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Advanced Sweep Picking Licks And Exercises
Advanced Sweep Picking Licks And Exercises
Following on from my last blog post - Guitar Picking Techniques - this post features one of my favourite picking techniques... sweep picking!
The title states 'exercises', although I hate that term when it comes to playing the guitar. I like to play music and use musical ideas to build technique and all the elements required to play music. You will therefore find individual licks in this post, although parts of any of these licks could be extracted and used to build technique as guitar 'exercises' promise to do.
Always strive to play 'music'. That is my philosophy when it comes to learning to play the guitar or any instrument. Mindlessly running up and down exercises will improve the playing of the exercises, although you could be working on many of the other musical elements at the same time and progressing more efficiently.
Advanced Sweep Picking?
What makes an idea more advanced than any other idea? Having many variables contained within that idea is generally the reason. If you struggle to play any part of any of these guitar licks, those parts are the bits you will find more advanced. Once you can play something, it is easy.
Students will often comment on certain things being difficult to play, but once they are able to play that idea, they then classify that idea as easy. I like to think of 'impossible' and 'easy', with the journey from one to another simply being practice.
Sweep Picking Inspiration
The two musicians who influenced me to include sweep picking as part of my technique repertoire are Charlie Parker and Frank Gambale.
Frank Gambale ran a clinic at a local club when I was younger and many of his ideas and solutions to playing certain ideas were the same types of conclusions I had reached when attempting to play saxophone lines by players such as Charlie Parker. His amazing technique and obvious dedication to becoming a master of playing unbelievably fast melodic lines so flawlessly had a huge impact on me.
Fusing these two great players together has given me so many ideas for my guitar playing.
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G Minor Pentatonic Scale Octave Sweep
This sweep picking lick uses the G minor pentatonic scale in octaves and covers quite a significant area of the guitar fretboard.
I often use unconventional fingering when playing pentatonic scales, allowing them to be played with various picking and legato techniques. Large left-hand stretches (right-hand if you are a left-handed guitar player) often result when using more than two notes per string as pentatonic scales are traditionally played.
This lick will give you a picking challenge, although the technique can be transferred to many other melodic situations using various scales and arpeggios.
A Minor Pentatonic Scale Sweep
As with many pentatonic scale sweep picking licks, this example requires some stretching of the left hand. If you are not used to playing pentatonic scales in this fashion, you may well find the stretches will take a bit of practice.
New minor pentatonic scales and ideas are always a good idea to learn as this scale is so versatile. The key of A minor is also an extremely common key which you will often play on guitar.
Pentatonic Sweep Lick
This pentatonic scale lick moves horizontally along the fretboard. Be sure to play this idea on other string sets too.
If you have ideas that move horizontally and vertically, you will be well on the way to full guitar fretboard coverage. This goes for any pattern you learn whether it be a legato idea, alternate picking idea, or anything you are working on.
A7 Dominant Pentatonic Scale Lick
This dominant pentatonic scale lick will give your picking technique a great workout whilst at the same time giving you ideas for new sounds to play over dominant 7th chords.
Most guitarists think of pentatonic scales as the standard major and minor pentatonic scales, although a pentatonic scale is a scale containing 5 notes and there are so many possibilities when it comes to playing 5-note scales.
This pentatonic scale is a particular favourite of mine.
Pentatonic Scale Sweep Picking
This lick stays in one area of the guitar fretboard. Be sure to work this pattern into all other positions of the pentatonic scale.
Once again, this is slightly stretchy for your left hand, although it shouldn't cause too much of a problem if your thumb and hand position are correct. Try to keep the thumb of your left hand in the middle of the back of the guitar neck.
Work this lick into a range of songs at different tempos and you will have a nice-sounding smooth lick.
A Dominant Pentatonic Scale Octave Sweep
This lick is similar to a previous example so if you have been keeping up and learning the licks presented, this one shouldn't cause you too many problems.
Playing ideas in octaves is a great way to extend an idea and cover more ground on the fretboard. Once again, the large left-hand stretch might hold you up for a while. Correct hand position and practice will solve any problems.
Diminished Scale Minor And Major Triads
I have quite a few diminished scale lick ideas throughout this site. Some blog posts of interest are:
- Diminished Scale Sequences
- Diminished Scale Guitar Licks – Sequences 4, 5 and 6
- Diminished Scale Guitar Licks – Sequences 7, 8 and 9
- Diminished scale intervals
- Diminished Scale Dominant Chord Licks
Have you guessed that I am a big fan of the diminished scale? There are plenty more examples in other posts too, so you will certainly have a good supply of diminished scale licks with all of those examples.
Sweep Picking Pentatonic Scales - 10-note Unit
This lick is a combination of a couple of different ideas, resulting in a 10-note sequence.
When playing these licks, I often play the half-speed version without strict sweep picking as you will often see the pick move away from the strings in the videos. Be aware of this when you are practising! I don't tend to think about technique when performing, so you will often see me do this.
When practising sweep picking, you need a 'controlled strum' with your picking hand. Note separation is controlled by the fretting hand.
A7 Sweep Picking Lick
This sequence is played over an A7 chord. Once you understand the construction of the sequence, it can be extended further along the guitar fretboard.
Changing direction quickly when sweep picking requires good attention to the angle of your pick. Get the pick angle wrong and your pick will get stuck in the strings and the lick will not flow.
Blues - Bars 9 And 10
This lick blends sweep picking with regular picking and slurring. Bars 9 and 10 of a simple blues chord progression are where most harmonic action is. One bar of each chord provides an excellent opportunity to practise following chord changes.
The great thing about a blues chord progression is that a simple blues scale works over the entire progression and you can also follow the chords.
Classical Style ii v i vi Guitar Lick
A great sweep picking and pull-off combo with this lick.
I have used variations of this lick for most of my guitar-playing life and it is a classic lick that can be used in all styles of guitar playing.
D Major Lick
Another lick that combines sweep picking with other techniques. Pull-offs and slides are used to good effect here.
This long lick can be looped and played as many times as you like. Licks like this are great for practice as you can begin slowly and gradually increase the tempo on each repeat.
Diminished Arpeggio Approach Notes
Another lick that can be used in a blues progression. Diminished 7th arpeggios are often used as sweep picking practice, although they are used slightly differently in this example.
Diminished 7th arpeggios and chords can be used between chords to create tension and movement. There are many 'rules' for how and when to use dim7 arpeggios, although you can often experiment to see what sounds good to you.
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