# Goddamnit..Im an idiot



## Gilbucci (Feb 19, 2007)

This whole time ive been sweeping i've been double picking the top note. I would come up on a sweep then double pick the root, and it seems like it'll never leave me. I've slowed all my sweeps down to 16th note triplets at 40bpm. Whenever I get to 70 I start to double pick again. Wow, these nine months i've been playing I feel as If I have gotten nowhere.


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## noodles (Feb 19, 2007)

Why not just keep doing it that way? If it is time, then it would give your sweeps a unique sound. Remember, this is music, where there is no absolute right and wrong.


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## Gilbucci (Feb 19, 2007)

The thing I forgot to meantion is I dont mean for it to hit the top note twice, the pick sort of skips.


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## Chris (Feb 20, 2007)

noodles said:


> Why not just keep doing it that way? If it is time, then it would give your sweeps a unique sound. Remember, this is music, where there is no absolute right and wrong.





I have the same problem he has, but that's still great advice.


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## Nik (Feb 20, 2007)

Whatever the case, saying that you've wasted the last 9 months is silly  Mattias Eklundh does some insane sweeps with the high note double-picked on the Freak Kitchen song "Heroin Breakfast", which gives it a very weird but cool sound.

Look at it this way--you've got one cool technique nailed. View sweeping by playing only the high note as a separate thing that you can learn next


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## Mastodon (Feb 20, 2007)

Almost all of the sweep patterns I learned had me doubling the root note. Then I tried learning some of the sweeps in some Necrophagist songs and went "what the hell? Ohhh, that's what feels different"

It took a while for me to get used to not doing, and it still often slips out when I don't want it to.

Oh well.


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## Gilbucci (Feb 20, 2007)

You guys are awesome. I really haven't looked at it as being good at all, you guys really opened my eyes. Thanks so much!

Now that I have this thread going, I forgot to mention I double pick atleast one or two notes when Im doing a fast picking run. Im sure I can tweak this out of my technique, im just wondering if its bad or not.


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## ohio_eric (Feb 20, 2007)

Music is an art not a science. Some of the best music comes from people not giving a shit about the rules or what people have done before. So unless it's something that sounds utterly awful run with it. 

One of my personal light bulb going off moments for me when I read that Ty Tabor realized he wasn't going to be Brian May so he focused on his own playing and ran with it. Sometimes you just got focus on your own playing and not worry about anything else.


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## Metal Ken (Feb 20, 2007)

Gilbucci said:


> This whole time ive been sweeping i've been double picking the top note. I would come up on a sweep then double pick the root, and it seems like it'll never leave me. I've slowed all my sweeps down to 16th note triplets at 40bpm. Whenever I get to 70 I start to double pick again. Wow, these nine months i've been playing I feel as If I have gotten nowhere.



wait, you're working on sweep picking after playing 9 months? And you're complaining? 
Dude, i think you might be a _bit_ ahead of the game.


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## distressed_romeo (Feb 20, 2007)

I often do this with sweeps deliberately. Check out Caprice #1 by Paganini; the arpeggios at the start of that are made for 4-string sweeps with the top and bottom notes picked twice.


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## Korbain (Feb 20, 2007)

noodles said:


> Why not just keep doing it that way? If it is time, then it would give your sweeps a unique sound. Remember, this is music, where there is no absolute right and wrong.



word up. Very true. Key advice there! and never put restrictions on your music


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## The Dark Wolf (Feb 20, 2007)

Ironically ehough, I was just watching Dimevision yesterday, and he was saying the same things. Just go for it, balls to the wall, was his advice.


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## nitelightboy (Feb 20, 2007)

I agree with Dave. Music is a form of self expression meaning that no matter what, it's right. If that's how you can play something, then go for it. Especially if it allows you to play things that means something to YOU.


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## budda (Feb 20, 2007)

but do try to learn the other ways too! going your own way is cool, but if you first want to learn someone else's way, its not like its a bad thing to do.

9 months and sweeping? i've been playing for 8 years and still havent really gotten around to it. i can fake 3 string sweeps but thats it. its not like you're doing badly. PRACTISE! metronomes are key!


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## Gilbucci (Feb 20, 2007)

People have found it really bizarre that I can sweep at 9 months, I know. I worked so hard on it, it didn't come easy at all. Again, thanks for the advice! I was treating it as if it was work.


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## Leon (Feb 20, 2007)

Metal Ken said:


> wait, you're working on sweep picking after playing 9 months? And you're complaining?
> Dude, i think you might be a _bit_ ahead of the game.



i've been playing for about 12 years, and still can't sweep


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## Drew (Feb 20, 2007)

budda said:


> PRACTISE!



PractiCe, unless you're a limey Brit.


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## Gilbucci (Feb 20, 2007)

It's all about how badly you want it. Without dedication, you won't be able to anything for yourself. That's the way I look at it.


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## Leon (Feb 20, 2007)

dedication to what goal?


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## Gilbucci (Feb 20, 2007)

Any goal you have for yourself. Whether it be for music, life, or whatever.


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## DelfinoPie (Feb 20, 2007)

Drew said:


> PractiCe, unless you're a limey Brit.



You arse! lol You've made the word practice/practise lose all meaning and now I can't remember which spelling I used to use!!!! I look at both and think "Wait, that can't be right" 

Damn you Drew! lol


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## Drew (Feb 20, 2007)

Easy. It's a C if you live on the right side of the ocean, and an S if you live on the wrong side. 

You, sadly, live on the wrong side.


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## Leon (Feb 20, 2007)

not trying to be prophetic, just wondering what music goals push someone to be sweeping @ 9 months


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## Gilbucci (Feb 20, 2007)

I really love the sound of really fast arpeggios, it's like candy for my ears. Also, I want to be more technically efficient with each passing month. I think I set my goals a little too high, but, meh, lol.


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## Drew (Feb 20, 2007)

Gilbucci said:


> I really love the sound of really fast arpeggios, it's like candy for my ears. Also, I want to be more technically efficient with each passing month. I think I set my goals a little too high, but, meh, lol.



Hey, there's nothing wrong with wanting to be a technically accomplished player, but it's worth keeping in mind that 1.) it takes years to (cleanly) build that kind of chops, 2.) doing so can be hell on your hands if you're not VERY careful, and 3.) what may be candy to YOUR ears has a way of putting a lot of others to sleep. Spending some time working on sweeping is definitely a good idea, but so's working out the lead break to "Comfortably Numb" or "Red House," too.


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## Gilbucci (Feb 20, 2007)

Definitely, man. I'm willing to put years into this, im in no hurry! As well as trying to become a faster player, I also really like to work on playing blues, and country. BB king is one of my biggest influences as a player. Also, I know sweeps get boring after a while, and I always keep in mind that it can be overused. I just use them to add a little spice to my solos.


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## distressed_romeo (Feb 21, 2007)

Gilbucci said:


> Definitely, man. I'm willing to put years into this, im in no hurry! As well as trying to become a faster player, I also really like to work on playing blues, and country. BB king is one of my biggest influences as a player. Also, I know sweeps get boring after a while, and I always keep in mind that it can be overused. I just use them to add a little spice to my solos.



Sounds like you're definitely heading in the right direction.


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## Drew (Feb 21, 2007)

Hey, you're 14. That means you're nice and impressionable, and we can mold you into a hell of a player.  

Want a cool drill to work on your sweeping? Try this - take a few arpeggio shapes you like... and alternate pick them. Not only is it a great drill to get your fingers to synch up right, and a great string-switching drill, but Steve Morse can alternate pick arpeggios faster than most mere mortals can sweep them.  

A Steve Morse fan I knew recommended I try that, and while my sweeping still blows, it actually helped a lot, both picking AND sweeping.


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## distressed_romeo (Feb 21, 2007)

Drew said:


> Hey, you're 14. That means you're nice and impressionable, and we can mold you into a hell of a player.
> 
> Want a cool drill to work on your sweeping? Try this - take a few arpeggio shapes you like... and alternate pick them. Not only is it a great drill to get your fingers to synch up right, and a great string-switching drill, but Steve Morse can alternate pick arpeggios faster than most mere mortals can sweep them.
> 
> A Steve Morse fan I knew recommended I try that, and while my sweeping still blows, it actually helped a lot, both picking AND sweeping.



I found the same thing; when I first tried sweeping, I'd been playing about 2-3 years, and couldn't get on with it at all, so I went back to just practicing my arpeggios with alternate picking (having read that that's how Steve Morse played them) I did that for about 6 months, just concentrating on getting them clean and even (this was before the inevitable Yngwie phase, so I wasn't too concerned about mega speed), and then, when I tried sweeping again, something just clicked, and I was able to do it at last!
I still practice arpeggios in this way. It really forces you to develop your hand-to-hand coordination, and obviously it does wonders for your picking agility.

BTW...I hadn't realised you were only 14!


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## Gilbucci (Feb 21, 2007)

Thanks for the advice guys! really appreciated. I'll really spend some time on alternate picking arpeggios, because, I find, I blow at doing them at moderate speeds.


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## distressed_romeo (Feb 21, 2007)

Gilbucci said:


> Thanks for the advice guys! really appreciated. I'll really spend some time on alternate picking arpeggios, because, I find, I blow at doing them at moderate speeds.



Hey, why don't you try learning 'Tumeni Notes' by Steve Morse? I used to practice that one a lot, and it's great for getting your arpeggios down. Even if you can't alternate pick it at the (just plain ridiculous) speed he does, it still sounds badass if you play it at half the tempo, and works equally well with an economy picking approach.


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## DelfinoPie (Feb 21, 2007)

Drew said:


> Easy. It's a C if you live on the right side of the ocean, and an S if you live on the wrong side.
> 
> You, sadly, live on the wrong side.



After a good nights sleep (13 hours) I have regained the word "practice" to my vocabulary and I spell it with a "C"...just like I spell "Mom" with an "O" not a "U".

Odd.


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## Gilbucci (Feb 21, 2007)

distressed_romeo said:


> Hey, why don't you try learning 'Tumeni Notes' by Steve Morse? I used to practice that one a lot, and it's great for getting your arpeggios down. Even if you can't alternate pick it at the (just plain ridiculous) speed he does, it still sounds badass if you play it at half the tempo, and works equally well with an economy picking approach.


Sounds great, dude. I think I might. Steve Morse is the GOD of alternate picked arpeggios.


Edit: Wow, Tumeni Notes is so much fun to play. Thanks for the recommendation!


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## lordofthesewers (Feb 21, 2007)

gilbucci if you can play that and you are 14 and been playing for 9months or so you do 2 things:
A rape me in terms of guitar skill and i've been playing for 1year and 4 months+
B. you will be the next jeff loomis.

canadians....


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## Gilbucci (Feb 21, 2007)

Haha, Guitarpro says its at about 150bpm, I can play it cleanly until about 120bpm or so. It seems really slow on GP.


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## distressed_romeo (Feb 21, 2007)

Gilbucci said:


> Sounds great, dude. I think I might. Steve Morse is the GOD of alternate picked arpeggios.
> 
> 
> Edit: Wow, Tumeni Notes is so much fun to play. Thanks for the recommendation!



'Tis no problem!


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## Gilbucci (Feb 22, 2007)

Does anyone have any advice for me on this problem? Whenever I try legato runs, I can get the ascending hammer ons and pull offs clean, but, when it comes to descending, I can barely get any sound out of the pull offs. I hope I worded it correctly.


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## distressed_romeo (Feb 22, 2007)

Gilbucci said:


> Does anyone have any advice for me on this problem? Whenever I try legato runs, I can get the ascending hammer ons and pull offs clean, but, when it comes to descending, I can barely get any sound out of the pull offs. I hope I worded it correctly.



It's hard to offer advice without seeing what you're doing...

When you actually pull-off, are you placing the finger you want to pull-off to on the fret in advance, and then giving the string a little 'flick' with the finger fretting the already-sounded note, or are you trying to do it like a 'reverse hammer-on'?


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## Gilbucci (Feb 22, 2007)

Usually, when I descend back down on a run, I dont pick any of the beginning notes, so, it's hard to get any sound out of the note, and no it's not a reverse hammer-on.


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## distressed_romeo (Feb 22, 2007)

Gilbucci said:


> Usually, when I descend back down on a run, I dont pick any of the beginning notes, so, it's hard to get any sound out of the note, and no it's not a reverse hammer-on.



OK...you might want to practice some 'hammer-on from nowhere' exercises to help with that, if it's starting each string with a hammered rather than picked note that's causing you trouble. Try dampening the strings with your right hand (Satriani-style) and then, try playing some simple triads across different groups of three strings, hammering everything.
It could be that your legato still needs to develop a bit before you can eliminate the pick altogether (apologies in advance if it's already pretty highly developed), so you might want to experiment with the picking the first note on every string when descending.


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## Gilbucci (Feb 22, 2007)

I can do runs fine with my first three fingers. It's my pinky thats screwing it up. Thanks for the advice.


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## distressed_romeo (Feb 22, 2007)

Gilbucci said:


> I can do runs fine with my first three fingers. It's my pinky thats screwing it up. Thanks for the advice.



Ah! Try just playing some chromatic legato stuff across all the strings. That'll really help with finger-independance and getting use to using the pinky. In addition, you could try this exercise from Derek Taylor that's great for legato technique, and can actually be turned into some cool licks too...

----1h2h3h4p2h3h4p1h3h4p1h2h4p1h2h3p--(repeat, moving around the neck and across the strings).

Don't overdo it though. If you try and push your fretting hand too hard, you can easily damage your tendons. Do a little bit every day, and eventually you'll see results.


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## Gilbucci (Feb 22, 2007)

Alright, dude, thanks. I have another question, how bad is anchoring? I've been doing it since i started playing.


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## distressed_romeo (Feb 22, 2007)

Gilbucci said:


> Alright, dude, thanks. I have another question, how bad is anchoring? I've been doing it since i started playing.



Anchoring with the fingers of your picking hand? Provided your arm isn't tensing up, there's nothing wrong with it at all. Plenty of accomplished players do it (Morse, Petrucci, Angelo, Becker...).


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## Gilbucci (Feb 22, 2007)

I was hoping you wouldn't bring up tension. I've got quite a bit when playing fast runs, hurts like hell, but, I don't know how to get rid of it. Trooch not tense? I thought he was. Whenever I see him do a fast run he literally exhales at the end, haha, maybe it's just me.


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## distressed_romeo (Feb 22, 2007)

Gilbucci said:


> I was hoping you wouldn't bring up tension. I've got quite a bit when playing fast runs, hurts like hell, but, I don't know how to get rid of it. Trooch not tense? I thought he was. Whenever I see him do a fast run he literally exhales at the end, haha, maybe it's just me.



Obviously you need a little tension to keep the control, but as with the fretting hand, if you overdo it, you'll hurt yourself. I suspect the 'exhaling' thing is more do to him getting into his solos physically (in an expressive sense) than an issue of tension.


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## Gilbucci (Feb 23, 2007)

http://www.mediafire.com/?1e4qrqnx1tx

Crit away! It's sloppy as hell, but, this is where Iam at now.


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## distressed_romeo (Feb 23, 2007)

Gilbucci said:


> http://www.mediafire.com/?1e4qrqnx1tx
> 
> Crit away! It's sloppy as hell, but, this is where Iam at now.



Definitely heading in the right direction. How long did you say you'd been working on your sweeping? If you keep working at it you should be pretty badass soon!


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## Gilbucci (Feb 23, 2007)

I've been working on it for about a month or so. Thanks for the comment.


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## distressed_romeo (Feb 23, 2007)

Gilbucci said:


> I've been working on it for about a month or so. Thanks for the comment.



If you've only been working at it a month, then that's seriously impressive.


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## Gilbucci (Feb 23, 2007)

Wow, thanks alot. All the comments in this thread have been really inspiring.

http://www.mediafire.com/?7oizc1ztmym

Theres a better recording if any of you care.


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