How to Play Fast: Raking

Raking or sweep picking is another technique that takes a while to master. When you rake the strings, you drag the pick over the strings, playing only one note per string. Be sure to mute each string with the left hand immediately after you play the note to prevent the notes from ringing together. If the strings are not muted, the result sounds like a chord.

Key:

Figure 1


E-----------7-8---------------------9-10-----------
B---------5-----6-----------------7------8---------
G-------4---------5-------------6----------7-------
D-----6-------------7---------8--------------9-5---
A---7-----------------8-----9----------------------
E-4---------------------5-6----------------------7-
  i p r i m p p m i r p i i p r i m p p  m i r i r

Figure 2


E-------9-12------------------15-12---------
B-----8------11------------14-------11------
G---7-----------10------13-------------10---
D-6----------------9-12-------------------9-
A-------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------
  i m r p p  r  m  i i  m  r  p  p  r  m  i

Figure 3

Notice the fingering on this exercise. 

                   ho po
E----------------12-17-12----------------
B-------------13----------13-------------
G----------14----------------14----------
D-------14----------------------14-------
A----15----------------------------15----
E-17----------------------------------17-
  p  m  i  r  m  i  p  i  m  r  i  m  p


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