Sweep picking
Sweep picking (also known as sweeping ) is a playing technique for the guitar .
With sweep picking, the player "sweeps" the pick with the picking hand in one direction over two or more strings.
Economy picking is the mixing technique of sweep picking and alternate picking called (alternate picking).
Basics
The technique was developed in order to be able to play certain tone sequences on the guitar with the plectrum faster or more fluently than with alternate picking by minimizing the movement of the striking hand to the bare minimum.
Sweeping is best compared to striking a chord on multiple strings with a single strike (or strike). In contrast to this, the tones usually do not sound together, but one after the other. The attack is performed at a steady, controlled speed, with the strings that are not supposed to sound being dampened. The strings are gripped one after the other with the gripping hand . The strings that should not or should no longer sound during the attack are dampened as follows: The strings that are below the fingered string are dampened with the attacking hand and the strings above the grasped with the grasping hand.
But it is of course also possible to use the sweep attack to "pluck" chords fluently with the pick and not to mute the individual notes. Sweep picking can quickly produce tone sequences and arpeggios .
A special feature of this technique is that it partially dictates the sound material. Because with the typical up and down movements in scales or arpeggios, tones have to be left out or chromatic fill notes added, so that the rule about the even or odd number of tones per string can be adhered to. But this is accepted in favor of the speed.
Details
The sweep technique can be smoothly supplemented and followed through with individual hammer-ons , pull-offs and alternating blows. However, this requires a considerable amount of practice if a player has only mastered alternating strokes.
When sweeping with alternating beats, you need an odd number (1, 3, 5, 7 etc.) of tones per string if the "running direction" over the strings (from "low" to "high" or vice versa) is to be maintained. The pick is drawn when changing the string in the direction of impact from string to string, then carried exchange blows until the player re-enters the string. To change the "running direction" of the tone sequence, the player has to strike an even number (2, 4, 6, 8 etc.) of tones per string.
Mostly, however Sweeping applied while playing arpeggios and mainly in metal and hard rock used to figural pieces from the Baroque to imitate. This technique can also be observed more often in jazz, fusion and jazz-rock guitarists. Above all, Frank Gambale , a jazz guitarist, is considered to be one of the musicians who made technology what it is today.
Known users
Well-known users of the sweep picking technique are Synyster Gates , Django Reinhardt , Jeff Loomis , Michael Angelo Batio , Buckethead , Marty Friedman , Frank Gambale , Steve Hackett , Jason Becker , Shawn Lane , Yngwie Malmsteen , Vinnie Moore , John Petrucci , Alex Skolnick , Glenn Tipton , Alexi Laiho , Herman Li , Jari Mypenpää and Steve Vai .
