Sweeping Technique
To make it easier to learn the later exercises, it would be good to keep these things in mind (and begin doing asap.)
- First, Hold your pick with your thumb and index finger, making sure your middle finger is not involved with the pick at all. EX: I keep my middle, ring, and pinky fingers extended at all times. This will come in handy in the Sweep Tapping exercises. (Keep pick angled opposite of the direction your sweeping in.)
- Second, When doing Rolling Sweeps, remember to keep the finger that will hold the most strings down straight. This will most often be the ring or middle finger (depending on what your comfortable with.) This technique will minimize the chances of missing a note, or it not ringing out loud enough.
- Third, When doing Rolling Sweeps, remember to lift your finger once it's served it's purpose. This will prevent the note from ringing out over the next note, and will in turn sound clean.
- Fourth, Legato is your friend. Use legato for now when you can until you've developed your technique. When you're comfortable with sweeping, then you can begin picking out notes on the same string, but for now keep it simple.
- Fifth, Tuning down may be something to consider because it makes it considerably easier to hit the notes, and who doesn't like that heavy tone?
- Sixth, a sweep isn't 100% percent correct until every note can be heard clearly. This means, don't show-off, once you think you have it down chances are you still haven't got it 100% and nobody likes a show-off.
4-String Sweeping
4-String Sweeps are a little more difficult than 3-String Sweeps. There's not much to the technique, you just have to build more strength and stamina in your fingers. Don't give up if you don't get it right away, this is where practice and patience comes in handy.
Major
[---15p12----------12h15p12----------12h15p12----------12h15~]
[--------13------13--------13------13--------13------13------]
[----------12--12------------12--12------------12--12--------]
[------------14----------------14----------------14----------]
[------------------------------------------------------------]
[------------------------------------------------------------]
Minor
[---17p13----------13h17p13----------13h17p13----------13h17~]
[--------15------15--------15------15--------15------15------]
[----------14--14------------14--14------------14--14--------]
[------------15----------------15----------------15----------]
[------------------------------------------------------------]
[------------------------------------------------------------]
Diminished
[---15p12----------12h15p12----------12h15p12----------12h15~]
[--------14------14--------14------14--------14------14------]
[----------12--12------------12--12------------12--12--------]
[------------14----------------14----------------14----------]
[------------------------------------------------------------]
[------------------------------------------------------------]
Diminished (var.)
[---15p12----------------12h15p12----------------12h15~]
[--------14------------14--------14------------14------]
[----------12--------12------------12--------12--------]
[------------14p11h14----------------14p11h14----------]
[------------------------------------------------------]
[------------------------------------------------------]
Augmented
[---17p13----------13h17p13----------13h17p13----------13h17~]
[--------14------14--------14------14--------14------14------]
[----------14--14------------14--14------------14--14--------]
[------------15----------------15----------------15----------]
[------------------------------------------------------------]
[------------------------------------------------------------]
NOTE: There are many more 3 and 4-string sweeps. 3 and 4-string sweeps are
smaller parts of larger sweeps, which I will show you in the later exercises.
5-String Sweeps
Again, there is not much to it except to train your picking hand to move in time with your playing hand, and to build up endurance and speed.
Also at this point I recommend picking out the notes instead of using legato. It sounds much cleaner, and will help develop tremelo, triplets, and such. If you want to continue using legato you can, picking the notes out is just a suggestion.
Major
[---15p12--------------12h15p12--------------12h15p12--------------12h15~]
[--------13----------13--------13----------13--------13----------13------]
[----------12------12------------12------12------------12------12--------]
[------------14--14----------------14--14----------------14--14----------]
[--------------15--------------------15--------------------15------------]
[------------------------------------------------------------------------]
Major (var.)
[---15p12--------------------12h15p12--------------------12h15~]
[--------13----------------13--------13----------------13------]
[----------12------------12------------12------------12--------]
[------------14--------14----------------14--------14----------]
[--------------15p10h15--------------------15p10h15------------]
[--------------------------------------------------------------]
Ooooh, now we're getting fancy
Minor
[---17p13--------------13h17p13--------------13h17p13--------------13h17~]
[--------15----------15--------15----------15--------15----------15------]
[----------14------14------------14------14------------14------14--------]
[------------15--15----------------15--15----------------15--15----------]
[--------------17--------------------17--------------------17------------]
[------------------------------------------------------------------------]
Minor (var.)
[---17p13--------------------13h17p13--------------------13h17~]
[--------15----------------15--------15----------------15------]
[----------14------------14------------14------------14--------]
[------------15--------15----------------15--------15----------]
[--------------17p12h17--------------------17p12h17------------]
[--------------------------------------------------------------]
Now we're getting the hang of it right?
Diminished
[---15p12--------------12h15p12--------------12h15p12--------------12h15~]
[--------14----------14--------14----------14--------14----------14------]
[----------12------12------------12------12------------12------12--------]
[------------14--14----------------14--14----------------14--14----------]
[--------------16--------------------16--------------------16------------]
[------------------------------------------------------------------------]
Augmented will be put into the Rolling Sweep section, it's a Complex Sweep by nature, but a Rolling Sweep at heart.
Pratice these exercises until you think you're ready for the next lesson.
If you'd like me to submit more exercises, just contact me and I'll see what
I can do, thanks.
key:
~ Vibrato
b Bend
r Release from bend
t Tap
p Pull-off
h Hammer-on
/ my profile 
.