Hi again, and welcome to the third chapter of the Tasty Guitar Routines! Today's all about Sweep Picking. We'll start with a basic Major arpeggio and cover the most common stroke variations. Always remember to stretch and warm up (look for Tasty Guitar Routines #1) before doing the following exercises. Here we go!
Important: Remember we're practicing Sweep Picking, so maintain the proper stroke pattern presented in the tablatures. You also want to start at a slow and comfortable tempo (30 – 50 bpm doing sixteenth notes) and slowly (yes, very slowly) start to speed up the whole routine.
Notation:
U = Upstroke (towards you)
V = Downstroke (away)
h = Hammer On
p = Pull Off
/ = Slide
Lesson 3: Sweep Picking
Let's start with a basic 2 string sweep, following 3, 4, 5 and 6 string sweeps. We're covering the entire fretboard again so be patient!
Fig. 1: Two String Sweep
(Keep going until you're out of frets)
E|--1-1-----1-1-----2-2-----2-2------|
B|------2-2-----2-2-----3-3-----3-3--|
G|-----------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------|etc...
V U U V V U U V V U U V V U U V
Fig. 2: Three String Sweep
(Keep going until you're out of frets)
E|--1-1---------1-1---------2-2---------2-2----------|
B|------2-----2-----2-----2-----3-----3-----3-----3--|
G|--------1-1---------1-1---------2-2---------2-2----|
D|---------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------|etc...
V U U U V V V U U U V V V U U U V V V U U U V V
Fig. 3: Four String Sweep
(Keep going until you're out of frets)
E|--1-1-------------1-1-------------2-2-------------2-2--------------|
B|------2---------2-----2---------2-----3---------3-----3---------3--|
G|--------1-----1---------1-----1---------2-----2---------2-----2----|
D|----------3-3-------------3-3-------------4-4-------------4-4------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------|etc...
V U U U U V V V V U U U U V V V V U U U U V V V V U U U U V V V
It's getting more complex...
Fig. 4: Five String Sweep
(Keep going until you're out of frets)
E|--1-1-----------------1-1-----------------2-2-----------------2-2------------|
B|------2-------------2-----2-------------2-----3-------------3-----3----------|
G|--------1---------1---------1---------1---------2---------2---------2--------|
D|----------3-----3-------------3-----3-------------4-----4-------------4------|
A|------------4-4-----------------4-4-----------------5-5-----------------5-5--|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Etc...
V U U U U U V V V V V U U U U U V V V V V U U U U U V V V V V U U U U U V
Fig. 5: Six String Sweep
(Keep going until you're out of frets)
E|--1-1---------------------1-1---------------------2-2----------------------|
B|------2-----------------2-----2-----------------2-----3-----------------3--|
G|--------1-------------1---------1-------------1---------2-------------2----|
D|----------3---------3-------------3---------3-------------4---------4------|
A|------------4-----4-----------------4-----4-----------------5-----5--------|
E|--------------4-4---------------------4-4---------------------5-5----------|
etc...
V U U U U U U V V V V V V U U U U U U V V V V V V U U U U U U V V V V V
Tasty! Now for some variations on the Three String Sweep:
Fig. 6: Three String Sweep Variation 1
(Keep going until you're out of frets)
E|--4-1-----4-1-----5-2-----5-2------|
B|------2-------2-------3-------3----|
G|--------1-------1-------2-------2--|
D|-----------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------|etc...
V U U U V U U U V U U U V U U U
Fig. 7: Three String Sweep Variation 2
(Keep going until you're out of frets)
E|--4p1-------1-4p1-------1-5p2-------2-5p2-------2--|
B|------2---2-------2---2-------3---3-------3---3----|
G|--------1-----------1-----------2-----------2------|
D|---------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------|etc...
U U U V V U U U V V U U U V V U U U V V
Fig. 8: Five String Sweep Variation
(Keep going until you're out of frets)
E|--4p1-------------------1-5p2-------------------2--|
B|------2---------------2-------3---------------3----|
G|--------1-----------1-----------2-----------2------|
D|----------3-------3---------------4-------4--------|
A|------------4-1-4-------------------5-2-5----------|
E|---------------------------------------------------|etc...
U U U U U V U V V V V U U U U U V U V V V V
To wrap this up, we're doing the Cross-string "Ipsy Dipsy Spider" (We’ve done that before in Tasty Guitar Routines 2) and it works wonderfully for Alternate Picking or Sweep Picking.
Fig. 10: Cross-string "Ipsy Dipsy Spider"
(Keep going until you're out of frets)
E|----------------------------------------4-1--------|
B|------------------------4-1-----------3-----2------|
G|--------4-1-----------3-----2-------2---------3----|
D|------3-----2-------2---------3---1-------------4--|
A|----2---------3---1-------------4------------------|
E|--1-------------4----------------------------------|
Continued
E|--------2-5---------------------------------------|
B|------3-----4-----------2-5-----------------------|
G|----4---------3-------3-----4-----------2-5-------|
D|--5-------------2---4---------3-------3-----4-----|
A|------------------5-------------2---4---------3---|
E|----------------------------------5------------2--|etc...
Done. Now for a bonus!
Fig. 9: Six String Sliding Arpeggio (C Major) (From Sequoia Throne by Protest the Hero
(Repeat as many times as you wish)
E|---------------------12-15p12-------------------|
B|------------------13----------13----------------|
G|-------------9/12----------------12/9-----------|
D|----------10--------------------------10--------|
A|-------10--------------------------------10-----|
E|--8-12--------------------------------------12--|
U V V V V V V U U U U U U
There are a LOT of different arpeggios (depending on the chord, hand position and personal tweaks) but this will cover the basics and will help you get used to the "sweep" motion. Some do it with the hand moving in circles, some do it straight; it really doesn't matter. Explore and choose the one that feels best FOR YOU.
I appreciate reader's feedback; so don't hesitate to leave comments, questions or suggestions!
By _Doggy_
. Cheers!