swept storkes

a

michael,
ok, so if the weight of wrist is what creates the momentum for downstrokes, does the craning movement of the arm provide momentum for swept strokes? should i push through the strings with my forearm?

also, (especially at slow, practice tempos [40-60bpm]) do you relax your hand after an upstroke? should i just let my hand drop?

thanks,
a

MichaelHorowitz

a wrote:

michael,
ok, so if the weight of wrist is what creates the momentum for downstrokes, does the craning movement of the arm provide momentum for swept strokes? should i push through the strings with my forearm?

YES!

a wrote:

also, (especially at slow, practice tempos [40-60bpm]) do you relax your hand after an upstroke? should i just let my hand drop?

Not totally sure what you mean. Usually you're going to play another down stroke so yes, you should drop for the next stroke. If you mean you want to return to the rest position without playing a note, No, don't do that.

good luck!

'm

George Brock

I have been using Michael's ideas with the swept stroke but I do not understand what you are refering to, when you talk about the craning of your arm.

I have not been able to play that fast but the arm is much more relaxed using this idea.

=={=}

George

a

by craning, i mean using the forearm to raise or lower the picking hand when you want to play on different strings (like a window washer on a skyscraper), instead of relying on your wrist to change strings.

the benefit of craning is that you aren't using your wrist to do two things at once (ie. change position and pick at the same time). also, the sound is much more consistent because each string is attacked in the same way.

i've noticed that when i try to push through a swept stroke with my wrist, i invariably end up moving my thumb and index finger to make up for the lack of momentum.

even when i use my forearm to push through, all the pressure gets put on my thumb- which seems to be the only thing preventing the pick from popping out of my hand. i know we aren't supposed to grab the pick, but when i do swept strokes, my thumb gets all tense. is that normal?

thanks,
a[/i]

MichaelHorowitz

a wrote:

by craning, i mean using the forearm to raise or lower the picking hand when you want to play on different strings (like a window washer on a skyscraper), instead of relying on your wrist to change strings.

I also refer to the function of the forarm as a crane, moving the hand into position so the wrist can propel the pick.

a wrote:

even when i use my forearm to push through, all the pressure gets put on my thumb- which seems to be the only thing preventing the pick from popping out of my hand. i know we aren't supposed to grab the pick, but when i do swept strokes, my thumb gets all tense. is that normal?

I hold the pick a little more firmly when doing a lot of sweeping. But not too hard, and I'd go back to relaxing as soon as you're done with the motion.

'm

djangology

what is this "swept storks" thing? does the craning movement of the arm have something to do with birds?

a

nothing to do with birds. that was a typo, not some kind of gypsy/karate move.

by "craning," i meant like a crane that they use on construction sites; something that lifts a load from one height to another.

djangology

i was only kidding... i had to say something. the spelling error was left wide open.

JAMF

What about sweeping up? And I'm not talking about around the house. I am Kool & the Gang letting gravity and the weight of my forearm push through the notes going down. I get spastic trying to go up, toward the 6th string. It's just not as smooth. What would Django do?

MichaelHorowitz

JAMF wrote:

What about sweeping up?

Sweeping up is never done in the trad. style of Gypsy picking. It breaks the downstroke rule. Some modern guys do it, and Django maybe did it in one or two rare cases. I wouldn't worry about it untill you've mastered the basics.

Good Luck!

-Michael