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Posted by: LaneGriff Jan 9 2008, 06:49 AM

To get a feel from where I'm at, let me explain. I've been playing for a little over a year, so im pretty green so to speak. Up until about a month or so ago, I always thought the harder stuff was too hard and there was no point in even trying. Well I wish I would have known I was wrong a year ago.

One of the techniques I've always been in awe of was sweep picking, so I decided I would practice this everyday. So I think its time to ask a few questions to some seasoned veterans.

My first question would be, how much time is worth devoting to just sweep picking? Since there is so much to learn, I feel im neglecting so much from this instrument doing strictly sweep picking exercises for an hour or 2 each night.

2. I've been using guitar pro on a loop and metronome on some simple 3 string patterns... am I practicing wrong by having the guitar track in the background to follow? The reason I've been doing this is because I find myself getting lost with just the metronome.

For example:
e----------9 12p 9-----------9 12p 9-------
b-------10---------10----10----------10----
g------9---------------9------------------9--

the "click" would land on the 2nd 9th on the e string, the 2nd click on the first 9th on the e string, and the 3rd click on the 9th on the g string. Then my mind explodes.

It's easy to follow with the guitar track in the background especially to hold the note before the pull off with the correct timing. Is this wrong?

Thank you guys in advance. It feels great to be able to ask these questions to people who actually want to give useful advice.

Posted by: Tomy Jeon Jan 9 2008, 07:57 AM

QUOTE (LaneGriff @ Jan 9 2008, 06:49 PM)

Posted by: mattacuk Jan 9 2008, 10:28 AM

Hi there!

Your right about sweep picking being very time consumeing. When I joined GMC, after I had completed the 101 lesons I moved into pavels sweep picking lessons - and I pretty much lost my whole summer to just sweep picking

When you first start sweep picking you need alot more time for it, and other techniques sometimes do get put on the back burner. (at least for me they did). After time you develop your technique and although you still need to practice hard it becomes more natural and you dont have to spend as much time.

You could try devoting 1 hour a day to this technique. I would suggest warming up with other exercises first. If you do any alternate picking I personally would do that first then move onto sweep picking when your hand is warmed up. (again this is only how I work, im sure the instructors could advise you better!)

The pattern you mention should be practiced as 6- Tuplets (16th note triplets). The beep will always land on the string your start off with - in this case its the 9 on the g-string. I would personally start this lick counting of the "12" on the E string. Beep 2,3,4,5,6 Beep 2,3,4,5,6 etc

I hope Ive made some sense

matt

Posted by: Pavel Jan 9 2008, 10:33 AM

There is a video showing how to play 3 string sweeps with metronome in here:

http://www2.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guitar/sweeping-lesson/index.htm

That vid is number 4 (last one)

Posted by: LaneGriff Jan 10 2008, 06:35 AM

thanks for the help!