How the Pros Sweep Pick: Style vs Style

Let's compare the 3-string sweep arpeggio techniques of 3 famous pro guitarists: Rusty Cooley, Yngwie Malmsteen, and Andy James. Together we will break down and study the pickstrokes, pickslanting, legato and string crosses to reveal how each player achieves their sweeping skills.
Rusty Cooley uses the classic technique most true to economy/sweep picking in that he slants his pick according to which direction he is sweeping in and that he also executes his turnarounds with inside picking.
Yngwie uses an equally common/popular technique where he slants the pick downward throughout, and executes his turnarounds/direction changes with an outside string cross.
Finally, Andy James is shown to only sweep the ascending half of his 3 string arpeggios, while using legato to perform the returning half. This gives his sweeping technique a beautiful fluid sound and an effortless, downward slanted motion.
AlfredPotterGuitar
www.AlfredPotter.com
www.WebMetronome.net
www.HawkPicks.co.uk

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

GET MY SWEEP PICKING COURSE: "Sweep Picking Master" is my huge video course available through MetalMastermind.com. It includes 75+ videos across 10 modules including TABs and backing tracks. Work through the fundamentals with animations, diagrams and explanations, and then gradually branch out into 2-string, 3-string, 4-string, 5-string, and 6-string sweeping, and then try out lick examples. After polishing up your technique with troubleshooting and investigating creative ways to sweep, we tackle 10 large, full-production passages with backing tracks. metalmastermind.com/sweep-picking-master/

[@euge9235]

I've always used Andy's technique and Yngwie's way before I even knew anyone used it, glad to know other people have realized about this method and how easy its to master sweeping in this way, great vid :)

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Good to know =) thanks for watching!

[@juanpablo7947]

exllent video, i never imagined others ways to do sweep picking

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Glad to provide you with new insight =)

[@yoseanantoniotorres8597]

Frank Gambale, Jason Becker and Luca Turilli are the masters of sweep picking!

[@jacethornton4383]

Don’t forget Shawn lane

[@falseprophecy666]

@@jacethornton4383 I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that neither of you have heard of either Per Nilsson or Jeff Loomis

[@mayanktrakru]

Michael Frey some of us have. Although they are amazing, but Becker is still by far the sweep picking god

[@tollelege5635]

Synyster Gates

[@asmodius666]

@@mayanktrakru nope, its jeff loomis for sure in sweep picking

[@geconucd]

Thanks for sharing this really insightful video. I've been trying to understand the mechanics of my own sweep picking style and it turns out that I use all three of these methods at different points depending on the situation. Gives me more confidence to see others using these various methods and the pros and cons of each. Super video. Cheers.

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Glad to hear it, Graeme. Sometimes having a little understanding of what we're doing and when and why is enough to allow us to take our playing to the next level.

[@johnredcorn1131]

Ive always used the Malmsteen technique. It just feels natural to me and i feel like i dont have any wasted motion.

[@beredetump1635]

Listening to this, audio only, I can't help but imagine the Crocodile Hunter coming across a beautiful, wild arpeggio. But not just any arpeggio, the beautiful and rare A# Diminished! *W o w*

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

=p

[@cheeseshark5]

Very interesting, thanks for the video. It was very nice to hear some Troy Grady terminology being thrown around in there as well.

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Thanks for watching =)

[@Oilid]

This is THIS video which made me sub to you and made me rethink my arpeggio technique :)

[@saadshah7857]

As a beginner I am just discovering you today. Nice breakdown. In my humble opinion.. and I dont know much... but will say this. Mechanics and technique is like walking. We all do it. And it yields the same result. But we all walk differently. And we dont think about it or choose it. Our body functions a certain way based on our anatomy. I naturally sweep with two way pick slanting like Rusty. It just naturally happens that way. And it suits my body and my hand and my arm. And it works for me. So thank you and nice to meet you Alfred. I am sure I will learn more from your videos soon!

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Hello, Saad. Yes I agree, but for whatever reason (probably anatomical), these are the three ways people consciously or unconsciously settle when it comes to 3-string sweeps. There may not be any other way of doing them =0! You should be pleased that you are drawn to the true economy picking 2WPS Rusty style, as it is the most versatile. Thanks for checking out my videos. Stick around!

[@saadshah7857]

@@AlfredPotterGuitar so nice to meet a "human" haha. I will certainly take the most out of your lessons and make you proud! I have been playing for almost two months now... and the progress has been great!

[@saadshah7857]

@@AlfredPotterGuitar I actually remember your name. A few days back I was watching a Joey Tafolla video that was out of sync. And you said something. But the channel never fixed it. It was so obvious! Nice catch and thanks for speaking up! Best regards.

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Yeah it's a shame about that. There is no other copy of it online and I would love to learn a thing or two from it. Wow what a weird picking posture he has!

[@avirupdas1065]

Amazing video as always... Nice and precise

[@Q8_BoRashed]

Yngwie is my guitar idol but I find myself more comfortable with Rusty's technique. Not that I was actively trying to learn it Rusty's way but just trying these 3 different styles I found myself more comfortable with 2-way pick slanting and inside picking. The outside picking made me hiccup on the G-string going down. Great video as always Alfred! Thank you.

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Thanks for trying these out! Yeah I am fastest with Rusty's technique when I get going but it feels "riskier" at the same time.

[@97stratocaster21]

The fact that you're using Hawk Picks DEFINITELY helps. Hawk Picks make sweeping so much clearer and faster.

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

They are such lovely things

[@mikemiller6628]

Great vid ,Explaned well as always.

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Thanks a lot. Tried hard to be informative as always =)

[@mikemiller6628]

Youre a great teacher and you put alot of thought and effort into youre lessons.

[@fusedguitar9507]

Great lesson.

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Thanks man. An honor to have you viewing this video. Keep up the great work!

[@vick2359]

really like the way you integrate a lot of Troy Grady's ideas into this vid

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Thanks. Yes, he really set the standard for teaching picking mechanics so thought I'd use the same terminology etc. Thanks for watching!

[@Cr-Mo-C-Mn]

Thank you for keeping uploading clear, simple ,and practical lesson videos. I have been enjoying them. There is a question I would like to ask you about the picking hand. In Rusty's style, do you only use your palm to mute the G string? The moment right after changing pick-slant seems to me the difficult point to mute it. The picking hand form of 7 (or more) strings guitar players with small hands like me almost necessarily differ from the case of 6 strings. In this case, does nothing but palm muting work? (6 string guitars don't bother me.)

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

The fleshy "chicken drumstick" of the thumb joint is also in contact with the strings at all times, too. If you want serious in-depth scrutiny, check out my latest ebook PDF "Lead Guitar Practice Methodology".

[@Cr-Mo-C-Mn]

@@AlfredPotterGuitarThe information will surely help me develop my technique. Thank you. I will check it out in order to study that technique more precisely.

[@federicoalbanese2858]

Awesome lesson sir, thank you!!!

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Thanks for checking it out!

[@egenc4544]

That's what I was looking for , great . I've noticed both styles 1st and 2nd , and was wondering which one I should get used to. 2nd seems better but even 3rd is worth trying, thanks for pointing this out

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

The first is the best and most versatile but the most difficult/risky. 2nd is what most people use. Thanks for watching

[@HivernaalChannel]

Very interesting, thank you !

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Thanks I thought so too =)

[@douglasnisbet1189]

I far prefer the Yng-way for 3 string sweeps. Just feels the most natural and I like the specific sound from the 3 downward picked notes.

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

And fair enough! I like your reasoning =)

[@a_ks6533]

Great lesson. Thank you.

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Thank you for watching it =)

[@TomGoldsmithguitar]

Great combo 👍

[@nachovilaboa6737]

I love your videos, i learn a lot with you

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

I love making them for eager guitarists like you! Enjoy =)

[@gabrielgonzalez8967]

Byen video alfredo. Saludos desde mexico.

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Gracias

[@Melpheos1er]

If i do the Yngwie Malmsteen technique, do i have to do the duck face as well ? Will it improve my sound ?

[@nickkozanas1147]

That is a requirement and also you need a white gold cross bracelet scraping against the frets as well

[@michaelrozett5016]

Great breakdown. I started out using the rusty cooley method, being more of an inside picker. But found out that dps is the way to go about 2 string sweeps. Now its kinda growing on me. Thx! Insta-subbed

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Thanks that is cool to know. Yeah dps is way to go for 3s too but doesn't work with 4s sweeps =/ And I hate having a different technique for 3s and 4s sweeps so I still bite the bullet and use the Rusty Cooley method.

[@michaelrozett5016]

@@AlfredPotterGuitar thats cool. I find that patterns that start and end with a few notes on the highst/lowest string kinda force me into the right pickslant before i initiate the sweep. Its sorta like priming.

[@MetalguitarlessonsUK]

Great video as always! I used to do it the first way but likewise after watching Andy James's method i realized that requires far less maintenance to keep at a high level and these days thats important to me, teenage me would call it a cheat but 32 year old me only cares if it sounds good and requires minimal upkeep. I would point out that for 3 string shapes you can actually fairly comfortably play even the rolling finger inversions perfectly fine using this method, you just have to fret them differently of course but all those patterns can easily be fingered without rolling your finger (something jason richardson talks about too!). You can actually apply this across 4 and 5 string arpeggios too with a bit of work with the difference in sound being fairly negligible to anyone who wasn't specifically listening out for it, I do it quite often now as I've found it makes doing some outrageous sequenced arpeggios that would be an absolute nightmare to sweep every note of suddenly very straightforward- Tosin Abasi does this nowadays too and calls it selective picking!

[@MetalguitarlessonsUK]

I forgot to mention that this concept of hammering on the descending notes was actually first brought to my attention by Rusty Cooley, sometimes when he's doing really fast 3 note per string passages he uses legato too! I played around with it a bit after first seeing that but never particularly seriously until seeing Andy James.

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Thank you that is really handy to know

[@tajulafham94]

Amazing! I love it

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Thank you

[@Arycke]

Rusty also does legato sweeps on ascending and descending. Andy also does not subscribe strictly to the rock "legato" on descending one note per string arpeggios. I know you weren't saying that Person A's examples are strictly what they use because you just highlighted the main one they likely use. Without even reading the comments, I'm sure someone will bring up Gambale, which rightfully so because he is a phenomenal instrumentalist/composer & excels with his style of sweeping & 2 way pick slanting. Underdog: Michael Angelo Batio. look into the history of creating the sweeps most use today and he will crop up in the forerunners. Lastly, there is a video here on KZbin, or elsewhere, of Chet Atkins playing Jerry Reed's Breakdown with Jerry Reed in which Chet closes out his solo part before reuniting with Jerry to finish the tune with a fucking major sweep played ascending and descending twice in succession. I was taken aback and was that much more enthralled with Chet & his playing style. S m o k i n ' S w e e p s All that aside, awesome video and quick snippet of some different styles of sweeping/economy/guitar playing tech. Thanks for the upload.

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Thank you for this intelligent read! Do you know of any other ways to sweep 3-string sweeps? I genuinely tried to figure out more but this was it.

[@stephen7185]

You got a super down to earth style bro. I just subbed. I look forward to watching more of your stuff!

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Happy to have you, Stephen. Thanks for checking out my videos!

[@stephen7185]

Alfred Potter Guitar you got it bro \m/

[@CarlosFreitas99]

Great video man, but it left me if a question. I always used the malmsteen style. It really is the easiest since it's only down sweep (in the way up its more like two movements), but what style would be the easiest when doing four or five string arpeggios? The Malmsteen way works really well for three string arpeggios because there's only one way sweep, but with one additional string it would require a up sweep trough the B and G string and then jumping over the D string, which isn't very practical. But at the same time, picking up on the top string and then coming back down is also very hard

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Welcome, Carlos. That's a very intelligent observation you've made. It's precisely the problem we have to overcome when branching out beyond 3-string sweeps! I now also use the Malmsteen approach for 3-string arpeggios. But I have no choice but to switch to the Rusty method when playing 4-string arpeggios. Well that's not entirely true however, there is an alternative method, and it involves some economy picking and string skipping. Contact me at facebook.com/AlfredPotterGuitar and I can send you the TAB for the idea. Thanks for watching my videos!

[@CarlosFreitas99]

Thank you for answering so fast. I have contacted you on Facebook.

[@DizzyKrissi]

The hammer on feels a bit fakey to me - I prefer the first 2 methods. Thanks for sharing this.

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Totally agree. The hammer-on makes it like you're pretending to do the technique but are actually cutting corners deceptively - hoping people won't notice.

[@DizzyKrissi]

@@AlfredPotterGuitar : luckily... you noticed it :D

[@yngwaa3332]

I just knew Andy James using this technique.

[@adamprovo5964]

What amp set-up do you use? Sounds sweet.

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Hello it's just a Boss ME50

[@adamprovo5964]

@@AlfredPotterGuitar ok thanks. I've been using the Line 6 POD xt live and was actually looking at an ME 50. Changing over.

[@patrickbarnes9343]

Cool video !

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Thanks I was proud to make this

[@ranajoyshil]

Jason Richardson and Tosin Abasi sweep techniques please!

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

I doubt they're using anything other than these 3 ways of doing em =\

[@jerg83]

Great, thanks!!.

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Thanks for stopping by

[@Imjong29]

aw aw awesome video!!!🎸🎸

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Thanks man! Glad you like

[@Imjong29]

Alfred, nowadays I am trying to learn about making music on my guitar , but can't get the proper information. So, if you can spend your time teaching us how to create solos or licks of our own i'll be very thankful🙏. And keep it up.😃

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Yes noted =) Meanwhile, check out the article I wrote on that exact subject: Emotional melodic lead playing: alfredpotter.com/index.php/articles/item/255-emotional-melodic

[@Imjong29]

I have a question😧. If in a piece, melodies are hummed😌 then at what time the scales should be used,what are scale meant for as I don't get the melody I want that is in my head in the scale while improvising and I feel like i'm in another world of melodies😨. Are the scale used in the shredding or the fast part in the piece because I think fast playing sounds technical that what the scales sounds. Am I right?😕😕😱

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

I suppose I use scales for sequences and fast playing. To me they're just a visual way of seeing/feeling which notes are available. But you should be humming in tune.

[@Valjin702]

You are the man thanks!

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Cheers!!

[@phantomofoaktown]

how much time should one spend on sweep picking this exercise? 15 minutes a day? 10 minutes a day? I have an hour to spend on sweep picking . should I spend one full hour a day on one sweep picking exercise or divide that hour up to 6 different sweep picking exercises at 10 minutes a piece or 4 different exercises at 15 minutes a piece? I have noticed that many people comment on one of the main challenges to sweep picking is synchronizing both hands, but for me, the challenge is the weakness of my wrist. I can play this exercise at 55 beats a minute and feel the burn in my wrist, I think that you are playing these examples at around 100 to 110bpm? should I spend an hour a day on the, lets say rusty cooley method until I get it up to around 110bpm and then go on to other exercises or should I do more exercises with a wider variety at 10 or 15 minutes, sometimes I think 10 minutes on each exercise may not be enough. back in your beginning stages of sweep picking, how many minutes did you spend on one exercise? and how many minutes did you devote to only sweep picking in total. I think it will take me a year to go from 55pm to a hundred bpm, my wrist is so weak.

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Hello. You sound just like younger me! Worrying about exercise length and focus. It's good to put this much thought into it. Watch my series on "How to Sweep Pick" and work through that. I have done sweeping practice sessions where I do the same thing over and over for 1.5 hours. And to be honest, I think it loses effectiveness after about 15 to 20 minutes. Try lots of different exercises and dedicate about 15 mins to each. Obviously make sure you place nearly ALL of your sweeping focus on the following 3 things: 3 string sweeps. 5 string sweep (maybe 6). And sweep melodies.

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

The Rusty Cooley method is the hardest but best out of the 3 methods shown here. You will probably need to use more arm motion and more of a diagonal push/pull motion too (to clear that pesky g string on the direction change). Watch videos of him doing it.

[@phantomofoaktown]

@@AlfredPotterGuitar thanks alot! I will spend an hour a day with 15 minutes per exercise. Once I master those exercises, I will include more challenging sweeps in my future practice schedule. Thanks for the advice, my mind is now at ease, I must be patient.

[@LivyAQ3D]

If there is any person you would want to copy sweep picking, it would be Francesco Fareri. Probably the most perfect technique with Sweep Picking

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

I appreciate the viewing suggestion =)

[@MusicFromSpace3]

Do you record videos while your hung over?

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Binge drinking is the culture here in NZ mate

[@garskirata2377]

Someone sounds trolly / salty. Keep up with the good vids mate.

[@TomGoldsmithguitar]

Jason Kyo bit harsh.

[@einarabelc5]

Alfred Potter Guitar Someone sitting next to me thought you were a Kiwi because of the way you say pick. It's like that deck commercial. We were just there, lovelyest place. Had I known I could have payed you a visit. Thanks for teaching me how to sweep btw.

[@janitorofhades2097]

Which style do you use?

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

For 3 string sweeps I now use the Malmsteen method. I used to use the Rusty Cooley method for everything. Now I only use it for 4 string sweeps because neither the Malmsteen method or the Andy James method can tackle these effectively.

[@janitorofhades2097]

Alfred Potter Guitar I used to use the Rusty method,but I hit a plateau and I just couldn't get any faster. So I decided to switched the Yngwie method and my speed increased ALOT. BTW I just purchased your Ebook on Alternate Picking,its excellent.

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Thanks so much! I hope you get a lot of ideas out of it =D Yes I agree and had the same experience when I changed techniques.

[@nickwaters1701]

What about Jason Becker, Jari Maenpaa, and Frank Gambale?

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

It's likely that they fall into one of the three categories. I can't really think of any more possible ways to sweep 3 strings

[@JasperManning]

Paul Gilbert plays the same notes with string skipping, so that's another way, although technically it's not sweep picking.

[@иванпетров-л1г]

Очень познавательно, класс!

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Thanks

[@MsDavo123]

I analyzed my aroeggio approach and it didnt feet into any category because i do sweep from down to up tgen i do sweep on lower two strings! Anyway slight remark regarding Andy james technique: When you pick the string and when you hamner on it you have a differwnt sound now how much person should work to get the same sound by picking and hammering on?by all means i would not call this approach "the most fluid"!

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

I think it'd be best to choose one of the other two techniques over the AJ technique tbh

[@MsDavo123]

Alfred Potter Guitar ok then but i still wait for a lesson on 6 string aroeggios😆

[@gianluigidautilia6417]

What about the frank gambale method?

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

How does he do 3S sweeps (where you have the three notes on the high e string then single notes on the b and G strings)?

[@valeriejaramillo5415]

Where you at

[@kibavlood5826]

Hate to be blunt but your video/lesson missed one thing... Another Pro: Mr.Potter, that dude is godsend for us players who wish to know the secrets of pros and what a monster player and teacher that Alfred guy is.. Take care man and as always thank you.

[@kibavlood5826]

About that Andy James technique i was watching GREG HOWE as well, he mentioned and does something similar just a different terminology, he calls it "Hammer Ons from nowhere" its something i have seen even Rick Graham use. So i feel that is gaining popularity too.

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Oh yeah hammerons from nowhere is essential in two-hand tapping!

[@uroslazovic9632]

Michael Romeo is watching from behind.

[@staystrongjoseph]

you are a pro guitarist :p u should've included ur style haha nice vid!

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Cheers! I use all 3!

[@RequiemNocturne1]

Does Jeff Loomis use the traditional method or one of the others?

[@jhanzen8562]

Godhand I'm guessing he uses the Yngwie method because he is very inspired by yngwie and also he is more of an economy player.

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

Hey I will check his technique out. I am a big fan of his.

[@jason_1314]

I think he angle the pick more than 45° for up and down.. idk

[@guillotinedeath]

Crimson Glory!

[@kidbling844]

Was someone sleeping in the same room next you you and you didn’t want to wake them up when you recorded this?

[@alfaalex101]

While I'm pretty pissed off at the cheap and lazy Andy James approach, I have to give it points because no one will really care or notice if you picked that note, it theoretically can give you greater speed, and it's really easy to do. I am hesitant to make it a main component in my practice as I like to pick every note, but it would be foolish not to practice the technique.

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

As much as I like and respect Andy James, I can't help but question some of his methods. His 3s sweep technique for instance, yeah it's a clever, fast, and easy workaround... but it is a bit of a cheap trick hahah. And then there's the fact that he uses a string dampener. That is cheating straight up. And I don't know why he uses one. Surely he's good enough to not need one?

[@jojodarosa2215]

He doesn't use one a lot of the time too. He proves he can be really clean without one tons of times, I think it's mainly for lessons and some way more technical stuff he uses dampeners, but he never uses dampeners in either of his bands and those have some nutty solos. Yes he is definitely good enough to be clean without them and has proven it tons of times. I reckon he only uses them when he really feels the need to not muck up at all on a video, so eliminate any excess noise that could possibly happen. He doesn't use them live either.

[@docnoahbody]

Im afraid thats not Andy James tech..its mine and many others that are older than him... wink*..that's what we used to do cuz up sweeping was much harder than down..great vids tho cheers!

[@MsDavo123]

Oh boy one year ago i wayched this lesson and i said bullshit first way was the way to go oh boy i was so wrong

[@AlfredPotterGuitar]

=0! Which method do you use now? The first one is so good though, easily extendable to 4 string arpeggios. Whereas the other 2 methods can't handle 4 string arpeggios well/at all.

[@MsDavo123]

Alfred Potter Guitar well if i have to play 130bpm 3 string arpeggios simply Yngwies method is a way to go but i noticed it works great when you have to do barring so Yngwie pushed this further and he does barring even on 2nd inversion of major triad smth really crazy i saw he does in the song bluzkrieg

[@mladenrajic4421]

Ma sigurno kako da nije,sa ovim trzalicama sviras kao Yngwie Malmsteen,kad ides da ih kupis samo kazi Alfred te poslao i to je to...Elem koristan klip svejedno samo ne znam sta ce mu ova reklama glupa na kraju...kazi ja sam te poslao uau jbt car si majke mi hvala ti puno... -.-