-----------------------------------------8-7-5--
G|--------------------------------------------6-7-10---------------
B|--5-7-9-----------5-7-9-7-5-----------5-7-9--------7-9-10--------
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------
A|----------------------------5-7-8-7-5----------------------------
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------

4. Diminshed String Skips

E|-15-12-9------------------------------9-12-15-18-15-12------------------
G|------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|---------15-12-9---------------9-12-15----------------18-15-12----------
D|------------------------------------------------------------------------
A|-----------------16-13-10-13-16--------------------------------19-16-13-
E|------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. 

E|---------------8-------------------------8-----------------------
G|-------------------------------------------12-10-----------------
B|----------9-10---10-9---------------9-10-------------------------
D|-------------------------------------------------12-10-9---------
A|--8-10-12-------------12-10-8-10-12------------------------------
E|---------------------------------------------------------8-10-12-

6.

E|-14p10------------10---------------------15p12------------12--------------
G|--------------------14p10-----------10h14--------------------15p12--------
B|------14p11--11h14----------------------------16p12--12h16----------------
D|-----------12------------14p11-11h14---------------14-------------16p12---
A|------------------------------12---------------------------------------14-
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------

==================================================================

Alternative Picking

1.

E|----------8-10-12-10-8---------------8-10-12-13-12-10-8----------
G|--8-10-12--------------12-10-8-10-12--------------------12-10-8--
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------

2.

E|--13-12-10----------------------------------------------------------
G|-----------13-12-10-------------------------------------------------
B|----------------------------12-10-9---------------------------------
D|--------------------12-10-9------------------------------12-10-9----
A|------------------------------------10-9-7--------10-9-7------------
E|-------------------------------------------10-9-7-------------------

3.

E|--17-14----------------------------------17-14-15-12-------------------
G|--------16-13----------------------13-16-------------14-11-------------
B|--------------15-12----------12-15-------------------------13-10-------
D|--------------------14-12-14-------------------------------------12-10-
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------

4.

E|-------------------------------------------------------------------
G|-------------------------------------------------------------------
B|----------------------------------------------------------10-12-14-
D|----------------------------------9---------------9-10-12----------
A|----------8---------------8-10-12---12-10-9-10-12------------------
E|--8-10-12---12-10-8-10-12------------------------------------------

5.

E|--14-19-14----------14-19-14----------14-19-22-19-14----------14-17-19-
G|-----------14-17-14----------14-17-14----------------14-17-14----------
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------------
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------


6.

E|--22-20-19----19--------------------------------------------------------
G|-----------20----20-18-17----17-----------------------------------------
B|--------------------------18----18-17-15----15--------------------------
D|-----------------------------------------17----17-15-14----14-----------
A|--------------------------------------------------------15----15-13-12--
E|------------------------------------------------------------------------

7.

E|----8-7-8-5-8-7-8-5---12-11-12-9-12-11-9----15-14-15-14-12-15-14-12-
G|--5-----------------9--------------------12-------------------------
B|--------------------------------------------------------------------
D|--------------------------------------------------------------------
A|--------------------------------------------------------------------
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------

==================================================================

Legato

1.

E|--------------------------------------------------------------------12--
G|--------------------------------------------------10-13p10----10h13-----
B|-----------------------------------9-12p9----9h12----------12-----------
D|--------------------7-10p7----7h10--------10----------------------------
A|------7-10p7---7h10--------10-------------------------------------------
E|--5h8--------8----------------------------------------------------------

2.

E|---------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------
B|---------------------------------------------------
D|--6h7p6-6h7p6-6h7h9p7p6----11h12p11---11h12p11-----
A|-------9-----9---------9/12--------12--------------
E|---------------------------------------------------

3.

                                               T
E|--------------------------------------------------------
G|--11h12h14p12p11h12p11/16h17p16/12p11h12h14h20p16p14----
B|--------------------------------------------------------
D|--------------------------------------------------------
A|--------------------------------------------------------
E|--------------------------------------------------------

4.

E|----------------------------------------------------------------------
G|----------------------------------------------------------------------
B|-------9---------9------9----9-10p9---------7-------7-------7---7-9p7-
D|--7h10---10-7h10---7h10---10--------10--6h9---9-6h9---9-6h9---9-------
A|----------------------------------------------------------------------
E|----------------------------------------------------------------------

5.

E|----------------------------------5h7p5h8p5h7p5h8------------------------
G|-------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|--2h4p2h5p2h4p2h5---------------------------------4/14h16p14h17p14h16p14-
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------
A|------------------0h2p0h3p0h2p0h3----------------------------------------
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------

==================================================================

Comments

[Mrasi]

Great job, nice and long.

[FenderSlasher96]

Nice!

[Paul Tauterouff]

Nice resource!

[yenners]

Thanks! Great job!

[JSFS]

Looks great man! Can't wait to try it later

[vIsIbleNoIsE]

good article!

[DroogieSteve]

When you say alternative picking you mean alternate right?

[Joe310707]

Yeah they mean the same thing dont they :s

[Oosh.]

Looks good! Will have a better read later.

[COBShredder]

Dude I can barely play 3 string arpeggios, these ones are really hard, and I cant do da finger roll, but whatever I bet this is gonna help me to improve

[firebird103]

This is really good, there are plenty of vids on how to sweep but there are few that point out what type of sweep pattern you are actually playing, which is usually good to know ...The rest has some nice patterns for practice... good job!

[SpeedLives]

DroogieSteve wrote:

When you say alternative picking you mean alternate right?

Joe310707 wrote:

Yeah they mean the same thing dont they :s

alternate picking is strict up-down-up-down, and alternative is another name for economy. at least thats what i have been lead to believe.

[Jondy]

DroogieSteve wrote:

When you say alternative picking you mean alternate right?

Joe310707 wrote:

Yeah they mean the same thing dont they :s

no, they don't, actually. alternating is when you alternate between things, alternatives are things that can replace other things. two completely different words.

[zorbozate]

this or shall i say lesson,s is exellent thank you for takking the time and doing this venture . you really helped i hope you write more ;better yet write a column

[Joe310707]

Yeah i know what you mean i was playing all these arpeggios and didnt know what they were so just thought id give a few pointers ,there a few other ones like major 7ths and stuff but i tried to keep it simple. Yeah i would write a column but what on lol ? :S

[artimus]

good job man!!
this lesson really helped me =D
the sweep picking section was excellent
cheers

[UnavailableUser]

i always get terrible feedback when i lift my finger off a string
whenever i turn down the gain (which is only at 3) the guitar doesnt sound as good, but the feedback noise goes away (somewhat)
can anyone help?

[Joe310707]

Well the thing with doing sweeps is you can mute them slightly with your palm but the main way to get the feedback to go away is synchronisation. If you play a note on a string and then slowly lift your finger off the string the noise will go away. Thats essentially what your doing with these ,play them super slow and make sure that as soon as youve picked a note ,move your finger off it and get ready to play the next one ,even with full gain it shouldnt sound too bad, i have my gain at around 7 or 8 but i learned by practicing them cleanly for ages. If you still think its your amp ,then do a little trick where your picking hand goes towards the top of the neck and lightly mutes the strings ,then just fret the arpeggios ,with full gain youl hear them clearly and you wont have to worry about synchronisation ,plus it looks cool

[Achmoye]

Awesome lesson, i progressed a lot, so thanks a lot

[watrtamamma]

Very good lesson

Is it okay to split the practing time?
Like to 10 minutes a couple times a day than 30 minutes straight?

[Joe310707]

Yeah sure ,as long as you do so much each day.
Its ok to take breaks every now and then because sometimes youl pick your guitar up and find you can do something a lot better.
An average practice routine for me would be:
1. Warm ups - 10 mins
2. Play along to a few songs I know well - 15 mins
3. Work on techniques and improvisation over backing tracks - 20 mins
4. Play along to a few songs i find hard or am working on - 15 mins

Thats an average 1 hour long practice

[Frantic_Jab]

man u have blessed fingers thx for all of your lessons good job