Members JoshuaLogan Posted September 12, 2006 Members Share Posted September 12, 2006 hey, everyone. I was just wondering here if anyone here that sweeps often has a very specific technique they use. I've been getting better at it lately, but I still could sweep upstrokes a lot faster and cleaner than I could downstrokes. I read somewhere about a technique some people use of locking their pinky on part of their guitar (ex: edge of pickup rings) for sweeping. I didn't quite see how that would give any advantage until I tried it the other night. for some reason it really helps me a lot. having my pinky anchored on the edge of a pickup ring gives me more control and more fluid movement, especially for downstrokes... definitely helped me out. I was just wondering who here uses this technique, and if there are any other specific ones that are interesting someone could explain to me? -Josh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members NITEFLY182 Posted September 12, 2006 Members Share Posted September 12, 2006 Basically there are floaters and there are anchorers and to me it all depends on the type of music you play. If its instrumental shred type stuff than youll prolly be sweeping for a bit at a time and you have time to anchor. I, however, play more tech metal stuff and Im moving in quick succession from chords to sweeping and back so I float and it works just as well for me. Ultimately youll have to have better perpindicular string attack to make anchoring work while a bit of sway is fine with a floating hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Flametal Posted September 12, 2006 Members Share Posted September 12, 2006 I had the up faster than the down problem too when I started. I think it was caused by the fact that going up your left hand is in the reigion of where you want to play but down you need to do more work with it. I learned by playing very slowly and making sure I get every motion to be timed out so that it does not take more time than the others. Also relaxing your right hand is very important. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FWAxeIbanez Posted September 12, 2006 Members Share Posted September 12, 2006 if you have problems with speed, it should be coming from your fretting hand, not your picking hand... Your picking hand should be even and steady, it's the accuracy and cleanliness of your left (fretting) hand you should be concentrating on... unless I'm misunderstanding what you're saying, which is entirely possible. I just tried the whole anchor thing, and for me I kinda like to use my arm. Anchoring my pinkie makes me use too much wrist which causes me to rush the last few notes where I change direction and come back down... it kinda sounds cool, gives it a sense of acceleration with a bit of a "flurry" on top, but that's been something I've been fighting in the persuit of a cleaner more even and articulate sweep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JoshuaLogan Posted September 12, 2006 Author Members Share Posted September 12, 2006 hmmm nah my fretting hand is pretty damn fast, I just have a harder time trying to make the down strokes fluid and timing the notes correctly with my left hand. the upstrokes are a lot easier to me. for some reason it's just easier for me to smoothly go through an upstroke than it is with downstrokes. it just feels somewhat awkward I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FWAxeIbanez Posted September 12, 2006 Members Share Posted September 12, 2006 Originally posted by JoshuaLogan hmmm nah my fretting hand is pretty damn fast, I just have a harder time trying to make the down strokes fluid and timing the notes correctly with my left hand. the upstrokes are a lot easier to me. for some reason it's just easier for me to smoothly go through an upstroke than it is with downstrokes. it just feels somewhat awkward I guess. Well everybody is different, so I guess it's possible, but it still sounds like a fretting hand problem to me... Mute your strings and just sweep back and forth nice and even and precise, and then after you've gone back and forth nice and slow like four times, stop muting and start playing... You shouldn't be thinking about your right hand, just relax it and move it back and forth, there should be no work involved other than applying the weight of your hand to the pick as it crosses over the strings. start off slow, real slow. Then work on up. What are you trying to sweep? Just a minor arp? or a major? or something more difficult? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Banded-Morwong Posted September 12, 2006 Members Share Posted September 12, 2006 Damn, Sweeping is a hard freaking technique. Right now i'm working on this sweep thats really slow compared to the ultra fast riff thats right before it. {censored}s with my head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pigsinzen Posted September 12, 2006 Members Share Posted September 12, 2006 It's hard at first.But once you get the flow down it becomes insanely simple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gafyagaton Posted September 13, 2006 Members Share Posted September 13, 2006 I envy you sweep pickers. I decided to master nose picking instead. Once i get to a part of a song that requires sweeping I'll just pick my nose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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