The Muse's Muse  
Muses MailMuses Newsmuse chatsongwriting resource home
Regular Columnists


Playing with Uncommon Arpeggios
By Alex Jasperse - 10/27/2007 - 02:34 PM EDT


On the guitar, arpeggios are the notes of a particular chord played one at a time. Often referred to as a “broken chord,” arpeggios can liven up the sound of a chord, and are great starting points for creating melodies based off of the chord.



(a) Stretching your fingers:
   
Below, is an uncommon arpeggio that was made popular by Joe Satriani, during the 90s. It’s a bit of a stretch at first, and will require you to use all four fingers to master it properly.

For the first three notes (B-F#-C#), you should be using fingers 1-2-4, and for the next three notes (D-A-E), you should be using fingers 1-3-4.













(b) Moving it around:

Once you’re comfortable with the ascending and descending patterns, it’s time to try moving the pattern around on the fretboard. In this case, the pattern moves up the neck, but it should also be tried going down the neck, as well.













(c) Returning to chords:

Demonstrated in a descending pattern, bars 1 to 3 (Bm-Bsus2-B5), and 4 to 6 (Am-Asus2-A5), allows you start with the arpeggio shape you just practiced, maintain a root note, and liven up a typical power chord with the movement of only your pinky. Try it in various combinations across the fretboard, to achieve maximum effect.






[ Current Articles | Archives ]

Help For Newcomers
Help for Newcomers
Interactivities
Interactivities
Helpful Resources
Helpful Resources
Regular Columnists
Columnists
Music Reviews
Spotlights
Spotlights
Services
Services Offered
About the  Muse's Muse
About Muse's Muse
Subscribe to The Muse's News, free monthly newsletter for songwriters
with exclusive articles, copyright & publishing advice, music, website & book reviews, contest & market information, a chance to win prizes & more!

Join today!



Created & Maintained
by Jodi Krangle


Design:


© 1995 - 2016, The Muse's Muse Songwriting Resource. All rights reserved.

Read The Muse's Muse Privacy Statement