# A minor sweeping pattern for 8 strings (5 octaves if you add a tap at the top)



## GJaunz (Jan 17, 2011)

Hey everybody,

I did a lesson on a sweeping pattern for 8 strings a while ago, but I don't think I ever posted link to it here. I'll post a couple links below. The first is a demonstration of the lick using a clean tone so you can hear everything. The second is the lesson on how to do it, and the third is another vid I did where I add a tapped note at the top (the first minute and a half is me blabbering, just skip it if you want). Just so you know in case you want to play along, I tune my 8 string AEADGBEA.


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## viesczy (Jan 17, 2011)

Another way that I like to do includes position shifts. Check out (and excuse my tabbing, I'd prefer to just write the music):

E -------------------------8-12-15tapped 12-8
B ----------------------10--------------------10
G ---------------------9-------------------------9
D ------------------10----------------------------10
A -------------7-12---------------------------------12-7
E -----------8*-------------------------------------------8*
B ------5-10*----------------------------------------------*10-5
F# --3-6-------------------------------------------------------6-3

Right there is Am over 5 octaves, just swap out the C for a C# and you have the major. The odd position shift, at least to me odd, on the F# & B strings confounds me on the descending shape; I typically add the 7th going down just to make more physical sense to my left hand. Plus throwing a 7th in there makes it really seem like you have your theory down to folks who don't know any better! 

*Note I completely shift position up to 8th position on the bottom E.

Derek


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## GJaunz (Jan 18, 2011)

Cool beans man, looks pretty tough to play, impressive. Thanks for responding.


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## Skanky (Jan 18, 2011)

LOL at the link reference in the video. Well done!


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## GJaunz (Jan 18, 2011)

Thanks a lot! I try to be entertaining


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## viesczy (Jan 18, 2011)

Another way that uses more position shifts & no taps would be, showing it as a M7th:


E -------------------------------12-15-17-15 12
B -----------------------------13---------------13
G ------------------------9-12---------------------12-9
D ----------------------10-----------------------------10
A --------------7-10-12---------------------------------12-10-7
E --------------8-------------------------------------------------8
B -------5-8-10----------------------------------------------------10-8-5
F# --3-6-----------------------------------------------------------------6-3

The fingering looks like this: 1st & 3rd on the 8th, 1st 3st 4th on the 7th, 2nd on the 6th string. That basic fingering pattern is just shifted from strings & up/down positions. The anchor is that the root starts on the 2nd finger and then you sweep to the next string repeat the 1st 3rd 4th finger, roll up to use the 2nd to start the pattern again. 

You can always throw a tap for the top C & E on the 20th & 24th fret and descend for an even more dramatic top end.

Nothing better than geometry on the fret board! Working on/through Pat Martino stuff has paid off, don't tell my original guitar instructor though as I often bemoaned that jazz played by white guys was as inspiring as eating unflavored oatmeal (just to be difficult). 

Derek


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## GJaunz (Jan 19, 2011)

haha, that's funny. I love listening to good jazz (eg. Miles Davis, Chick Corea, Coltrane, Jimmy Bruno (jazz guitarist from Philly) etc and on the more jazz fusion side of things, Shawn Lane and Al Dimeola) but bad jazz (eg. just about anything classified as smooth jazz) is some of the worst music around. I've got a ton of respect for jazz guitarists. I'll dabble in throwing some jazz influence into my playing, but I definitely can't pull off any full on jazz guitar stuff.


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## viesczy (Jan 20, 2011)

Once my guitar instructor realized I had a decade of music beneath my belt from playing oran (JS Bach was my 10 year friend), it was all mechanics and technique for how to apply that to guitar. 

Then we did modal jazz and the end of bebop, which I got/get, but man it hurts my ears!

Fateful day was when I hear, "Let's work on Giant Steps". Talk about something that makes no sense to white boy who spent a decade in German baroque, polyphonic music.  To my ear then, and now at times, that tune made no musical sense with its progression as it was so unmusical to what I was used to playing, hearing, playing and composing. I still struggle with playing with authority in "modal" progressions, jazz or otherwise. 

Derek


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## SirMyghin (Jan 21, 2011)

Neat sweeping video there, a little outside my current repetoire (see only have 6 strings) but as I understand what you are doing that is not an issue. Any tips for getting that tap in your sweeps, I am pretty hung up there, I am playing a tune with a Bm 2nd inversion where it is tapping the root and flat 3rd at the top, as well as A (6th) and C (flat 2nd?) at some point, but these are getting pretty far up the board


```
T   T   T 
-------10h14-19-22-19p14-10-------------
----12------------------------12---------
-11------------------------------11------
------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------
```
The problem is sort of between A getting the tap to sound strong enough, and B this requires multifinger tapping (or a single finger slide to fake it). Know of any good exercises to get making the tap and getting back for a sweep easily to sort of ween in?

Viesczy That latter 3 note flurry one of yours looks very... interesting.


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## GJaunz (Jan 21, 2011)

@Derek: I hear that man, bebop is a lot to take in! I tend to prefer the 'cooler' stuff. I've been working on modal stuff a bit myself. I was going to do a lesson series on modal playing, but I did one on the locrian mode and it just wasn't very popular (and it took me a while to make!), so I decided to abandon the series idea. You're definitely way past the lesson, but you might enjoy playing along with the jam track I included at the end, so I'll post a link in case you want to try it out. 

@SirMyghin: Hmm, no exercises I can think of other than repetition of some sort of sweeping pattern that you're already good at that doesn't have a tap and adding a tapped note at the top of it. I can give you some pointers though (some of this you prob already know). 
-Do the tap with your middle finger so you don't have to adjust your grip on the pick. 
-make sure you have the left hand part down without having to think about it or look at your left hand, this will allow you to stare at the fret you're going to tap the whole time.
-get comfortable with sweeping back down the strings further away from the bridge so that you can start sweeping back down the strings in sort of a diagonal motion instead of trying to bring your picking hand back to it's normal picking spot near the bridge immediately after tapping
-as for the multifinger stuff, I actually did a couple lessons on that. I'll put links below. They're not combined with a sweep, but they still might help.



Multi-fingered tapping lesson 1


Multi-fingered tapping lesson 2


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## SirMyghin (Jan 21, 2011)

Thanks a lot dude, I figured you might have something in your bag of tricks. The whole sweeping near the bridge is definitely something I am doing, the diagonal return / sweeping closer would definitely help in this case to minimize the distance. I will need to get better in sweeping so I don't hit the neck pickup, I hate the sound the pick makes hitting a pickup (as my picks are stone they give a good clack). Might just have to lower the neck a touch anyway, it is riding pretty high nowadays.

The pick is definitely the hurdle here, as I do some multifinger tapping on bass. Moving the pick up the thumb a bit might help so I don't accidentally tap the pick into the freaking board too.


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## GJaunz (Jan 21, 2011)

> Thanks a lot dude, I figured you might have something in your bag of tricks.


 
No problemo, glad to help! I had no idea you could get pick-up covers made out of stone. That's pretty awesome! I bet they look great with a nice figured top.


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## SirMyghin (Jan 21, 2011)

GJaunz said:


> No problemo, glad to help! I had no idea you could get pick-up covers made out of stone. That's pretty awesome! I bet they look great with a nice figured top.



Not quite, my PICKS are made out of stone. One is agate and sort of a pointed traditional, the other is Jade and 'dunlop sharp' shaped.


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## GJaunz (Jan 21, 2011)

Oooooooooooh! hahaha, that makes a lot more sense. I actually have an agate pick myself. I love the way it plays, I can play so fast with it, but I don't like the way it sounds (on a guitar, never tried it on a bass). I find I get too much of the sound of the pick hitting the strings for my liking. I use Jazz III XL's these days (black). I bet stone picks are great for bass though.


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## SirMyghin (Jan 21, 2011)

I play finger style bass only, no picks. I used to be pretty heavy into thumb style but an RSI put that on hold, trying to get it back.

I know what you mean about the pick noise, but I found that to be pretty dependant on the pickups. With Carvin stock pickups , high bass, slight mid scoop, high treble, it was very prominent (I don't mind it except on cleans though). With the set of Rebel yells I have (lower bass and about even mid and treble) I don't hear it at all. The carvins were a harsh pickup with a lot of magnetic pull, this one is smoother on top with less damping. Maybe that has something to do with it?

I grow my nails a bit for bass, same a I do for hybrid picking to get more bite. The agate picks definitely have their own sound though, I really like the whole never having to switch picks / never having the pick migrate out of the comfortable wear stage.

I guess the gyst of it is I am passable/good at all picking styles (except sweeping but I have been working on it) but not really 'expert' at any except maybe bass finger style, even though I am sure I could build a bit more speed, anything post 150 16ths though I don't really care anymore for sustained periods. I am not a metal guy.


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## GJaunz (Jan 23, 2011)

> I know what you mean about the pick noise, but I found that to be pretty dependant on the pickups.


 
Interesting, that's probably part of it with me. I've got a Bill Lawrence 500XL, one of the hottest passive pickups you can get, bet that's a big reason why I found the pick noise unbearable. I'll have to revisit using the agate pick on one of my guitars that doesn't have crazy hot pickups. I love the Bill Lawrence 500XL though, really punchy sound.


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## SirMyghin (Jan 23, 2011)

GJaunz said:


> Interesting, that's probably part of it with me. I've got a Bill Lawrence 500XL, one of the hottest passive pickups you can get, bet that's a big reason why I found the pick noise unbearable. I'll have to revisit using the agate pick on one of my guitars that doesn't have crazy hot pickups. I love the Bill Lawrence 500XL though, really punchy sound.



Might be worth it , too many factors are work here though. I increased out output, have more presence, and lost clack. I don't know wtf happened but it rocked! (pun intended).

EDIT: BTW, I tried bass with stone pick, sounds like arse. Any pick on bass sounds like arse, too much scratch. I do play round wounds though. All you here is flapping scratch haha. I was thinking hmm I'll practice scales with a pick for multi instrument useful... nope. I angle pick though.


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## GJaunz (Jan 25, 2011)

> Might be worth it , too many factors are work here though. I increased out output, have more presence, and lost clack.


 
Far out, sounds like some voodoo magic to me


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## viesczy (Jan 25, 2011)

@GJ, modal kills me @ times. Just so inherently unmusical to my musical ear! With so much modal going on I actually even lose track of any semblance of melody and it is just lines/shapes. Maybe I'm too white?  Now modes to me are just "colors" to use, that this mode = this color and I want to use it here, y mode = this "color" and I'll use that to offset X mode.  A little off if not nuts?

@Sir, that little 3 note run is no tapping, just 1 3 4. Playing the 1st, 2nd, 5th, & 24th Caprices, well learning them in their entirety as I never ripped through them start to finish, helped me develop stretching. Standard scale guitar, 5th to 12th on the bass strings is something I always work on to keep they reach and articulation. 

Derek


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## viesczy (Jan 25, 2011)

About picks, I personally love the 2mm and 1.5mm from Dunlop, they're a mellower sounding pick and not overly noisy. I do sorta like the non-normal noises we can make on the guitar @ times though... but if I was cutting loose in some jazz ensemble and I only had my Charvel with Live Wire Metals, 2mm Dunlops with NO gain!


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## SirMyghin (Jan 25, 2011)

viesczy said:


> @GJ, modal kills me @ times. Just so inherently unmusical to my musical ear! With so much modal going on I actually even lose track of any semblance of melody and it is just lines/shapes. Maybe I'm too white?  Now modes to me are just "colors" to use, that this mode = this color and I want to use it here, y mode = this "color" and I'll use that to offset X mode.  A little off if not nuts?
> 
> @Sir, that little 3 note run is no tapping, just 1 3 4. Playing the 1st, 2nd, 5th, & 24th Caprices, well learning them in their entirety as I never ripped through them start to finish, helped me develop stretching. Standard scale guitar, 5th to 12th on the bass strings is something I always work on to keep they reach and articulation.
> 
> Derek



Derek, I used to know Paganinis 24th (all but the finale, which destroyed my soul), and know some of 5th. Stretching is a non issue. I am a bassist, I can get 1-5 on a bass. Stretching 10-22 on the other hand, is a little unrealistic. 


Gjaunz, we should send it to Tim, Bareknuckle pickups, sounds like voodoo magic.


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## viesczy (Jan 27, 2011)

Sirmyg,
I love to cut it up on a 5 string bass too, easier to write lead riffs on there because you put a guitar in my hands and I want to  On bass I actually write music.

I always try to learn the music, w/e I playing, and then re-learn in a few positions. Just to not fall in love with one shape.

Derek


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## SirMyghin (Jan 27, 2011)

viesczy said:


> Sirmyg,
> I love to cut it up on a 5 string bass too, easier to write lead riffs on there because you put a guitar in my hands and I want to  On bass I actually write music.
> 
> I always try to learn the music, w/e I playing, and then re-learn in a few positions. Just to not fall in love with one shape.
> ...



Yeah it would be a lot easier to just change the position and start the run on the D string for the F. Thing is if I can learn to tap at the top of my sweeps I will be better for it, especially multi finger. I write music on anything, no issues I am pretty controlled. A lot of days I don't even play songs I just practice. No time to write now, if you call what I choose to do writing anyway. There have been many comments from both sides of the pond on that. One bad habbit I have is promptly forgetting how to play stuff after I finish it, not currently having a band or time for it, it is not as if I play the stuff.


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