Sweep Picking Arpeggios in A Minor

Sweep picking (or "raking") is the technique of playing multi-string arpeggios with a single fluid picking motion — downstroke for ascending strings, upstroke for descending. Unlike alternate picking where each string gets an opposing pick direction, sweep picking uses one continuous motion across all strings. The result is a waterfall of notes that sounds blazing fast even at moderate tempos. This progression cycles through Am, C, G, and E major arpeggios in 5-string shapes, ascending and descending in a constant stream. Each arpeggio shape spans the full fretboard across five strings (A through high e), requires a single barre at the top, and must roll smoothly back down before the next arpeggio begins. The most critical element is left-hand muting: each fretted note must release the instant it is picked, preventing the notes from ringing together (which turns the arpeggio into a chord). The sound is clean articulation, not a blur.