Basic Arpeggio Exercise
Basic Arpeggio Exercises
The arpeggio represents a neglected area of guitar practice. The vast majority of guitar players start off by learning chord s, some end up moving on to scales so they can learn to play lead. But few ever thoroughly study arpeggio s, which are a basic building block connecting the two.
How to Study Arpeggios
In the beginning, you will likely learn to get comfortable with the open position. This is where your first chords are to be found, and likely your first scale as well. Why not learn to play some of those chords in your repertoire as arpeggios?
First, we'll need to know what the notes are in the chord.
Chords in C major
The open chords in C major can be constructed by the notes: C, D, E, F, G, A and B.
| Chord name | Notes |
| C | C, E, G |
| D- | D, F, A |
| E- | E, G, B |
| F | F, A, C |
| G | G, B, D |
| A- | A, C, E |
| Bo | B, D, F |
Constructing the Arpeggio
Next, for each chord we will play all of the possible arpeggio notes in the current (open) position, from lowest to highest. So for our C major arpeggio, we will play all "C", "E" and "G" that are available to us, starting from the lowest and moving to the highest.
Note that, although these shapes may be very similar to chord shapes you already know, you should not attempt to play them merely by fretting chords. That's because the notes of an arpeggio are ideally heard separately, and not allowed to ring together at the same time as they would in a chord.
The Open String Arpeggios
C Major Arpeggio
D Minor Arpeggio
E Minor Arpeggio
F Major Arpeggio
G Major Arpeggio
A Minor Arpeggio
B Diminished Arpeggio
Note that we don't play the "G" string at all for this arpeggio.
Key Tasks
- Practice the arpeggios carefully, making sure the notes don't blend together.
- Name the notes as you practice—understanding the notes is key to arpeggio practice.
