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Posted by: lcsdds May 4 2009, 04:16 AM

So I am working on my E lydian take that I posted earlier and I noticed something and was wondering what everybody else thought.

It seems to me that as far as arpeggios go that tapping them seems to be a much more versatile way to play them then sweeping them. With tapping you can play different patterns much more easily than sweeping. Sweeps seem to be only good for just going up and down where with tapping you can alternate between different notes of the arpeggio. Thoughts anybody?

Posted by: Ramiro Delforte May 4 2009, 04:39 AM

I think it depends on what you want to do. There are many players that manage to play sweeping arpeggios patterns really well, for example I remember Christopher Godin played the 3rd movement of the "Moonlight" sonata by Beethoven all with sweeped arpeggios. Also if you check the video "I betcha can't play this" where Michael Romeo plays some awesome tapped/broken arpeggios there is like the same pattern but with a different technique.
So, I think maybe there are some patterns that fits better certain technique but all depends on the sound you're trying to get and the ideas you have.

Posted by: Pedja Simovic May 4 2009, 12:47 PM

I agree with you Monte !


With tapping you can play any interval distance between two notes while with sweep picking you are very limited to say the least. Its also very simple when you look at it since ONE HAND cant play as fast as both hands together !

Posted by: Bogdan Radovic May 4 2009, 01:36 PM

Its seems logical that its easier to tap arpeggios then to sweep them because you have option of much larger intervals.But then again those are two very different techniques and it really depends on the piece you play and arrangement - which will sound better and be more suitable.

Posted by: fkalich May 4 2009, 01:45 PM

Well, I think you do both. Sometimes I might tap something that the lesson picked, and maybe always will. Or maybe later on will use the pick. But I might just approach it as "I can play it well right away tapping it, and will go with that for now, maybe later I will feel different when my technique improves". I approach things that way, I have a large number of lessons I work on, over 100, and between them, well they all develop technique, so it is not like I have to get stuck anywhere, I can come back to it when my technique has improved, where I work on something else that developed that skill set.

Posted by: Muris Varajic May 4 2009, 01:47 PM

Those are pretty different techniques
and I noticed one thing (at least for me),
it's easier to sweep triads (longer licks) but for 7th,9th etc chords
I find tapping easier solution.

Posted by: Vasilije Vukmirovic May 4 2009, 09:07 PM

Yeah it's easier, but what matters is sound. Most of the time you want it to sunds stronger, so you pick, sweep pick....

Posted by: Muris Varajic May 4 2009, 09:40 PM

Of course, it all comes back to sound that you wanna produce.

Posted by: Jakub Luptovec May 4 2009, 09:54 PM

Well to me personally sweeps sound more "alternatepickingish" than taps. Even tho sweep is legato, there is still pick attack involved.

This is good example, where sweeps > taps, the sharp attack of pick gives this the feeling of razors, cutting the sound into beatuifull, clean sweeps


GOod example of the contrary is that Michael Romeos Betcha cant play this video - its impossible to play with sweeps, due to extremely large intervals. Even two hand taps are quite a stretch on this one -

Posted by: Ramiro Delforte May 5 2009, 08:09 PM

Nice, videos!
So...you agree with me Jakub

Posted by: Jakub Luptovec May 6 2009, 07:41 AM

@ Ramiro: On 100% But snce its not the first time, I am not saying it anymore:D I take it as a constant, that we are in agreement

Posted by: Jad Diab May 6 2009, 09:10 AM

I love Christopher Godin, (we call him Christophe Godin) he's a great guitarist and he's funny
About tapped arpeggios, I agree that it's easier to tap when you're using extra notes like 7th or 9th