Hi guys, here is a funny sweep picking run, neo-classical style, from my first record, "Deep Forest" (featuring Gregg Bissonette on drums ang Matt Bissonette on bass, plus my great friend and also great guitarist Gianni "Jana" Rojatti at the guitar: you will find any news checking out my next columns on chops from hell); the song is called "Showtime" for 2 reasons: 1) I'm a great, great, great fan of Jason Becker, and this way we wanna celebrate a very small tribute to his amazing playing and 2) 'cause I use this tune for starting my clinics. Here Jana plays the same line harmonized a 3rd up; the key is A harmonic minor; the first measure is introduced by a 3 string A minor arpeggio...

Then there's a 3 note per string harmonic minor shape, again the A min arpeggio and a G# diminished arpeggio...

The second part of this chorus is characterized by some fast double octave arpeggios. For this kind of pattern, I'm using a five strings shape. Really useful 'cause this way I can play more notes on the same fret with the same finger (the middle finger) with the bar technique...Try to practice slowly but keeping a good definition of the different notes, that's a sweep line...it's not a rake!

Finally, I think that these are the best shapes for the left hand, but for the right hand you have to feel free to experiment with any solution or any different picking pattern!

Now check out the video: slowly first, then at tempo with the backing track.

Have fun!!!

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Marco was born in 1974. He started playing the guitar at the age of 14. He's actually a session man in Italy, a journalist for AXE magazine - the top seller italian guitar magazine, and an official clinician for Jackson guitars, Digitech, Crate amps, and Elixir strings.

Check out Chops From Hell for any news about the release of his album "Deep Forest".

If you want to contact him, send an email to: mark _ kar@libero.it
Be sure to visit Deep Forest online @ www.deepforestband.com.