Sweep Picking FAQ

Question: "Right now I'm basically a strict alternate picker but I think I want to learn sweep picking, so will sweep picking mess up my alternate picking? "

Answers:

"I don´t think so. Alternate picking and sweep picking are two different things. You should always be aware of what you´re playing so that you have a general view on your skills. Just start with sweeping, every new technique is useful!"

"The practice of sweeping won't mess around with the alternate if you don't get out of your practice list the alternate. If you practice both techniques you'll get equally proeficient with both of them.."

"No, no, it will only improve your playing. Coordination, control...It will also improve your alternate picking believe it or not! ."

It is a matter of personal preference, try both ways, and see what is right for you."

Question: "I notice that I seem to alternate pick arpeggios now even though that wasn't my intention. I am by no means a fast picker but have been concentrating on AP for scales and such and now seem to do it on arpeggios as well. But I noticed on the arpeggio lessons that the instructors don't AP these. Am I better off breaking the AP habit right now on these becaue it will hurt me down the road?"

Answers:

"That is a good habit, don't break it. Learn sweep picking of course, but playing alternate picking arpeggios makes you a generally great picker, also with scales."

"You should keep your way but also add sweep to your picking world, you're getting different results (sound) if you play with AP or sweeping, the more options you have the better!"

"Nothing wrong with practicing AP on arpeggios, but economy picking (sweeping) arpeggios is very useful as well for covering wider array of techniques, it will only do you good."

"There are many ways to play an arpeggio, it just depends of the situation and your idea. You can even play it using legato, it's a great thing to do. You can sweep downwards and get back using only hammer ons and pull offs, or you can play the whole arpeggio just by using legato."

Question: "When sweep picking, how do you mute the noise of the strings after they are played? "

Answers:

"After you play a note you have to take your finger off the string at the same time you are playing the second note and so on. You half to try to have only one note ringing at a time."

"You need to move your palm along the strings so that when you play the A string, your palm is muting the E string, and when you play the D string, your palm is muting the E and A strings etc."