Lesson 8: Arpeggios - could not post to Theory section?

[jem7vwh]

Lesson 8: Arpeggios
________________

In order for most of this to make sense, it's really important that you've learned the notes on the fretboard, your major and minor scales and are still capable of fitting more ideas into your skull.

Arpeggios are essentially notes of a chord played consecutively with a distinct separation between them. This is the primary difference between strumming and arpeggios. In an arpeggio, each note is articulated at the moment it is played. For this reason you must be very accurate and very confident in your playing. There will be no time to pre-arrange your fingers in the correct shape and then pick out notes. Doing so affects the sound of the notes. They ring out and sound most individual when they are voiced on the fly. This is why so many books have been written about arpeggios and sweep picking etc.

A little about the arpeggio itself. Many arpeggios are based upon the 1, 3, 5, and 7 of a Major or Minor scale. The ones we construct in this lesson are of that family. Let's begin:

We'll use C Major. Now take the root, 3rd, 5th and 7th. We'll put one note per string. Once again, it's nice to fret the lowest note first. Our notes will be C, E, G, B. Here's how I fretted those notes:

e-------------
B----------1-
G-------0----
D-----2------
A---3--------
E-------------

Once you've played the 7th note, go right back down, like so

e-------------------
B----------1--------
G-------0----0-----
D-----2---------2---
A---3-------------3-
E--------------------

Make sure you are pressing your fingers down one at a time. In fact, if you'd like to hear the difference, fret the notes like you would for a chord and pick the figure above. It will not sound as distinct. Practice these slowly. Speed is not nearly as important right now as accuracy is. Make each note clear and perfect. Then, once you're confident, speed it up a little. Slowly increase your playing. As you get faster, you may find that you are "rolling" your hand over the chord shape to make the arpeggios faster. This is fine as long as you're still ensuring that the notes are crisp and clear.

PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE!!

Next time, Intermediate Arpeggios and variations

[jemsite]

sorry, i had it set to admin only while i was moving files. it's now open for anyone to post new topics

[jemsite]

also use the [ /font] close tag at the end of the message or tab to eliminate the tag from showing

[jem7vwh]

thanks *corrected.

[Ivar]

At your example of root, 3th, 5th an 7th you say you have B on the 7th. But on the tab you describe a C note.

Cool lessons BTW!!!

[BrianH]

Originally Posted by Ivar

At your example of root, 3th, 5th an 7th you say you have B on the 7th. But on the tab you describe a C note.

Cool lessons BTW!!!

Thats because the open string is a B, but placing your finger on the 1 fret is a C.

Musical Alphabet A # BC # D # EF # G # A, you'll notice no accidents between the B and C notes. This is why placing your finger on the first fret gives you a C note.

[Ivar]

Yes, I understand. But i thought that he was describing an appregio with a 7th note. Only the tab doesn't have that note, its an appregio without the 7th.

[BrianH]

oh yea, just caught that.. yea he goofed or 'implied' that the last note should be the open B string for the seventh... if it were me I'd tap onto the B at the 12th fret and pull back off to the C and go from there... very cool... but I think he meant the last note should be the open B string... thats common with a beginning arpeggio. This might help...

e-------------
B----------1--0
G-------0----
D-----2------
A---3--------
E-------------

Once you've played the 7th note, go right back down, like so

e-------------------
B----------1-0-1-------
G-------0--------0-----
D-----2------------2---
A---3----------------3-
E-----------------------

[BrianH]

for you ppl who want a cooler version... here you go

------------H-HT-P-P--------
e-----------------------------
B----------0-1-12-1-0------
G-------0--------------0-----
D-----2------------------2---
A---3----------------------3-
E-----------------------------

[Ivar]

Yes, that is what i was trying to say.

[Jeff]

I have a couple questions about sweep picking technique.

First, how exactly do you stop the G on the open G string from ringing.

And another one: Here is a sweep from Vai's Tender Surrener


-----------12--15---------------
--------12-----------------------
-----12--------------------------
--14-----------------------------
----------------------------------
----------------------------------

How are you supposed to sweep the G, B, and E without letting them ring out? Is there some other way to fret this than to bar it?

[BrianH]

you can stop the G by using your picking hand... takes practice.

for the other question, you bar and roll the bar back. You roll it back just enough to stop the G string from ringing while you pick the B, then you roll it back a little more to stop the B and pick the E... this also takes practices.

A helpful practice tip, just practice the bar part.. rolling your finger back and forth while sweeping up and down. Do it slow until you get the hang of it.

[007]

Here´s a nice little C major one:

E------------------3--8--3---------------
B--------------5------------5------------
G-----------5------------------5---------
D--------5------------------------5------
A--3--7-----------------------------7--3
E-----------------------------------------

[Predator]

How's about, A minor:

E-----------------------12-17p12--------------
B------------------13--------------13----------
G--------------14---------------------14-------
D----------14-----------------------------14---
A-12h15-------------------------------------15
E------------------------------------------------

(Triplet feel sounds cute!)

[jem7vwh]

Originally Posted by JEMavenger

I have a couple questions about sweep picking technique.

First, how exactly do you stop the G on the open G string from ringing.

And another one: Here is a sweep from Vai's Tender Surrener


-----------12--15---------------
--------12-----------------------
-----12--------------------------
--14-----------------------------
----------------------------------
----------------------------------

How are you supposed to sweep the G, B, and E without letting them ring out? Is there some other way to fret this than to bar it?

In general, the way you want to play your arpeggios is as if you were picking out each note, so the way to avoid having the G ring, is pick it (and every note) as distinctly as possible. In time, you'll find you can mute the strings without deadening the sound.

As to your next question, I typically play that sweep in this order: ring, index, middle, index, ring. Using that pattern lets me play the arpeggio swiftly and cleanly. Hope this helps