How to Sweep Pick on a Guitar

Many people I’ve seen when they try to sweep pick is that they try to rush through the thing and get to the point. This is an absolute unhealthy way of learning sweep picking as it will end up in just playing the same thing over and over. You’ve got to start the sweep picking at a slow speed and then gradually build it up and get used to the picking style. Some 3-string arpeggios (sweeps) are:

      d  d  d   u        u  u
e|--------12-15p12---------|
b|-----13------------13-----|
g|--12------------------12--|
d|----------------------------|       (Note: You can play the last note as a down stroke for true arpeggio picking)
a|----------------------------|
e|----------------------------|

That was a C major arpeggio. Now for the 4-string one.
      d  d  d  d   u        u  u  u
e|-----------12-15p12-----------|
b|--------13------------13-------|
g|-----12------------------12----|
d|--14------------------------14-|       (Note: You can play the last note as a down stroke for true arpeggio picking)
a|---------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------|

	

		
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Now for the 5-string one.

      d  d  d  d  d   u        u  u  u  u
e|--------------12-15p12---------------|
b|-----------13------------13-----------|
g|--------12------------------12--------|
d|-----14------------------------14-	----|       (Note: You can play the last note as a down stroke for true arpeggio picking)
a|--15------------------------------15--|
e|----------------------------------------|
That's the  whole C major arpeggio (I think).The picking pattern is John Petrucci's style.
Now we will play an E minor arpeggio. Remember to play slowly!
      d  d  d   u        u  u
e|--------15-19p15--------|
b|-----17-----------17-----|
g|--16-----------------16--|
d|---------------------------|       (Note: You can play the last note as a down stroke for true arpeggio picking)
a|---------------------------|
e|---------------------------|

Now for the 4-string one.

      d  d  d   d   u        u   u  u
e|-----------15-19p15------------|
b|--------17------------17--------|
g|-----16------------------16-----|
d|--17------------------------17--|       (Note: You can play the last note as a down stroke for true arpeggio picking)
a|----------------------------------|
e|----------------------------------|
And finally, the 5-string one.

      d  d  d  d  d   u        u  u  u  u
e|--------------15-19p15-----------------|
b|-----------17------------17-------------|
g|--------16------------------16----------|
d|-----17------------------------17-------|       (Note: You can play the last note as a down stroke for true arpeggio picking)
a|--19------------------------------19----|
e|------------------------------------------|
Well, those were the D Major and D Minor shape arpeggios. Now let's try the F major shape arpeggios on the high E (12 fret).
These are more complex to do as you have to roll your fingers over the strings so that they don't vibrate after being played.

      d  d  d   u        u  u
e|--------12-15p12--------|
b|-----12-----------12-----|
g|--13-----------------13--|
d|---------------------------|       (Note: You can play the last note as a down stroke for true arpeggio picking)
a|---------------------------|
e|---------------------------|
Now for the 4-string one.

     d  d  d  d   u       u  u  u
e|----------12-15p12----------|
b|-------12-----------12-------|
g|----13-----------------13----|
d|-14-----------------------14-|       (Note: You can play the last note as a down stroke for true arpeggio picking)
a|-------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------|
Now for the 5-string one.

     d  d  d  d   u       u  u  u
e|-------------12-15p12---------------|
b|----------12-----------12------------|
g|-------13-----------------13---------|
d|----14-----------------------14------|       (Note: You can play the last note as a down stroke for true arpeggio picking)
a|-14-----------------------------14---|
e|---------------------------------------|
STOP THE PRESSES! There's a six-string one as well! :O

      d  d  d  d  d  d   u       u  u  u  u  u
e|-----------------12-15p12---------------------|
b|--------------12-----------12------------------|
g|-----------13-----------------13---------------|
d|--------14-----------------------14------------|       (Note: You can play the last note as a down stroke for true arpeggio picking)
a|-----14-----------------------------14---------|
e|--12-----------------------------------12------|
There's also the B minor shape of sweep picking but I'm sure you can handle that if you know the notes and shape properly.
Sweep picking is an extremely difficult technique to learn and requires lots of practice and patience. So be patient and keep practicing!
I hereby conclude my article on the guitar technique of sweep picking.
Arjit Seth.
Guitarist with 3 years of experience.