Optimal fingering for 3-string ascending / 4-string descending sweep?

Playing Technique
#1

Hey all! Finally started learning sweeping, and currently working on this passage from perpetual burn:

e|------------------12-17-12-----------------------------------------|
B|---------------13----------13--------------------------------------|
G|------------14----------------14-----------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------14--------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------|

I’m trying to play this pattern as follows: downward pickslanting sweep the G14, B13, and e12, upstroke on the e17, pull of and change to downward pickslant on the e12, upward pickslanting sweep the B13, G14, and G14. I use the index finger to play the e12, the middle to play B13, the ring to play G14, and the pinky to play D14.

The problem is that when I go to hit the D14 with my pinky, my ring finger slides down one fret to the 13th fret, which creates a faint major interval that’s definitely not correct.

I’ve thought about barring with my ring finger, but I like the feel of using the pinky more, since it doesn’t make me flatten a finger to the fretboard.

Is my attempt at fingering this possible to repeat consistently and cleanly at high speeds, or should I just go for the bar? If it is possible, any suggestions on practice routines to get it clean (not have that slide to the 13th fret on the G)?

Thanks!

#2

Hi, it would be helpful to hear it in context. I’ve played perpetual burn but I don’t recall that passage. Regardless of that, I’d play it with 3, 2, 1, 4, 1, 2, 3, 3, meaning the last two notes are played by barring the ring finger. You can also try 3, 2, 1, 4, 1, 2, 4, 3 if you don’t want to roll your finger. In general I’d say barring is a much more reliable solution in very fast tempos than using your ring and pinky fingers together, it may feel alien at first but will definitely pay off. If you’d like to loop that lick, having just one note on the d string could be problematic. When ascending you have 3 notes on the high e string and a lot of opportunity to change pickslant to upward but then you have just one note on the d string so you’d have to double strike it or maybe play the previous note with some kind of usx movement and rotate back to downward while the pick is in the air. I don’t know if it’s possible, I definitely can’t do that.

#3

Hi, thanks for the reply! It’s the sweep he plays at this timestamp: https://youtu.be/5qCQLyb0-mI?t=17

At least I think it is. It’s so fast you can’t really tell, even slowed down, if that last note on the D is there or not; but regardless since I’m struggling with it I figure its good practice to play it.

I had figured that barring would be less reliable at high tempos, but now I see that’s not the case. I’ll definitely give that a shot, thanks! I hadn’t thought of using the 3, 2, 1, 3, 1, 2, 4, 3 fingering, I’ll try that out as well.

#4

It’s really hard to hear what’s going on and I’m super tired right now but if these really are 4 string sweeps then I believe there’s a position shift on the d string which allows slant change. When I listen to most guitarists I usually can visualize how they’re doing certain stuff but most of the time when it comes to Jason I have no idea!

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#5

Thanks for this. Not sure what the next sweep is; I can’t tell if it’s two or three string. Your rendition sounds really good though.

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