SWEEPING ARPEGGIO PLAYING TECHNIQUES

1. Play these arpeggios leaving each one of your left hand fingers down on the neck, after you play each note. Let the sounds of each note ring over one another. With your amplifier set on distortion this technique may sound dissonant, but clean amplifier settings will sound very piano like.

2. Play these arpeggios lifting your left hand fingers off of the neck after striking each note. This technique will sound more stacatto-like but will work well with distortion. Do not let the sound of each note ring over one another.

3. Mute your strings at the bridge pickup, by touching the strings lightly with the outer edge of your right hand palm. This gives you a short broken sound which can be very effective for heavy metal.

4.Use a slightly heavier pick to cut do string slap.

5. Use pick follow through and alternate picking. a. Pick follow through is when you strike for instance the first string with an upward stroke and then follow through to the second string with an upward stroke. By the same token you may use a down stroke and follow through to the next string using a down stroke. The basic definition would be - to strike two sucessive strings in sequential order using the same pick direction. Alternate picking is a downward pick stroke immeadiately followed by an upward one. Practice each arpeggio using alternate and follow through picking, both techniques not just one

1. Tapping does not involve using the pick.

2. Hold your right hand parallel to the guitar neck.

3. Hold your right hand palm facing the frets of the guitar.

4. Place your left hand 1st finger on the 2nd string, 2nd fret.

5. Hold your right hand above the 2nd string, 10th fret.

6. Firmly tap your right hand index or middle finger onto the 2nd string, 10th fret sounding a clear tone.

7. Pull your right hand index (or middle) off of the string, sounding the 2nd string, 2nd fret still held with your left hand.

8. Hammer your Left hand 4th finger (little finger) onto the 2nd string, 5th fret.

9. Play these 3 notes continously.

1. Speed exercises should be played with alternate picking, downstrokes and upstrokes.

2. Begin by playing slowly and work up to higher speeds. Do not push yourself to play fast as this creates hand tension. Let the speed come naturally.

3. Press the strings with your left hand as lightly as possible. The less tension and hand motion, the faster you play.

4. Relax your hands.

5. Coordinate your left and right hands smoothly. The better your hands work together, the faster you will be.