sweep picking

been practising sweep picking for a few weeks now, still only doing simple three string shapes.

i can sweep down (G to high E) well, but not back up at all :S.

the technique ive been taught involves muting the strings at the bridge and if i tilt my hand to sweep back up my hand comes off the bridge and the notes all ring out and it sounds all messy.

anyone got any advice on what to do?

sorry about the vagueness of my description its the best i can do

i can sweep up good but i suck sweeping down =p

Don't mute...
Work on pulling the finger off right after you play the note, it is slightly clearer, since there isn't the slight buzz that you get muting a still playing note. It also lets you play faster in the long run.
This is mainly because you can't mute when you sweep up... Hence your problem. So just work on playing the note stacato...

haha snap.

it always looks so easy in videos as well gah.

yea, sweeping takes alot of practice

@veqq. ah cool, cheers.

what about notes on the high E?

for example an Am sweep with the 12th fret E/

That is up to you...

I personally play it as the last down picked note, and then I would play the B string note as an upstroke, normally I also hammer on some note on the E string too, that gives you more time to move. If your not hammering on you could play the E as an upstroke.

I'm not 100% sure on the question though... The other answer would be, just hold the last note until you play something else, and then just take it off, so the same thing... :P Staccato!

I read somewhere that sweep picking is easy one you get it.

They were saying that they worked on it forever then boom one day everything just clicked and they were flying.

I'm not spending a lot of time on this but i spend 10-15 minutes on it every time I practice for the last few weeks and i'm seeing imporvent but far from "boom".

I have been an alternative picker for a while now so the picking motion is tough to get right, i keep wanting to pick up-down-up-down ever note. I have noticed that if i push myself to go faster i'm less likely to do this but then i mess up with the rolling of my fretting hand.

often my down sweeps end up as just picking the strings... its annoying =p

I really wish I had a camera to show you guys...
I have a really good system... :P I don't roll the hand or anything... :D

I never really had the boom part. I got it the second I tried it, but my fretting hand wouldn't sync right... I hear It's easier to start also if your primarily an up picked like Marty Friedman... Until last year, I pretty much only up picked and used allot of Legato.

i hook my pinky and just kinda move my arm up and down

I can get the picking motion ok but my rubbishly slow left hand ruins it :(

Check out my sweep picking lesson, It gives detailed instructions on practicing the technique.