One of the most exciting and expressive techniques you can use in your guitar playing is arpeggios.
Arpeggios are simply chords that are broken down into individual notes, which can add a lot of melodic and harmonic interest to your solos.
Arpeggios are especially useful in rock and blues styles, where you can use them to create contrast and tension with the underlying chord progression.
Let’s have a look at some examples of how to use arpeggios in rock and blues playing, and how to practice them effectively.
Arpeggios can be played in different ways, such as sweep picking, alternate picking, hammer-ons and pull-offs, tapping, etc.
The most important thing is to know the SHAPE and the SOUND of the arpeggio you want to play, and how it relates to the chord, inversion, scale or mode you are playing over.
For example, if you are playing over a C major chord, you can use a C major arpeggio (C-E-G), or a C major 7 arpeggio (C-E-G-B), or a C major 9 arpeggio (C-E-G-B-D), etc.
Each arpeggio will have a different flavour and effect on the listener.
One of the most common ways to use arpeggios in rock and blues is to mix them with pentatonic scales.
Pentatonic scales are very versatile and easy to play, but they can also sound boring and repetitive if you use them all the time.
By adding some arpeggios to your pentatonic licks, you can create more variety and interest in your solos.
For example, if you are playing over a 12-bar blues in A, you can use the A minor pentatonic scale (A-C-D-E-G) for most of the solo, but when the chord changes to D7, you can play a D7 arpeggio (D-F#-A-C) to highlight the chord change and create some tension.
Then, when the chord goes back to A7, you can resolve the tension by playing an A7 arpeggio (A-C#-E-G) or an A minor pentatonic lick.
Another way to use arpeggios in rock and blues is to play them over a static chord or vamp.
This is a great way to practice your arpeggio shapes and sounds, and also to create some interesting melodies and harmonies.
For example, if you are playing over a C7 vamp, you can play different arpeggios that fit over C7, such as:
C7 (C-E-G-Bb), C9 (C-E-G-Bb-D), C13 (C-E-G-Bb-D-A), G minor 7 (G-Bb-D-F), Bb major 7 (Bb-D-F-A), etc.
You can also play some arpeggios that clash with C7, such as D minor 7 (D-F-A-C), F major 7 (F-A-C-E), A minor 7 (A-C-E-G), etc.
These will create some dissonance and tension that you can resolve by going back to a C7 arpeggio or a C mixolydian scale (C-D-E-F-G-A-Bb).
Arpeggios are a powerful tool that can enhance your rock and blues playing in many ways.
They can help you outline the chord changes, create contrast and tension, and express yourself more melodically and harmonically.
The best way to learn how to use arpeggios is to listen to some of your favourite guitar players who use them well, such as Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Stevie Ray Vaughn etc.
Try to figure out what arpeggios they are using and how they are mixing them with scales and other techniques.
Then practice them on your own guitar until they become part of your musical vocabulary.
Inverted guitar arpeggios are a great way to add some variety to your playing. They are essentially the same as regular arpeggios, but with the notes played in reverse order. This can create some interesting sounds and patterns that you might not get with regular arpeggios.
There are many different types of arpeggios that you can play inverted, including major, minor, diminished and augmented. Each type of arpeggio has its own unique sound and feel.
One way to practice inverted arpeggios is to start with a simple chord progression and then play the arpeggios for each chord in reverse order. For example, if you have a progression that goes C – Am – F – G, you could play the following inverted arpeggios:
- G Major (3rd inversion)
- F Major (2nd inversion)
- A Minor (1st inversion)
- C Major (root position)
This is just one example of how you can use inverted arpeggios in your playing. There are many other ways to incorporate them into your playing, such as using them as a way to transition between chords or as a way to add some extra flavor to your solos.
If you’re interested in learning more about inverted guitar arpeggios, there are many resources available online. You can find instructional videos on YouTube, guitar forums where you can ask questions and get advice from other players, and even online courses that focus specifically on arpeggios.
One of the most exciting and expressive techniques in guitar playing is the inverted arpeggio. An inverted arpeggio is when you play the notes of a chord in a different order than the root, third, and fifth. For example, instead of playing C-E-G for a C major chord, you could play E-G-C or G-C-E. This creates a different sound and feel for the chord, and allows you to explore new melodic possibilities.
Inverted arpeggios are especially effective when played on the higher strings of the guitar, where you can use your fingers or a pick to pluck the notes individually or in groups. You can also use hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, and bends to add more expression and dynamics to your playing. Inverted arpeggios can be used in any style of music, from classical to jazz to rock to metal. They can add interest and variety to your solos, riffs, and accompaniments.
To practice inverted arpeggios, you can start by learning the basic shapes and patterns for each chord type: major, minor, diminished, augmented, etc. You can then apply them to different keys and scales, and experiment with different rhythms and tempos. You can also try to combine different inverted arpeggios together, or mix them with other techniques like scales, chords, or harmonics. The possibilities are endless!
Inverted arpeggios are a great way to expand your guitar vocabulary and creativity. They can help you discover new sounds and emotions on your instrument, and impress your listeners with your skill and originality. If you want to take your guitar playing to the next level, you should definitely give inverted arpeggios a try!
If you love the sound of the LYDIAN mode, you’ll be thrilled to learn some arpeggios that can be played from it. Arpeggios are a great way to spice up your solos and melodies, and they can also help you navigate the fretboard more easily. In this article, I’ll show you three arpeggios that work well with the LYDIAN mode, and how to use them in different musical contexts.
The LYDIAN mode is a major scale with a raised fourth degree. It has a bright and dreamy sound that can evoke a sense of wonder and mystery. The formula for the LYDIAN mode is 1 2 3 #4 5 6 7, and the intervals are W W W H W W H. For example, the C LYDIAN mode is C D E F# G A B.
One of the most common arpeggios that can be played from the LYDIAN mode is the major seventh arpeggio. This arpeggio consists of the root, third, fifth and seventh degrees of the scale, and it has a smooth and elegant sound. The formula for the major seventh arpeggio is 1 3 5 7, and the intervals are M3 m3 M3 m2. For example, the C major seventh arpeggio is C E G B.
Another arpeggio that can be played from the LYDIAN mode is the augmented triad. This arpeggio consists of the root, third and augmented fifth degrees of the scale, and it has a tense and exotic sound. The formula for the augmented triad is 1 3 #5, and the intervals are M3 M3 m3. For example, the C augmented triad is C E G#.
A third arpeggio that can be played from the LYDIAN mode is the diminished seventh arpeggio. This arpeggio consists of the root, minor third, diminished fifth and diminished seventh degrees of the scale, and it has a dark and dissonant sound. The formula for the diminished seventh arpeggio is 1 b3 b5 bb7, and the intervals are m3 m3 m3 m3. For example, the C diminished seventh arpeggio is C Eb Gb A.
To use these arpeggios in your playing, you can try to match them with the chords that are derived from the LYDIAN mode. For instance, over a Cmaj7 chord, you can play a C major seventh arpeggio or a C augmented triad. Over a Dm7 chord, you can play a D diminished seventh arpeggio or a D major seventh arpeggio. Over an Em7 chord, you can play an E diminished seventh arpeggio or an E augmented triad. And so on.
You can also experiment with different ways of playing these arpeggios, such as using different fingerings, positions, patterns, rhythms and articulations. You can also combine them with other scales and modes to create more harmonic variety and interest.
I hope you enjoyed this article and learned some new arpeggios that can be played from the LYDIAN mode. These arpeggios can add a lot of color and expression to your music, and they can also help you expand your musical vocabulary and creativity.
Have fun playing them and adding them to your own songs and repertoire.
