Just how am I supposed to play Man On The Silver Mountain?

[Matt300ZXT]

Alright, if you are familiar with this song, you know exactly which part I am talking about. My hand WANTS to just alternate pick everything, but my common sense tells me to try and sweep it, just very slowly. How am I supposed to play the bridge or chorus or whatever it's classified as? Grr!

 

[DanTravis62]

Alright, if you are familiar with this song, you know exactly which part I am talking about. My hand WANTS to just alternate pick everything, but my common sense tells me to try and sweep it, just very slowly. How am I supposed to play the bridge or chorus or whatever it's classified as? Grr!

It depends on how you hold your pick angle and if you start on a down or upstroke.

Just like all arpeggios of this shape (mr crowley) youve got to downward pickslant at the very least that low note to escape back up.

You can sweep it if you want to, but its way easier to convert the three string shape to 2+1

 

[simonfrewler]

Don't overthink it. Breath.

Also think that it is officially a pre chorus.

 

[DanTravis62]

I.E. instead of

--5----------------------------------------------------
---6---------------you play ------ 10--6----------
----7- ------------------------------------ 7-------



just like you'd play the crowley arpeggio, with some big stretches

i have giant hands so it works for me, but I would imagine if you want to sweep it, it's possible

 

[Matt300ZXT]

I.E. instead of

5
6 you play 10 6
7 7



just like you'd play the crowley arpeggio, with some big stretches

i have giant hands so it works for me, but I would imagine if you want to sweep it, it's possible

Holy shit....even though I ALMOST have it up to speed, up until he goes into the higher chords near the 12th fret, that way is much easier Dan. I may just try and rearrange the notes and see if that works better. Thanks!

 

[DanTravis62]

Holy shit....even though I ALMOST have it up to speed, up until he goes into the higher chords near the 12th fret, that way is much easier Dan. I may just try and rearrange the notes and see if that works better. Thanks!

I think it sounds way cleaner this way too. I've seen ritchie do it both ways, but i vastly prefer the "crowleyesque" way of doing it. There's a couple big stretches but its doable and just sounds right to my ears

 

[mAx___]

If you want to play it the way Ritchie typically plays those types of arpeggios, you have to sweep up each note and then come back with a downstroke.
I hope that makes sense. Here's a quick video I made a while ago. The picking pattern is very unusual but it makes lots of sense In the end:

 

[Techdeth]

Correction I do down up up

 

[mAx___]

If you want to play it the way Ritchie typically plays those types of arpeggios, you have to sweep up each note and then come back with a downstroke.
I hope that makes sense. Here's a quick video I made a while ago. The picking pattern is very unusual but it makes lots of sense In the end:

To be more specific, the pattern is [up-up-up-down] then it loops over the chord changes.

 

[Techdeth]

Holy shit....even though I ALMOST have it up to speed, up until he goes into the higher chords near the 12th fret, that way is much easier Dan. I may just try and rearrange the notes and see if that works better. Thanks!

Ya even though it’s easier I’d still want to be able to play it like he did . I would do like Dan said for now but go back and master the other way as to have total control of your playing . The Ritchie does it has value for other riffs . But Dans right that way is way easier . BUT it sounds different . So don’t give up . Learn both . Fuvk even learn how to play with all inversions on the fretboard so that your mechanics are down for many differbt scenarios . I teach this concept too my students . There’s many ways to play this part and if you connect the dots if thise you can create new patterns for yourself

 

[simonfrewler]

Ya even though it’s easier I’d still want to be able to play it like he did . I would do like Dan said for now but go back and master the other way as to have total control of your playing . The Ritchie does it has value for other riffs . But Dans right that way is way easier . BUT it sounds different . So don’t give up . Learn both . Fuvk even learn how to play with all inversions on the fretboard so that your mechanics are down for many differbt scenarios . I teach this concept too my students . There’s many ways to play this part and if you connect the dots if thise you can create new patterns for yourself

 

[CarlF]

He never played those arpeggio’s live anyway

 

[DanTravis62]

He never played those arpeggio’s live anyway

That's why I play it the crowley way, instead of the "slow yngwie diminished sweep" way max describes

I can play it both ways, I just think it sounds better and more "authorative" that way

 

[* velcro-fly *]

Just play this:

 

[* velcro-fly *]

Or this

 

[mAx___]

Just play this:

For "Kill The King" the arpeggios have a different picking pattern but the sweeping technique is essentially the same. Blackmore has been sweep picking from very early on, it's an integral part of his playing. Here's how he played the arpeggios live: