Sweep Picking and the First Scales

Sweep picking technique

Sweep picking is a picking technique that uses the guitar pick in down and up strokes. This technique has no wasted motion and is very efficient.

To learn the sweep picking technique, follow these three simple rules.

1. When playing multiple notes on the same string, use alternate picking directions.
2. When ascending a scale, use down strokes to the next adjacent string, no matter what the direction of your previous stroke was.
3. When descending a scale, use up strokes to the next adjacent string, no matter what the direction of your previous stroke was.

Sweep picking practice

1. Start practicing sweep picking by playing any four adjacent frets using fingers 1 through 4 on the fretboard, and practice ascending and descending all six strings in the four-fret position.
2. Do the same exercise as above, but with a three-fret position and fingers 1, 2 and 3. This exercise will have different alternate picking combinations than the four-fret exercise.

The scale patterns

The root note determines the scale's key. The fixed-position C and G major scales use open strings, as will many of the positional major scales played in 1st position.

Memorize the fixed-position C and G major scale patterns on the next page and practice them using the sweep picking technique.

How to practice scales

1. Start each scale pattern from the root note.
2. Ascend to the highest note in the position.
3. Descend to the lowest note in the position.
4. Ascend back to the lowest root note in the scale pattern.

Reading with scales

The scale patterns used in this book become a reference to find all the notes within the designated position. To find all the notes in a position, start from the root note of the scale and ascend in alphabetical order while saying each note to yourself.

Reading on the guitar should always be accomplished with a scale pattern in mind. Not using a scale pattern when reading will lead to more mistakes.