----------9--12--9---------------9--12--9---------
------10-------------10-----10-------------10-----
---9----------------------9----------------------9--
-----------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------


So for this I play down, down, down, up on 12 (pulloff for 9), upstroke on 10, then up-and-over 9 to go back to down, down, down etc....
I think this is the right way to play, unfortunately the up-and-over 9 part slows me down, it breaks up the fluid sound because it takes too long to go over the G string just to downstroke it...

How are you supposed to do fast sweeps this way? Do you just have to keep practicing until you can speed up the up-and-over 9 part and make it as fast as the sweeping part?

You're on the right track, that is indeed the 'standard was to do sweeps. Think of the transistion from the 2nd to 3rd string as you would cross-string alternate picking. Eventually, you'll build up speed and it will come quite naturally. You can also use an upstroke on the 3rd string but I would advise against this as it will make you lazy. That said, if you're not used to using alternate picking when crossing strings you're probably going to have a hard time at first.

I believe you are right, thanks. I've always done economy alternate picking where you take the shortest path to the nearest string instead of alternating every time you pick a string.

I just started working on doing true alternate picking even while switching strings. I think once I get used to that it will help. I just need to work on both things. Thanks.

Arrrgh.. so many bad habits...one of the worst things about being self taught.

No worries, man; I had the same problem a while back. I was always using economy picking to cross strings and finally just had to force myself to break the habit. Paul Gilbert's Intense Rock 1 DVD helped quite a bit in that respect.

Perhaps you could post a soundclip of your sweeps?

I'm fairly proficient in most aspects of my playing, sweep picking being the exception. I find it so fucking difficult, its infuriating!

like all things - it takes time and patience. Practice slowly, thoroughly, and do not rush. It's a very tedious practice. Wait until you get to 5 string sweeps with a tap.

This is how I do it and it will solve your speed problem

down, down, down, hammer the 12 and pull off the 9 this is how most people do it fast.

Depends on the kind of effect you want to attain. I personally don't notice any drop in speed whether hammering on or picking the 12th fret note. By picking the 12th fret note you're also accenting that note, which helps to maintain rhythmic clarity.

Thats not really the part that is getting me though. I'm fine with picking up on 12 and pulling off... the tough part is when I do a sweep repeatedly and have to restart. I have to avoid hitting the G string twice so I avoid it coming back up and hit it on the way back down.

Try practising the sweep only downwards for a while, meaning you don't come back up after you play the 12th fret.

Then practise the sweep coming back up only.

Then try to combine the two...see if this helps, worked for me.

That's good advice, and can be applied to any lick that you're having trouble with. By breaking it down in the way that thejuicebitch suggested you can isolate the trouble spot and therefore practice it more effectively.

I've just picked up playing the guitar and I know all the nores on a fretboard but I haven't touched tabs yet so could anyone tell me what those numbers on string correspond to?

They correspond to the fret number, so if you see a 9 on the second string, it means 9th fret on the B string.

Ok so those numbers correspond to the fret number and then sequence of those frets going down the dotted line for strings. He frets 9 and then 12 along that E string for example so on. Not taking consideration of the actual chord structure.

That is correct.

Here's a *quick* tip: Play that lick (fucking seriously) at least 50 times. Count them. Start slow, play note by note. Also, start by doing your right hand's movement without fretting, then your left hand's movement without picking, and then try both. When you feel your hand is about to fall down, stop, and play something else; then start again. Do that until you nail it, I know it sounds fucked up and hard, but it really works, specially for a hard technique like sweep picking. It might take months; even with continuous practice, it took me about 6 months to nail 5-string sweep picking.

It's harsh, but it works!

You're doing it right, or at least that's how Michael Angelo and (i'm pretty sure) Yngwie do it. The key is that last upstroke before the "turnaround" (the "ten" before the "up and over" part).

A lot of players see a lick like that and think "sweep picking, I gotta sweep DOWN and then sweep UP", but in reality the only sweeping in this lick is DOWN.