Sweep Picking Guitar Lessons

Being able to switch fluently between different techniques is really important, so I’ve put together a shred lick which features a combination of alternate and sweep picking to help you nail this transition seamlessly.

If you’re new to shredding this is a great lick to get started with and I include a lot of tips and insights that will set you up on the right track to become a shred monster in no time!

In this lesson I’m going to give you a full breakdown of all of the mechanics and movements involved in sweep picking so that you can learn everything you need to nail this awesome technique.

I start with the basics, including the best methods for holding the pick correctly so that you can sweep through the strings like a warm knife through butter! As you progress through the lesson you’ll learn multiple sweeping patterns and how to put everything together so you can use this technique in the real world to deliver some awesome solo action!

In this lesson I’m going to break down three different riffs – they use a range of different techniques which I’ll break down for you as we go through each one.

I’ll also include loads of insights into how you can devise your own blazing riffs by working on simple ideas and elevate them to the next level!

Today I’m going to show you guys a really cool warm up arpeggio exercise that includes: sweep picking (both ascending and descending), slides, taps, economy picking, bending and vibrato all wrapped in one lick.

So if you’re looking to work on multiple techniques all in one this is the perfect lick for you!

In this lesson you’re going to learn some killer riffs and techniques that will push your prog playing to the limit. Starting with some simple progressions we’ll jam together and exchange solos then transform those chords into super tight, advanced prog riffs.

If you’re still thirsty for more then come join me on a deep dive into sweeping arpeggios and how to lock your sweeping in time with a drum beat.

In this lesson I’m going to break down the chorus section from my track Clear Skies. This solo is jam-packed with lots of different techniques and flourishes which makes it a lot of fun to play.

I’m going to guide you through this note-for-note, covering these techniques in detail as well as all of the little details, expression and delivery that will help you get this solo completely locked down. Let’s do this!

In this lesson I’ve got two licks to break down that combine alternate and sweep picking. Both use simple, familiar patterns so that we can focus on how to transition between these techniques and nail the mechanics involved.

Being able to transition seamlessly between different techniques like this makes such a huge difference to your playing, because in the real world you’re never going to do 4 bars of sweeping followed by 4 bars of tapping and so on. Instead, you should be able pick and choose techniques from your arsenal to effortlessly drop into a performance when needed – so I’ll show you exactly how I do this.

This tongue-twisting solo contains a ton of awesome techniques, so as well as breaking down how to play the notes I’m going to focus heavily on teaching you the techniques themselves – so even if you don’t learn to play the solo note for note you’ll be able to take the skills you’ve learned and apply them to your own playing.

At the end of this lesson I’ve included a bunch of really fun and useful exercises that get you used to delivering these techniques in the real world.

In this lesson I’m going to show you a pretty crazy lick of mine, using the Mixolydian mode. Don’t worry if you aren’t confident with modes, there’s actually only one note difference between Mixolydian and Major, but it gives this lick a totally different flavour!

Although it’s fairly short, this lick packs in a ton of different techniques including alternate picking, legato picking, sweep picking and a really cool sounding string skip octave section right at the end.

I love to combine sweeping and tapping together, it’s a technique I use all the time and in this lesson I’m going to show you three ways to implement this in your own playing.

Using these techniques together allows you to come up with fresh and interesting note combinations, and spice up boring licks. You can also use them to also unlock something very special which will completely transform your playing and take you to a whole new level!