Arpeggio Exercises
Contents
Major
C Shape
|o|-|-|o| |-|x|-|-| |o|-|-|-| |-|-|o|-| |-|-|-|x| |o|-|-|o| |
E--------------------0--3--0----------------------- B-----------------1-----------1-------------------- G--------------0-----------------0----------------- D-----------2-----------------------2-------------- A--------3-----------------------------3----------- E--0--3-----------------------------------3--0--3-- |
|i|-|-|p| |-|m|-|-| |i|-|-|-| |-|-|r|-| |-|-|-|p| |i|-|-|p| |
E--------------------4--7--4----------------------- B-----------------5-----------5-------------------- G--------------4-----------------4----------------- D-----------6-----------------------6-------------- A--------7-----------------------------7----------- E--4--7-----------------------------------7--4--7-- |
Repeat each twice, then play twice one octave higher.
A Shape
|o|-|-|-|-|x| |-|-|o|-|-|-| |-|-|x|-|-|-| |-|-|o|-|-|-| |x|-|-|-|o|-| |o|-|-|-|-|-| |
E--------------------0--5--0----------------------- B-----------------2-----------2-------------------- G--------------2-----------------2----------------- D-----------2-----------------------2-------------- A-----0--4-----------------------------4--0-------- E--0-----------------------------------------0--x-- |
|i|-|-|-|-|p| |-|-|m|-|-|-| |-|-|m|-|-|-| |-|-|m|-|-|-| |i|-|-|-|p|-| |i|-|-|-|-|-| |
E--------------------4--9--4----------------------- B-----------------6-----------6-------------------- G--------------6-----------------6----------------- D-----------6-----------------------6-------------- A-----4--8-----------------------------8--4-------- E--4-----------------------------------------4--x-- |
Repeat each twice, then play twice one octave higher.
G Shape
|-|-|-|x| |o|-|-|o| |x|-|-|-| |o|-|-|-| |-|-|o|-| |-|-|-|x| |
E--------------------3----------------- B--------------0--3-----3--0----------- G-----------0-----------------0-------- D--------0-----------------------0----- A-----2-----------------------------2-- E--3----------------------------------- |
|-|-|-|p| |i|-|-|p| |i|-|-|-| |i|-|-|-| |-|-|r|-| |-|-|-|p| |
E--------------------7----------------- B--------------4--7-----7--4----------- G-----------4-----------------4-------- D--------4-----------------------4----- A-----6-----------------------------6-- E--7----------------------------------- |
Repeat each twice, then play twice one octave higher.
E Shape
|x|-|-|-|o| |o|-|-|-|-| |-|o|-|-|o| |-|-|x|-|-| |-|-|o|-|-| |x|-|-|-|o| |
E--------------------0--4--0----------------------- B-----------------0-----------0-------------------- G--------------1-----------------1----------------- D-----------2-----------------------2-------------- A--------2-----------------------------2----------- E--0--4-----------------------------------4--0--x-- |
|i|-|-|-|p| |i|-|-|-|-| |-|m|-|-|-| |-|-|r|-|-| |-|-|r|-|-| |i|-|-|-|p| |
E--------------------4--8--4----------------------- B-----------------4-----------4-------------------- G--------------5-----------------5----------------- D-----------6-----------------------6-------------- A--------6-----------------------------6----------- E--4--8-----------------------------------8--4--x-- |
|i|-|-|-|p| |-|-|-|-|-| |-|i|-|-|p| |-|-|m|-|-| |-|-|m|-|-| |i|-|-|-|p| |
E--------------------4--8--4----------------------- B-------------------------------------------------- G--------------5--8-----------8--5----------------- D-----------6-----------------------6-------------- A--------6-----------------------------6----------- E--4--8-----------------------------------8--4--x-- |
Repeat each twice, then play twice one octave higher.
D Shape
|-|-|o|-|-| |-|-|-|x|-| |-|-|o|-|-| |x|-|-|-|o| |o|-|-|-|-| |-|-|o|-|-| |
E--------------------2----------------- B-----------------3-----3-------------- G--------------2-----------2----------- D--------0--4-----------------4--0----- A-----0-----------------------------0-- E--2----------------------------------- | ||
|-|-|m|-|-| |-|-|-|r|-| |-|-|m|-|-| |i|-|-|-|p| |i|-|-|-|-| |-|-|m|-|-| |
|-|-|r|-|-| |-|-|-|p|-| |-|-|r|-|-| |i|-|-|-|p| |i|-|-|-|-| |-|-|r|-|-| |
E--------------------6----------------- B-----------------7-----7-------------- G--------------6-----------6----------- D--------4--8-----------------8--4----- A-----4-----------------------------4-- E--6----------------------------------- | |
Repeat each twice, then play twice one octave higher.
Transitions
C - A
1 2 3 4 E-------------2--5-/10-5-------------------------- B----------3--------------7----------------------- G-------2--------------------7-------------------- D----4--------------------------7----------------- A-5--------------------------------9--5----------- E----------------------------------------5-\2--5--
C - G
1 2 3 4 E-------------2--5-/10---------------------------- B----------3-----------10-7----------------------- G-------2--------------------7-------------------- D----4--------------------------7----------------- A-5--------------------------------9-------------- E-------------------------------------10-5-\2--5--
C - E
1 2 3 4 E-------------2--5-/14-10------------------------- B----------3--------------10---------------------- G-------2--------------------11------------------- D----4--------------------------12---------------- A-5--------------------------------12------------- E-------------------------------------14-10\2--5--
C - D
1 2 3 4 E-------------2--5-/14---------------------------- B----------3-----------15------------------------- G-------2-----------------14---------------------- D----4-----------------------16-12---------------- A-5--------------------------------12------------- E-------------------------------------14-10-\2--5--
A - G
A - E
A - D
A - C
G - E
G - D
G - C
G - A
E - D
E - C
E - A
E - G
D - C
D - A
D - G
D - E
Minor
Major 7
Dominant 7
Minor 7
Fully Diminished
Half Diminished
Augmented
Extra Credit
- Play all of the above exercises repeated 4-8 times, but play strummed chords between repetitions. This will force you to alternate between the fingerings to arpeggiate every note for the position, and the fingering shape used to make the strummed chord.
- Do the above, but instead of strumming chords, pick each note 1 by 1 arpeggiating the chord, but hold the chord shape and sustain each note. When you transition back to picking every possible note for the position, make sure you play at the same speed as when you were holding the chord shape.