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The 23 Essential Guitar Arpeggios to Get Smooth

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Photo by Benjamin Deutsch
Arpeggios are often used for sweep picking also referred as economy picking (different from alternate picking).

It is a technique that creates a fast and fluid sound.

Frank Gambale, Yngwie Malmsteen among others are experts in this field. So if you like to show off or just create incredible sounds on your guitar try arpeggio sweep picking.

Besides using it for fast playing, I really like to use it as a handy tool for improvisation.

If you don’t want to sound like you are playing scales all the time then you can use arpeggios as an extra ingredient to spice things up with a really nice flavor.

When using arpeggios in improvisation play them occasionally, try to play parts and pieces or play random notes of an arpeggio to create cool sounding licks. Use your creativity.

Tip1: Not only play arpeggios but use them in your improvisation.
If you don’t do this it’s like you are learning new words but don’t apply them in your language.

Tip2: Learn every arpeggio in different positions on the neck so you become familiar with the shape of the arpeggio rather than concentrating on which frets you put your fingers in one particular postion.

Here are the 23 essentials that can really open up your playing and improvisation skills.

Have fun and work hard.
You’ll benefit from it!



#1 D Major Arpeggio
e:--------------2h5p2----------------------------------------|
B:-----------3---------3-------------------------------------|
G:--------2---------------2----------------------------------|
D:-----4---------------------4-------------------------------|
A:--5--------------------------5-----------------------------|
E:-----------------------------------------------------------|

 


#2 Em Minor Arpeggio
e:--------------3h7p3----------------------------------------|
B:-----------5---------5-------------------------------------|
G:--------4---------------4----------------------------------|
D:-----5---------------------5-------------------------------|
A:--7----------------------------7---------------------------|
E:-----------------------------------------------------------|

 

#3 C Major Arpeggio
e:----------------------8h12p8-------------------------------|
B:-------------------8----------8----------------------------|
G:----------------9----------------9-------------------------|
D:------------10----------------------10---------------------|
A:--------10------------------------------10-----------------|
E:--8h12--------------------------------------12p8-----------|

 

#4 Am7 Arpeggio
e:-------------------------5h8p5-----------------------------|
B:-------------------5--8--------8--5------------------------|
G:----------------5--------------------5---------------------|
D:----------5--7--------------------------7--5---------------|
A:-------7--------------------------------------7------------|
E:-5--8--------------------------------------------8--5------|

 

#5 C7 Arpeggio
e:--------------------3h6p3----------------------------------|
B:-----------------5---------5-------------------------------|
G:-----------3--5---------------5--3-------------------------|
D:-----2--5---------------------------5--2-------------------|
A:--3---------------------------------------3----------------|
E:-----------------------------------------------------------|

 

#6 Gmaj7 Arpeggio
e:-------------------------2h3p2-----------------------------|
B:----------------------3---------3--------------------------|
G:-------------------4---------------4-----------------------|
D:-------------4--5---------------------5--4-----------------|
A:-------2--5---------------------------------5--2-----------|
E:-2--3---------------------------------------------3--2-----|

 

#7 A Major Arpeggio
e:-------------------5h9p5-----------------------------------|
B:----------------5---------5--------------------------------|
G:-------------6---------------6-----------------------------|
D:----------7---------------------7--------------------------|
A:----4--7---------------------------7--4--------------------|
E:--5---------------------------------------5----------------|

 

#8 C Minor Arpeggio
e:----------------------8h11p8-------------------------------|
B:-------------------8----------8----------------------------|
G:----------------8----------------8-------------------------|
D:------------10----------------------10---------------------|
A:--------10------------------------------10-----------------|
E:--8h11--------------------------------------11p8-----------|

 

#9 Em7b5 Arpeggio
e:---------------------6h10p6--------------------------------|
B:------------------8----------8-----------------------------|
G:------------7--9----------------9--7-----------------------|
D:---------8-----------------------------8-------------------|
A:--7--10-----------------------------------10--7------------|
E:-----------------------------------------------------------|

 

#10 G7 Arpeggio
e:--------------------------3h7p3----------------------------|
B:--------------------3--6---------6--3----------------------|
G:-----------------4---------------------4-------------------|
D:-----------3--5---------------------------5--3-------------|
A:-----2--5----------------------------------------5--2------|
E:--3-----------------------------------------------------3--|

 

#11 E Diminished Arpeggio
e:------------------------9h12p9-----------------------------|
B:------------------8-11----------11-8-----------------------|
G:---------------9----------------------9--------------------|
D:---------8-11----------------------------11-8--------------|
A:-----10----------------------------------------10----------|
E:--12----------------------------------------------12-------|

 

#12 A Major 4 string Arpeggio
e:--------------5h9p5----------------------------------------|
B:-----------5---------5-------------------------------------|
G:--------6---------------6----------------------------------|
D:-----7---------------------7-------------------------------|
A:-----------------------------------------------------------|
E:-----------------------------------------------------------|

 

#13 A Minor 4 string Arpeggio
e:--------------5h8p5----------------------------------------|
B:-----------5---------5-------------------------------------|
G:--------5---------------5----------------------------------|
D:-----7---------------------7-------------------------------|
A:-----------------------------------------------------------|
E:-----------------------------------------------------------|

 

#14 A Major 3 string Arpeggio
e:------------12h17p12---------------------------------------|
B:--------14------------14-----------------------------------|
G:----14--------------------14-------------------------------|
D:-----------------------------------------------------------|
A:-----------------------------------------------------------|
E:-----------------------------------------------------------|

 

#15 A Minor 3 string Arpeggio
e:------------12h17p12---------------------------------------|
B:--------13------------13-----------------------------------|
G:----14--------------------14-------------------------------|
D:-----------------------------------------------------------|
A:-----------------------------------------------------------|
E:-----------------------------------------------------------|

 

#16 G Ionian Arpeggio
e:-----------------------------------------------------------|
B:--------------------5h8p5----------------------------------|
G:-----------------5--------5--------------------------------|
D:-----------4--7----------------7--4------------------------|
A:--------5----------------------------5---------------------|
E:--3--7----------------------------------7--3---------------|

 

#17 A Dorian Arpeggio
e:-----------------------------------------------------------|
B:--------------------7h10p7---------------------------------|
G:-----------------7----------7------------------------------|
D:-----------5--9----------------9--5------------------------|
A:--------7----------------------------7---------------------|
E:--5--8----------------------------------8--5---------------|

 

#18 B Phrygian Arpeggio
e:-----------------------------------------------------------|
B:--------------------8h12p8---------------------------------|
G:-----------------9----------9------------------------------|
D:-----------7--10---------------10--7-----------------------|
A:--------9----------------------------9---------------------|
E:--7--10---------------------------------10--7--------------|

 

#19 C Lydian Arpeggio
e:-----------------------------------------------------------|
B:--------------------10h13p10-------------------------------|
G:-----------------11----------11----------------------------|
D:-----------9--12---------------12--9-----------------------|
A:--------10---------------------------10--------------------|
E:--8--12---------------------------------12--8--------------|

 

#20 D Mixolydian Arpeggio
e:-----------------------------------------------------------|
B:-----------------------12h15p12----------------------------|
G:-------------------12-----------12-------------------------|
D:------------10--14------------------14--10-----------------|
A:---------12---------------------------------12-------------|
E:--10--14----------------------------------------14--10-----|

 

#21 E Aeolian Arpeggio
e:-----------------------------------------------------------|
B:-----------------------13h17p13----------------------------|
G:-------------------14-----------14-------------------------|
D:------------12--16------------------16--12-----------------|
A:---------14---------------------------------14-------------|
E:--12--15----------------------------------------15--12-----|

 

#22 F# Locrian Arpeggio
e:-----------------------------------------------------------|
B:-----------------------15h19p15----------------------------|
G:-------------------16-----------16-------------------------|
D:------------14--17------------------17--14-----------------|
A:---------15---------------------------------15-------------|
E:--14--17----------------------------------------17--14-----|

 

#23 A7#5 Arpeggio
e:----------------------9h13p9-------------------------------|
B:---------------9--10---------10--9-------------------------|
G:----------10------------------------10---------------------|
D:------11--------------------------------11-----------------|
A:--12----------------------------------------12-------------|
E:-----------------------------------------------------------|


 

If you're really into arpeggios check here for more

 
 
 
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Related posts:

  1. Graceful 3 String One Octave Arpeggio Workout
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  3. Playing 2 String Triad Arpeggios All Over The Neck
  4. The Four Most Essential Barre Chords

Comments

  1. Hello Klaus,

    Very neat and nice site. I like it a lot, it’s awesome! I’ve read all your articles and I can’t wait for the next one. In every article I learned something new and I improved myself. You teached me some great stuff with this blog and the guitar lessons, I hope I can do the same thing someday. Teach people cool things and contribute something to their lives. It must be a great feeling to do that.

    Keep up the good work! And may the force be with you! See you wednesday!

    William.

  2. Hi William,

    Thanks for reading the entire archive. Wow! Love your enthusiasm.

    Yes it’s a really awesome feeling to share people what I’ve learned, to inspire and get such nice feedback in return. It’s what keeps me going.

    Thanks for the force :)

    Klaus Crow

  3. Thanks for this. I will get to work on this.

    Curious about whether arpeggios can be learned as forms (much like scale forms). In which case, you wouldn’t really need to learn any specific arpeggio (such as C major or E diminished) but just learn the form for a major arpeggio and diminished arpeggio as they relate to different roots. That way it would be much easier to start to move them around the neck.

    Does this make sense?

    Kevin

  5. thanks for the great site all i could ask for is some more midi file to really get an understanding of what it should sound like other than by just playing. Also is there a way to better arpeggio practice?

  6. Klaus,

    Your site is a great resource for guitarists of all abilities to improve their technique and , as important, their understanding of music theory

    Thank you so much for what you have published – it certainly is a constant reference for me

    GC

  8. Hi Klaus,

    I’m beginning with the guitar. Your site is realy helpfull.
    What is the difference between Arpeggio and finger style?

    what is the 2h5p2? I have looked up this notation on the internet and found:
    h = hammer
    p = pull

  9. I second Kevin Haggerty’s question! Any tips on chord formations that make arpeggios translatable across the fretboard?

  11. To those who were asking, Kevin Haggerty for example, whether arpeggios can be translated to movable shapes like scales: Yes they can and actually, they already are movable.

    These arpeggios all start at the root of the indicated chord, so take that note and move it to the desired position on the fretboard and you get the appropriate shape to play.

    For example, let’s take a look at the first D major arpeggio:

    The first note is a D, played on the 5th fret on the A string, which is the root of the D major chord. This arpeggio is very straightforward and for those familiar with the CAGED system, it’s a “C major shape” chord with the root moved to the 5th fret to create a D major chord. Using that logic,just move the whole arpeggio two frets up to the 7th fret on A string. You’re now in the correct position to play an E major arpeggio. Simple as that.

    This applies to all the arpeggios on this page since, as a I mentioned earlier, they all start on the desired root note. So, play these arpeggios until they become a part of you and then using the first note as a reference (there’s actually much more to it than that, but this is still a good fail-safe method) just move them around to fit the chord or scale you want.

    One last thing. Feeding your brain with overwhelming amounts of information can have a negative impact on your learning and playing, so I would suggest you start out by learning the arpeggios you are going to use most. Go for the major/minor ones at first and then move to the 7th arpeggios. Master those, listen to your favorite players, incorporate your own licks and move slowly forward when you feel you’re ready. Those major/minor/7th arpeggios are the most important to know and make up a huge, if not the biggest, part of the music you’ll play on the guitar.

    Have fun.

  15. “Arpeggios are often used for sweep picking also referred as economy picking (different from alternate picking).”

    this is very wrong. Sweep picking and economy picking are two different things.

  17. on the arpeggios with two or more notes on a single string such as the Gm7 arpeggio, should I be hammering on/pulling off on those, or should I jump back a string and continue to pick in the same direction. I’m assuming the latter, but the former seems to be more comfortable for me. i’ve gotten into trouble developing bad habits in the past, some clarity would be appreciated.

  21. Klaus, I came on this site looking to add more flavor to my
    playing. The information here is beyond what I hoped for.

    Thank You so much.
    David H.

  22. Hey, thanks so much for posting this! There was one small error I noticed on the last arpeggio. It’s actually an AM7(#5) rather than a A7(#5). There’s a G# instead of a G natural in the arpeggio.

  24. SO i was over economy picking a while back… never got the hang.. but after doing it a bit again, it’s nice finally being able to use my intervals in a more creative way than just the basic chords. anyway, thanx for the sheet :D

  25. How to play the Am7 arpeggio? Should i hammer on/ pull off all those 5–8 and 5–7 notes or simply pick them? I am confused please help me

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