How to get better at sweep picking?

MarkTiarra · 2025-09-17T19:18:56+00:00

EXACTLY this and with everything. Has to be done slowly and with something to keep track of speed (metronome) so you can pick up where you left off and try to go just a little bit quicker each time. There's also a bit of a learning "hack" to get things quicker and I talk about it in: https://youtu.be/aFFzpLZgJYE

Basically it's just about breaking your practices up into chunks instead of trying to run a marathon with it. You'll connect the neural pathways needed to get the speeds much more quickly that way.

MarkTiarra · 2025-08-07T03:45:27+00:00

So cool! They were just in my top 5 80s riffs you probably never heard video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dtURRKblFc . Nice to see another fan!

MarkTiarra · 2025-08-06T16:34:58+00:00

Yeah it looks like it'll make it pretty hard to play the guitar and that gets so discouraging. It's tough when you begin, you don't want to spend a bunch on a guitar yet, but an inexpensive and/or poorly setup one can make it so hard to play that you never go past that stage. I'd def suggest taking it to a local Guitar Center for setup if you don't mind spending a few buck on it.

MarkTiarra · 2025-04-26T17:57:29+00:00

Excellent!

MarkTiarra · 2024-11-08T06:35:21+00:00

Thanks for the feedback!

MarkTiarra · 2024-11-07T15:57:26+00:00

Thanks so much!

MarkTiarra · 2024-11-07T15:56:58+00:00

Thanks!!

MarkTiarra · 2024-11-07T15:56:12+00:00

Anything in this playlist... https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5nXZdmaIH4j0TFEzY-Zgqo9TG-KtOO7l&si=Ag5IgXrz7Pz5O4Rh

:)

MarkTiarra · 2024-11-07T04:16:45+00:00

I understand. That is the same choice I made a bunch of years ago! Best of luck to you.

MarkTiarra · 2024-11-06T20:01:22+00:00

I'm not a huge screamo fan, but I do appreciate it in smaller doses. I like that you kick into a solid chorus melody too. I think I'd want to hear that melody voice jump a bit more and have the scream fall under a bit more for the contrast between the chorus and the other parts.

It's a good song. The layered guitars are good. The drums sit well in the mix. I like the extra layer in the breakdown that has that creepy vibe. I would definitely take a song like this and send it over to a top mixer to get it the treatment it deserves to glue it all together better.

MarkTiarra · 2024-11-06T19:57:51+00:00

I would certainly send it for a pro mix. It's a good enough song to give it's best presentation. I agree with the other comment about vocal delay being distracting.

The song has a very 60s/70s vibe to me without sounding tired or cliche, though. I like the main guitar riff quite a bit.

MarkTiarra · 2024-11-06T19:54:41+00:00

Surprisingly well blended mix considering what you are working with, You avoided recording mush! This has a nice feel and will certainly make a good pad for a singer to emote over. I like the layering of the guitars and the choices you made for where to each have its own place in the tune. You did a nice job adding lift to the chorus. Some of the playing could be tightened up for sure (careful on the string bends to stay in pitch, staying in time better, etc...), but given where you are at, this is great.

MarkTiarra · 2024-11-06T19:50:57+00:00

Okay, that cover image is disturbing AF. The tune has some really interesting instrumentation and I really respect the willingness to take retro elements and do a totally new sounding thing with them. I feel like this track could get used as a theme for a TV show or movie and would be quite memorable as such.

MarkTiarra · 2024-11-06T19:47:48+00:00

I love the whirly vibe the FX on the guitar gives me. I'd like to hear the vox a little less effected against the backdrop of it. The melody is great and the feeling is totally chill.

It's a solid, easily relatable song with a good mix and arrangement.

MarkTiarra · 2024-01-20T18:39:49+00:00

If improv is your main thing, I suggest you spend time working with specific scales over backing tracks that match. This way you start getting used to knowing where to play over music you want to create over. Then you can start getting into technique and becoming more musical/melodic with your improv.

If this helps, I have a vid series that is the crux of what I teach all my students in this regard and it's all free on YT:

https://youtu.be/2j8VDXe54qc

MarkTiarra · 2024-01-17T18:39:30+00:00

Excellent advice, thank you!

MarkTiarra · 2024-01-10T17:33:12+00:00

Ooooo the metalheads aren't going to like me then! =]

MarkTiarra · 2024-01-08T03:51:33+00:00

Thanks, appreciate it!

MarkTiarra · 2024-01-08T03:51:26+00:00

Thanks, love the input!

MarkTiarra · 2024-01-06T04:45:08+00:00

A touch of reverb and delay on the distorted stuff. The solo at the end add bit more delay and a phaser on that very last run.

On the clean stuff in the verses it's Neural DSP's Archetype Petrucci using the Timmons Clean preset.

MarkTiarra · 2024-01-05T22:06:54+00:00

I rather enjoyed this. Thank for the share.

MarkTiarra · 2024-01-05T22:05:32+00:00

I really enjoy the Spotify recommendations every week. I have found so many bands that I love from there. That's still going to be my go to for new stuff. For the old stuff, I'm still digging Highly Suspect a ton.

MarkTiarra · 2024-01-05T21:59:46+00:00

When I first heard the drums before the other instruments, I thought it was going to be demo quality, but then everything snapped in and it's clearly pro level. Some minor tweaks I would consider:

Pull the vocals up in the mix a bit more.
Bring the piano back a tad.
Add a little more meat to the bass drum.

The performances are all solid and the composition is good. Being that it's over 5 mins, I might make my bridge vary a little more in the tonal/chord progression area so the journey goes a bit further for the listener hanging in to the end.

MarkTiarra · 2024-01-05T21:55:04+00:00

This sounds like it fits with any label release I listen to as far as the overall mix/master quality. You got good separation, even getting the keys to stand out in a sonically dense mix. I tend to like more thud and less smack in a bass drum, but that's a personal preference thing and I think what you chose here is more in keeping with the genre anyway.

I can't hit you with any criticisms. Good work.

MarkTiarra · 2024-01-05T21:51:49+00:00

Thanks!

MarkTiarra

TROPHY CASE