Arpeggios

For the arpeggios, we will take System 5’s arpeggio exercise to the next level. In System 5, you practiced arpeggios on three string sets. This is an invaluable tool for guitarists, one that will help you immensely in your playing. In System 6, you will still do three string sets, but you will play through all of the major and minor chords in common progressions. For both, you will play arpeggios over the I, IV, and V in the major and minor keys.

Mastery of this exercise will allow you to play intelligently through fast changes. Since these arpeggios cover all but the diminished chord, you will start to see each of these chords in smaller string sets quickly, allowing you to see the arpeggios and how they relate. This will help you to make good melodies that target chord tones and thus sound like you are following the chord changes more closely. As an improviser, you don’t ever want to sound like you are simply wandering when you are playing.