Learn To Sweep. Pt 3

[NC11-AM] Sweeping Technique

To make it easier to learn the later exercises, it would be good to keep these things in mind (and begin doing asap.)

-First, Hold your pick with your thumb and index finger, making sure your middle finger is not involved with the pick at all. EX: I keep my middle, ring, and pinky fingers extended at all times. This will come in handy in the Sweep Tapping exercises. (Keep pick angled opposite of the direction your sweeping in.)

-Second, When doing Rolling Sweeps, remember to keep the finger that will hold the most strings down straight. This will most often be the ring or middle finger (depending on what your comfortable with.) This technique will minimize the chances of missing a note, or it not ringing out loud enough.

-Third, When doing Rolling Sweeps, remember to lift your finger once it's served it's purpose. This will prevent the note from ringing out over the next note, and will in turn sound clean.

-Fourth, Legato is your friend. Use legato for now when you can until you've developed your technique. When you're comfortable with sweeping, then you can begin picking out notes on the same string, but for now keep it simple.

-Fifth, Tuning down may be something to consider because it makes it considerably easier to hit the notes, and who doesn't like that heavy tone?

-Sixth, a sweep isn't 100% percent correct until every note can be heard clearly. This means, don't show-off, once you think you have it down chances are you still haven't got it 100% and nobody likes a show-off.

Advanced Sweeps, Rolling Sweeps:

These sweeps I recommend most to build your ability to use your picking hand freely, without having to put much thought into it. This will make Complex Sweeps easier to focus on.

These exercises will include the basic 5 and 6-String Rolls.

5-String Rolls:

Minor

[--------------12h17p12--------------------12h17~]
[------------13--------13----------------13------]
[----------14------------14------------14--------]
[--------14----------------14--------14----------]
[---12h15--------------------15p12h15------------]
[------------------------------------------------]

Major

[--------------12h17p12--------------------12h17~]
[------------14--------14----------------14------]
[----------14------------14------------14--------]
[--------14----------------14--------14----------]
[---12h16--------------------16p12h16------------]
[------------------------------------------------]

Augmented

This is the hardest of all 5-String Rolling Sweeps, It's Augmented so it's very dissonant, I hardly use it at all, but if you like feel free to use it.

[--------------13h17p13--------------------13h17~]
[------------14--------14----------------14------]
[----------14------------14------------14--------]
[--------15----------------15--------15----------]
[---12h16--------------------16p12h16------------]
[------------------------------------------------]

6-String Rolls

Minor

[----------------13h17p13------------------------13h17~]
[--------------15--------15--------------------15------]
[------------14------------14----------------14--------]
[----------15----------------15------------15----------]
[--------17--------------------17--------17------------]
[---13h17------------------------17p13h17--------------]

Minor (var.)

[----------------12h15p12------------------------12h15~]
[--------------12--------12--------------------12------]
[------------12------------12----------------12--------]
[----------14----------------14------------14----------]
[--------14--------------------14--------14------------]
[---12h15------------------------15p12h15--------------]

Major

[----------------12h15p12------------------------12h15~]
[--------------13--------13--------------------13------]
[------------12------------12----------------12--------]
[----------14----------------14------------14----------]
[--------15--------------------15--------15------------]
[---12h15------------------------15p12h15--------------]

Major (var.)

[----------------12h16p12------------------------12h16~]
[--------------12--------12--------------------12------]
[------------13------------13----------------13--------]
[----------14----------------14------------14----------]
[--------14--------------------14--------14------------]
[---12h16------------------------16p12p16--------------]

Major 7th

This is what I consider the hardest of all 6-String Rolls.

[----------------12h16p12------------------------12h16~]
[--------------12--------12--------------------12------]
[------------13------------13----------------13--------]
[----------12----------------12------------12----------]
[--------14--------------------14--------14------------]
[---12h16------------------------16p12h16--------------]

Sweep Tapping:

Sweep Tapping is pretty easy to get the hang of once you've mastered the basics. Remember to keep your middle finger out of action while picking so that it is free to do work when it comes to the tapping bits.

To Sweep Tap, you take your picking hand, and use your free middle finger to
tap out the final note.

Keep in Mind

When tapping you put the most emphasis on the note right before the tap.

EX: 12h17t20p17p12h17~

The note right before the tap will appear the most, so since it takes up the most amount of time, it would make sense that it stands out the most, Right?

The easiest way to put focus on this note is to use your tapping finger to pull hard off of the note after tapping.

Major

[-----------12h15t20p15p12--------------12h15t20p15p12--------------12h15~]
[---------13--------------13----------13--------------13----------13------]
[-------12------------------12------12------------------12------12--------]
[-----14----------------------14--14----------------------14--14----------]
[---15--------------------------15--------------------------15------------]
[-------------------------------------------------------------------------]

(on the tapping bit, you can substitute with 12h15t20p15t20p15p12h15 and continue doing so until you feel like dropping back into the sweep. This will give you more time to think about what you're doing and what you're going to do next.)

Minor

[-----------13h15t22p15p13--------------13h15t22p15p13--------------13h15~]
[---------15--------------15----------15--------------15----------15------]
[-------14------------------14------14------------------14------14--------]
[-----15----------------------15--15----------------------15--15----------]
[---17--------------------------17--------------------------17------------]
[-------------------------------------------------------------------------]

Minor Rolling

[--------------12h17t20p17p12-------------------12h17t20p17~]
[------------13--------------13---------------13------------]
[----------14------------------14-----------14--------------]
[--------14----------------------14--------14---------------]
[---12h15--------------------------15p12h15-----------------]
[-----------------------------------------------------------]

Major Rolling

[--------------12h16t21p16p12--------------------12h16t21p16~]
[------------14--------------14----------------14------------]
[----------14------------------14------------14--------------]
[--------14----------------------14--------14----------------]
[---12h16--------------------------16p12h16------------------]
[------------------------------------------------------------]

Adding Notes to Change Sequence

By adding/changing notes in the sequences, you add way more feel to it. Remember, you don't have to stick to these tapping patterns or time sequences. 

EX:

Instead of [---12h16t21p16~] try [---12h16t19p16~] or [--12h16t18p16~]

You can also try using your tapping finger to tap, slide up, slide back, then release.

EX:

[---12h17t19/20\19p17~]

Or you can try bending with your tapping finger

[---12h1519b20r19p15~]

Also, instead of tapping you could try sliding up to the note with your non-picking hand and then back down.

EX:

[-----------13h17/20\17p13---------]
[---------15--------------15-------]
[-------14------------------14-----]
[-----15----------------------15---]
[---17--------------------------17~]
[----------------------------------]

You can come up with a bunch of different things to try. As long as the notes fit together properly it doesn't matter what order they're in. Remember, when playing Augmented keep all notes a M3 apart (4 notes apart.) and When playing Diminished keep all notes a m3 apart (3 notes apart.)

6-String Sweeps w/ Alternate Picking

Remember that the goal is to pick every note note that is not involved in the sweep (pick every note that is accompanied by another note on the same string.)

Minor

    1  4 1  4 2 1 2 1  4  1 2 1 2 4 1 4  1    Recommended Fingering.
[-------------------13-17-13-----------------]
[-----------------15--------15---------------]
[---------------14------------14-------------]
[-------------15----------------15-----------]
[--------12-17--------------------17-12------]
[---10-13------------------------------13-10~]

Major

    1 4 1  4 3 1 2 1  3  1 2 1 3 4  1 4 1    Recommended Fingering.
[------------------12-15-12----------------]
[----------------13--------13--------------]
[--------------12------------12------------]
[------------14----------------14----------]
[-------10-15--------------------15-10-----]
[---8-12------------------------------12-8~]

Sweeping w/ Legato Runs

I found this while watching a Becker vid. It combines sweeping and legato runs for a high pace lick that I call "the becker!"

Remember, keep your hand moving up the neck between phrases.

EX: The Becker.

    1 3 4 1 1 3 4 1 2 1 4  1 2 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 1   < Recommended Fingering.
[---------------------6h10p6-------------------]
[-------------------8--------8-----------------]
[-----------------7------------7---------------]
[-----------5h7h8----------------8p7\5---------]
[---------5----------------------------5-------]
[---3h5h6--------------------------------6p5\3~]

Space-Sounding Sweepy Thing

In these exercises you can work on your legato. By adding the 7th in the Major Sweep you can see how you would get a cooler sounding effect. It makes me feel like I'm watching Star Wars, (you know you like Star Wars, lol.)

Major Space-Sounding Sweepy Thing

[-----------12h14h15p14p12--------------12h14h15p14p12---------]
[---------13--------------13----------13--------------13-------]
[-------12------------------12------12------------------12-----]
[-----14----------------------14--14----------------------14---]
[---15--------------------------15--------------------------15~]
[--------------------------------------------------------------]

Minor Space-Sounding Sweepy Thing

[-----------10h14/15\14p10--------------10h14/15\14p10---------]
[---------12--------------12----------12--------------12-------]
[-------11------------------11------11------------------11-----]
[-----12----------------------12--12----------------------12---]
[---14--------------------------14--------------------------14~]
[--------------------------------------------------------------]

Well, that's all for now, I hope you've enjoyed the three part lesson.