Video Question: Sweep Picking

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Date: February 20th, 2008 | Length: 3.1 | Instructor: Dennis Hodges

Matt11 asks, "In his lesson, Brad demonstrates sweep picking, but I'm confused about the use of it. When mastered, is it quicker than alternate picking? I also thought about the kind of a ,,continuous" sound/feel you get when you play in this technique, but the change is not so drastic. So? :-)" Another benefit of being a member of JamPlay is the video response section. Our expert staff fields questions from our members and provides video responses each week.

Other Video Responses:

Guitar Action - April 28th, 2008 (2 minutes, 13 seconds)

Jdemail78 asks, "I hear a lot about guitar action but I'm not really sure what is good or bad. I had purchased an acoustic guitar that I believe had very low action (strings were very close to the neck of the guitar) and it was very easy to play but it ended up having some issues with fret buzz and other ringing sounds that I did not like and could not get corrected at the local guitar shop. I've since replaced it with a little bit better guitar and I no longer have any fret buzz nor do I have any ringing sounds but it seems like the action is higher (strings are much higher off the neck of the guitar) and therefore, for me as a beginner, it is harder to play. My question is when it comes to an experienced guitar player (which I am not...yet...) is it good to have a guitar with higher action or lower action? What would one typically prefer? Do really nice expensive guitars come with very low action making them easy to play but don't have any buzzing issues or is it a case where as you get better, higher action is ok because your better at fretting chords and notes? My curiosity with this comes from a hope that the guitar I have now, with it's strings higher off the fret board, will slowly become easier to play as I get better and I'll become ok with the higher action because it does sound better and cleaner than the one I had with the lower action. Also, please correct me if I have the "high action" "low action" descriptions backwards." View Response

AC/DC Song Questions - April 21st, 2009 (3 minutes, 19 seconds)

Roccafamilia23 asked "Hi, my question is about the acdc song lesson with Dave Mackenzie. Okay after the three chords are played and after the two notes and the string bend, I'm having trouble seeing what he's doing on the fret board. It looks like he's hitting the fifth string first fret and then the sixth string fourth fifth sixth and seventh sliding his fingers back to the fourth, but I can't tell for sure. Could you please explain in detail this third part of the song to me. Thank you so much. fellow guitarist, Daniel." View Response

Using the Metronome - April 9th, 2009 (3 minutes, 70 seconds)

Daveclamp asked "Hi all, I'm working my way through the phase 1 lessons and I've come across the dreaded metronome! I'm only in my first week so what I'm going to ask may be covered in later lessons? Would it be possible to demonstrate actually using a metronome for a couple of songs. Could this include showing how you work out how to set it up (i.e. how to work out the beat etc by listening to a song, a couple of demos would help). Also, could you demo the use of the Jamplay metronome, especially how to use the multiple beat emphasis option? Thanks for providing an excellent service...I'll send Steve Eulberg an apple! Regards, Dave." View Response

Fingerpicking Technique - August 14th, 2009 (5 minutes, 44 seconds)

Ablazich323 asked "Hey guys, I've been going through Mark's lessons for the past few months and those lessons are mostly (if not all) about rhythm guitar and using a pick. However, i do want to expand my playing and i have tried to sorta teach myself how to finger pick but it isn't working out too well. Any advice that you can give me with finger picking and also are there any specific few lessons i can look at to give me some insight? Appreciate all the help." View Response

12 string tuning - May 5th, 2008 (2 minutes, 17 seconds)

Xandy66 asks, "I just getting back to playing, it has been a while! How do I tune a 12 string? I saw one video on the site that said to tune 1 step down. DGCFAD not the usual EADGFE. Can I use my Guitar tuner, a Fender AG-6?" View Response