Sweep Picking ax Perform these exercises with military precision for Sergeant Martin Goulding by 0500 hrs or you'll be scrubbing out the latrines with a toothbrush! Vinsie Moore, Paul Gilbert, Jason Becker and Marty Friedman, who dominated the scene from the mid-80s onwards. Influenced originally by instruments like the violin and ute, arpeggio playing Deenme a common trademark of thisnew and exeiting guitar style, providing many technical challenges to rock guitar players. Wewill st outa practice rousinetoenable the dev-lopment of thesweeping arpeggio technique, expanding lastmonth'sthree-string forms to inckide the ful five-and six- striag forms. Thereare three forms that you will se on the fretboard diagrams for major, rmiror and diminished, and each isadifferent inversion and position ofthe same basic triad. These forms should also be visualised around the CAGED system, relating each triad tots hosting chord. ach hand will have its own challenges. My advice is thatthe examples are learnt, memorised ‘anc practised to perfection in terms of tone and timing before speed presents itselfas the natural by-product. Most inesperienced players apply speed too early, but to fully master the intricacies ofthe technique tisbetter to stay at the same spee¢s for weeks until the mind is able to cope wirh the speed of visualisation erates cat eect Moderate/Advanced — nocdod toexce:teit properly For the picking hand, hold the pik fairly parallel to thestring, maybe at a slight 20 Various Topi sls dlegeeeforware angle, and push through the Various | Apegjoavarness stringsina single motion ike dragging 2 TRACKS 49:59 THE NEO-CLASSICAL style of sweep pickings often associated with the post Speed and fency Malmsteen players such as Tony Macalpine, {62 Guitar Techniques F=! stick through park railings. In between the ‘notes the pickwwll actually rest on the next string tobe played, pushing through the string from the build up of pressure. The @ Tracks 49-59 \whole motion across five or six strings will come from the arm, with the elbow supplying slight leverage. The wrist should be loose and relaxed, with no tension. Hold the picklightly and you will notice it leans sympathetically towards the direction of the sweep. On the descending sweep stroke, try 0 feel the pick dragging through the strings. With the fretting hand, rather than holding any of the triad forms down as a chord, this technique relies on elean note separation and so only one finger plays at 2 time; finger on, finger off. Ifyou play two notes at atime, you will lose clarity so avoid this. There are some very challenging fretting hand finger rollsor harres that may need tobe isolated, so patient practice over time will be needed in order to effectively execute these examples. ‘The examples in this eolurmn are all classically influenced, based on the style of the incredible late-Bos neo classical guitar virtuoso Jason Becker (see GT172 for Becker's Altitudes). They sound great atall speeds due to their harmonically rch and melodie sound, This routine will provide you ‘witha fun and musieal way to supercharge ‘and add to your existing your techniqu vocabulary. After a fall warm up, al examples should be repeated for five minutes once memorised, except for when there isa build-up of tension or fatigue, in which ease stop briefly and shake out the hands. Most ofall, have fun! Mi Stay at the same speed for weeks until the mind is able to cope with the speed of visualisation needed to execute it properly retrrite The Daddy of neo-classical styles I of eourso Yngwie Malmsteen and his Rising Fore album i the natural place to start. But for this column's exercises check out all of Jasons recordings from the Cacophony material - Speed Metal Symphony and Go Off - and of course his sole albums Perpetual Bura, The Raspberry Jans, The Blackberry Jams, Perspectives and Collectioneee orm tarts fom the bird and ein poston relive tthe CAGED system. ‘Sores sould tng out even and sparta nit no sonar cases Rage on Soe 2 ror tha stondand thd notesin bo se the four finger tora ever a sacet noes or ha econs form whlen ate fom the sth degree a ber in Set iy te rt tv notes without the hand jing om side este, postion ‘Sctumbin themida ofthe beck he nekin order to maximise the seth, orm caves bath positon 2and 3 ofthe CAGED system fer thetna and theft sung use the second ist secon estan fourth Hage respecly RORRRRY vrs = RRRS FSO TE Sg OT "SePst fom startson tha major 3 he second onthe th andthe than the Son thetist bart mould aie using the feng hand et fnger lle by SeShtinger forthe frst te notes and aubsequcrt ll ono the four sing. The ‘conta features anna seth etween the ton the ourth ger whch “Sate case when the tums postoned round the loner af afthe back ‘=eheck The thar wil require he etinghend second finger toraover tee orto # S ARRAY iri SE "ie wehavethe thee fom forthe Aciminshedarpagge nthe term, me Sart from the the second frm stars the Br ame th bet corey ‘ss Bo as we Bld chadsin 3) ane the thie form stars fromthe oot noe, “Sul ote that the tee dferet postions share the same shape as they seen mORRARY ViviR “Ts sin the syle son eck and demonstrates hon wean move hough ‘Se diferet ormsby ascending oe shape sing very uiekly onthe retin ‘sna sfourth finger to descend the next poston Tapyourfoot hard onthe bes inating om the downstoks and hammeron, toe ups an lof The Ds J =eor120*" vA RAAAY VY =A TEICEE m ARRAY noRAeAy 9 SWEEP Pickin Prd Gi LEARNING ZONE i COREE) {or the remsning ntesOn the th form postion 4a the CAGED system tart ‘fom theroot n Bars you wl neeatoutve he frettnghandralingecigue ‘on the thi an fourth notes hich ae layed wth he thd fing Ones youve ‘ale om the thea tthe fourth note he reting hand hid ge ate the Drevousnote wth tsp so accurate postioning of the fnger val Ukewse when ‘escending tothe ol he thir finger aries on the trsstingmutingthe tong Shove ith isp Treat al bras separate erercos rate than far fe mines ac, dl Afters week) them up andpactie them ar asingle veil. VY V¥vYR om MARRY VVVVR ‘COTRACK 50 stings. On the st of these, whichis the fourth tng, poston te freting hand fisttngaronthevery top part often gradually cling donnbypulingtne wrist | back Sight crder toate he Rage anturning the ger very hgh tlockrsewhistoling om the pre aruckie These three notes may need alte iMteton andre nat easy to get lean a fs. Inime becomes pout achieve ote separation asthe rang technique becomes mare air, mR ORRARY VvviR vevem CDTRACKS1 {the etboad due tothe diminishes orpeogobeng si bul om ites ‘yhichresasasyrmetrialpattarn,exchatpegle inversion Wena wt the same {gatas These ngengs woul tesa hetero dsendng andinanyeoston. Wve RRR AY vie CE ek teryou have memessed the ick you shou practi along with the am see of pm ¥ntith ming and tne are stable After a week os, sat to apply moe speed On heey baa a mY VY February 2010 Guita Techniques 63Ea eg EOP Coe ete weave another ason che syle example, thst with fvestsng tags in handmoves sgh fom thearm downwards cross the stings aimto mute off Cembinaton wht type of thew stng ad ewseps that welaokedatastmonth. the note that ar ft unpaye, using the ste edge ofthe palm, Aso bear in mind Notice between the hee and fourth ote: ofbeat2 inet bars and ‘haters thesia aie af muting the sing above re oe being payed wih eof the Isahaokingound ofthe lckas the Grection ofthe tadchanges Apply it pin retting hand rst fagerss well aa tings undemeath ‘hating tothe tree dowratrolesQn the thee sting sweep rahe heck bem J=o0i120"™ a RORRRRY YRARY Vvv) mM ARRAY VRARY VR EXAMPLE 6 USES POSITION 3 CAGED (C'SHAPE)TRIA eT Thisnent example uses poston 2CAGED(Cehape ti sarin fiomthersot__thestings Remember on thefretting hand i’ ger on, ager of node 0 | Mend plop through progresion race nthe day ofA minor Thisexample__enure clean and er notsepatation with no dssonance between te notes as {kes puresaceping rth nohanmer on or pulls Make ure as ith allexecses you pay though the example Theickents th aban (not tabbed om the B7 Sind aamps tatyouare tapping your foot sit) tothe mavonamesyouslay (Gon the 1th et) upto the root Ast the vual 7h ret onthe feststing ands ‘through Atfestyoumay indithelpstosweep through the sings fry anost followed by tone wide push upwards rock iat. ASyou nea thee rotate the Snapping thug them Once the technique setter nandinhen speediestaingto_ end shes youascand by moving he thumb upwarcs towards the op ofthe ‘develo, tyto am fora lighter sppreach nthe pick ging saamiesy tough backof the eck preparation To hook oer theneckforthefnal Pend. am ° F e F oe J =e0it20 ARRAY YY VYMRRARY MV VY YY RRA oe | erenehavea esting tat apeqgiopiceinthekey of Aminor whehtagets radu andon a week bass Aways islate any ates which presen problems || thedownstotethammer and pstoke allo thet twould beadviable to sucha healing ochre needed, and make seperate subexerses I necsiny. ng Ifeatesh bar aaa soputi exerci a¢fetouling gradually thevwholeplereovers Psy hough cleanly ensuing good note parton withthe reting hand fingers {sliprocice seson. Once memotsednsechors, in byline and then twotnesat8_pajingcne note at tine. Thefieting and fst finger wl ao cet play {ime and soon aeembethe nes together end playslonly- nays going goad esting fh fat on the etboard and mung the sting above the one being plyed {one and ming Afterawaskorso,whenthepiece starts toseleinopalyspeed” ss welasallstingsundemeath | J-eoitso * eae i =e | VVVYM ARRAY VVYY mM ORMMMY Viv RRMMY vee ROR ARR) Vim MMMM iy) mM MARRY Pi) MRR iY (64 Guitar Techniques February 2010,SWEEP PICKING | eg Ese Coe Tere eemrpicipords ourreulr postion 23CAGED uidin Aminorby extended vee octave tiador an associated name for recognition Parte at the scesoecentanotesontheshihsting Soaltemstve, ase resiarungon lean speed cantnanis fo period ove minute once nemarse ony esting Ses som arinefith et we could alo categorbs ths srapessan Am postion ilo shke out ny tron hat ny accumulaein the omsena hands 5 NS Corre Secrchavethesame noes butadlferentsoundingecmnqueasthstme we secondfinger the remaining fngeings ae the sme ape th fvesing version = peslionaneandutses side on our fourth Ange toshitintepeson 2/3 wn the fourth Anger covering te ll he Hthend fourth stings Ensue that Se Secan The maple startson the reotandis layed the etinghand_ teelsan even veloc touhout nth ean anlar hte separation, eins Am ~ ae RmARy Trvy 7 °m RARAY vv SOS STON ee Sew have the shearing Amjor ad version wich tartsand ends onthe withthe hr finger continuing th rll over ono the fourth sting. youre having ‘Seeeshons second ge Aga ase our eal vesting wartle would __feulty executing the entire shape dee sale sub-eeecen ayo fou sng “Sess tnatthenotesonthefith sting are played with thefstand rd Angers, Statime says nmin oot and erst the exact problem, Ce ‘Sascaa be vend asa series ofone-barexercees thatwilworkan your execution tc a couple of weeks the musce memory gaisstebity andthe ming becomes ‘spr nd minor as Forming an ene fepdon pce. Study Nburby Bar until edo vivalsing the example These eas ere ret wy of developing Your il Sepiecelsmemorsedandyousteabletoplay accurately with amettonome, andare excellant ang gh ecient st mantning technique snd stamina, e 2 em om | 101140 mR RRR vvvy vm RMAAY ¥ February 2010 Guitar Techniques 65