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what are the real advantages with learning arpeggios?

#21
Depth_Charge said:
I have a book on bass that dedicates one whole page to arpeggio's. I have also been given some other materials I am yet to sink my teeth into.

How do you "learn an arpeggio"? Let's take the major scale in C as an example:

C D E F G A B C

...how many possible arpeggio's are in that? Or am I already on the wrong track?
Click to expand...


Like everything thing there are multiple ways and reasons to approach learning arpeggios. You have a book with a page on arpeggios I have a book that only covers arpeggios. As you your question the simple answer is you have an arpeggio for each mode in the scale. All the info relates.

Scale, harmonized scale, modes, arpeggios.

You take a scale and harmonize it to learn harmony and how chords relate in songs.

The harmonized scale is chords, chords could be played as arpeggios.

Scale can be viewed in modes. Harmonized the mode and get the chord mode relates to. Another chord, another chord that can be played as an arpeggio.

Play your scale.
Play the harmonized scale in chords.
Play the harmonized scale in arpeggios.
Play the Dorian mode.
Play the chord for the Dorian mode.
Play the chord as an arpeggio.
continue with all the modes.

See all the interrelationships, music is all math.

So if the song in on a chord the arpeggio gives you the chord tones to base your bassline on. The mode give you notes to use to expand the bassline with. Soloing with the mode and know the arpeggios that relates to the fingering you know where the chord tones are within the mode. There's your target tones.
Walking bassline or soloing know where the chord tones are you know where do chromatic approaches to sound cooler. See knowing one thing helps you use another. What are the Blue notes b3 and b5. Know your arpeggio know where the 3rd and 5th, know where they are easy to drop down a half-step to grab the Blue note and resolve up.

All I'm getting at is when you learn something don't stop at saying I know five arpeggio fingering now. Take the info and see if and how it relates to other things you know. That way learn one little thing can expand in to many things. Also build fret-board knowledge.
 
#22
arpeggios make sense to me now :) after fishing out an old teach yourself bass book i found a page with many different arpeggios on it. ive been learning the major and minor arpeggios, i think theres 2 of each. these i imagine are the main ones that lay down the basics since theyre the ones it focuses on first. wayhay! :D
 
#23
Depth_Charge said:
I have a book on bass that dedicates one whole page to arpeggio's. I have also been given some other materials I am yet to sink my teeth into.

How do you "learn an arpeggio"? Let's take the major scale in C as an example:

C D E F G A B C

...how many possible arpeggio's are in that? Or am I already on the wrong track?
Click to expand...

The could quite possibly be over 100 arpeggios in there.
 
#24
I joined a music class and was pretty well out of my depth. We had to set a poem to music and create a song. I set Ted Hughes' Lineage to the simplest GCD progression all in an arpeggio bass or as I called it an Alberti bass. Not a complete success but it got me to the punch line in one piece.
 
#26
again arepggios work on Root - 3rd - 5th as primary notes. That is the chord of the scale. for the C scale it would be C E G.

For major scales, arpeggios generally will be the same fingering position (except when using open strings for the root of the scale.)

example:

E--------------
A--3-----------
D----2---5-----
G--------------
is a basic C scale arpeggio. you'd use the same fingering for a E scale arpeggio on the A string:
E--------------
A--5-----------
D----4---7-----
G--------------

now add in the 7th position:
E--------------
A--5-----------
D----4---7-----
G-----------6--

I also see a lot of 8th (octave arpeggios)
E--------------
A--5-----------
D----4---7-----
G-----------7--

does this help?
 
#27
DocBop said:
I don't think so.... If you used a chromatic scale.

When studying Jazz there are about 100 chords that you need to learn to solo over and that is with all twelve keys. I'm not counting chords from symmetric scales or clusters.
Click to expand...

Possible chord arpeggios from the major scale...

7 different triads x 3 possible inversions
7 different 7th chords x 4 possible inversions
7 different 9th chords x 5 possible inversions
7 different 11th chords x 6 posiible inversions
7 different 13th chords x 7 possible inversions
 
#28
Phil Smith said:
Possible chord arpeggios from the major scale...

7 different triads x 3 possible inversions
7 different 7th chords x 4 possible inversions
7 different 9th chords x 5 possible inversions
7 different 11th chords x 6 posiible inversions
7 different 13th chords x 7 possible inversions
Click to expand...

I wouldn't break out inversions and color tones as separte arpeggios. To me they are just different fingering patterns of the original arpeggio. Actually if looking at fingerings then only 3 types of triads. Only 4 four types 7th, 9th, and 13th chords. Four 11th chords. Then add in your inversions of those.

You see books like Million and One Guitar chords. I was taught you shouldn't ever have to buy those. Once you know the basics you can create your own because you know how to create chords. Same with arpeggios in beginning you need to get started seeing the basics arpeggios, after that you should know enough to create any arpeggio you need. For example you should need to learn a dominant 7 b9 arpeggio, but know how to add the b9. Same with any altered chord. The key is really knowing this stuff so you can built these as you need them not learn a fingering pattern for each one.

My point being the sooner people get weaned off pages of little dots on graphs and being able to create thier own solutions. Many things start to happen. That is when a bass teacher goes from teaching fingerings and checking reading, to giving new ideas and critiquing playing. When the shift from player to musician begins. When they start freeing themselves to focus on being creative.
 
#29
Yeah guys that was pretty helpful in an information overload kind of way :)

One thing I noticed was this arpeggio here:

E--------------
A--5-----------
D----4---7-----
G--------------

Seems very similar to a line from Crazy Little Thing Called Love, that I play like this, twice:

G-------2-2--4-
D----4---------
A--5-----------
E--------------

Is that also an argeggio? Except the double A's where I'm guessing one A forms part of the arpeggio, then the B, not 2 A's then B LOL.
 
#31
Depth_Charge said:
Yeah guys that was pretty helpful in an information overload kind of way :)

One thing I noticed was this arpeggio here:

E--------------
A--5-----------
D----4---7-----
G--------------

Seems very similar to a line from Crazy Little Thing Called Love, that I play like this, twice:

G-------2-2--4-
D----4---------
A--5-----------
E--------------

Is that also an arpeggio? Except the double A's where I'm guessing one A forms part of the arpeggio, then the B, not 2 A's then B LOL.
Click to expand...

Basslines use arpeggos a lot. Bassically you have tabbed a couple major triad and the Crazy Thing' is a major 6 triad. In fact add a b7 after the 6th and you have the classic Oldies Rock and Roll pattern. The major triads are all over just as themselve like Beatles Lady Modonna, Grateful Dead Turn On You Love Lights. Los Lobas La Bomba, Van Halen Pretty Woman, and on and on. Most Blues basslines are variations on dominant 7th arpeggio.

When I started playing bass way back when, the first thing I learned was major and minor arpeggios then the related 7th chord arpeggios. That carried me a long time before even learning a major scale.
 
#32
DocBop said:
When I started playing bass way back when, the first thing I learned was major and minor arpeggios then the related 7th chord arpeggios.
Click to expand...
Richard, this is really the best advice at this early stage of your playing. Stick to getting comfortable with the basic major and minor arpeggios first, and as Doc says, start popping the 7th in as you get more comfortable.

It's easy to get confused when working towards 9th's, 11th's 13th's etc unless you have the basic triads down. Good luck, and stick with the simple things first ... :cool:

BTW, some excellent advice here in this thread for those who are looking to get a handle on entry level theory ..... :cool:
 
#33
Arpeggios contain the all important chord tones.

Your job as a bass player is to outline the chords and ultimately your striving to be able to play arpeggiated chords without thinking too much.

Practice your arpeggios and their inversions and pretty soon your fingers will know instinctively (muscle memory) how to play major, minor, dom etc arpeggiated chord shapes.

Learning arpeggios and their inversions also frees you from 'root note thinking' - When a lead guitarist plays a chord he obviously knows the chord shape in order to be able to play it, well again it's the same thing here with bass, you need to be able to see the chord shape and all the available chord tones. You need to know where the maj 7th is for example, even if you don't intend playing it.

Also once you know where one tone is it then follows that you know where the other tones are in relation to it. e.g. most people beginners included know where the octave is and the 5th. So from a 5th you might play a dominant 7th shape arpeggio or from a 3rd you might play a minor shape arpeggio.
 
#34
here's how you "use" arpeggios (or modes/scales/etc...)
1.) learn arpeggios (or modes/scales/etc...) and how they relate to a key
2.) learn a really cool bass line
3.) realize how parts of the really cool bass line use arpeggios (or modes/scales/etc...)
4.) add that approach to your tool box
5.) encounter a similar context in a new song, use your new tools.

But developing this understanding takes time and effort.
Seeking a reason not to learn is rationalized laziness.
Find the joy in working this stuff out.
It's like solving puzzles that magically make you a better musician.
 
#38
I know this is an old thread and I get the importance of learning arpeggios, but I have some unanswered questions:

*Can someone please tell me an effective way to practice arpeggios?

*What am I trying to learn as I play them?

*Should I recite the names of the CHORDS or individual NOTES, (I'm sure this would help with learning the fretboard), or the scale DEGREES as I am playing them?

*Am I trying to train my ear to recognize the correct sounds/tones of the arpeggios?

*Should I be reading the arpeggios off of STANDARD NOTATION or a TAB SHEET or a FRETBOARD CHART as I practice, or just close my eyes and work on "feeling" the PATTERN of the fingering?

*Should I play a backing track of droning chords or a metronome as I practice?

If these questions have been answered already, sorry about that!

Thanks in advance, folks!
 
#39
Learning arpeggios should really go hand in hand with learning harmony and chord construction. Otherwise it all just ends up seeming like a bunch of patterns that either sound 'cool' or not. A lot of guitarists think arpeggios are 'those sweep things that Paul Gilbert and Yngwie Malmsteen play. They get you across the neck real fast man.'

Arpeggios are very simply chords played one note at a time. The op of this thread wondered how they were useful. If you think chords serve a purpose and use in music then you must also think arpeggios do. They are the same thing.

In terms of study, I would say, learn what triads are. Then learn your triad arpeggios. Triads are made of two stacked 3rds. Because there are major and minor 3rds you get 4 different combinations:
Major - Major 3rd + Minor 3rd
Minor - Minor 3rd + Major 3rd
Augmented - Major 3rd + Major 3rd
Diminished - Minor 3rd + Minor 3rd

You also want to see the intervallic construction of each one from the tonic.
Major - 1,3,5. Minor - 1,b3,5 Augmented - 1,3,#5 Diminished - 1, b3,b5

Once you know the finger pattern for each one, you should be able to move them round the neck. If you want a bit of extra homework, try memorising the note names for each chord. Major first from all chromatic notes, then minor, then aug, then dim.

Then learn to sing them. You should be able to hear the arpeggios in your head and learning to sing them is brilliant for internalising the information and developing your ear.

Don't worry about reading arpeggios with standard notation, tab or fretboard chart. Whatever works for you. Fretboard charts will be best at nailing the moveable patterns. If you don't read music then it'll ust slow you down.

No need to use a drum machine or metronome. But you can if you want. It won't make any difference unless you want to build up speed and you need a point of reference. A backing track can be useful because it gives you an idea of the sound of the chord both harmonically and melodically.

As a simple exercise play a major triad up and down from any tonic note eg. C. Play it 4 times then swap to a minor arpeggio. Play 4 times. Swap to Augmented. Play 4 times Swap to Diminished. Then you're back to major and continue. Keep it all in time as triplets. That gives you an idea of how they sound in relation to each other. Aim to see the intervals and stacked 3rds within each pattern.

Once you nail that exercise. Add another 3rd to each of those triads. This gives you all the 7th chords: Maj7, 7, m7, m(maj7), Maj7#5, 7#5, m7b5, dim7.
Do the same exercise as before with the 7th arpeggios.

I won't keep going on and on but you get the idea. Keep adding major and minor 3rds to each chord in turn to get 9th, 11th and 13th arpeggios. There's no need to keep doing the exercise with each collection because there are loads and it's more important to know the construction and be able to play and visualise them on the fly.
Also try added note chords: 6, 6/9, add9, m6, m6/9, m(add9).
then try suspensions: sus4 and sus2
And altered extensions: Mainly dominant chords plus #9,b9,#11,b13. Try with each extension alone and in combination with others. Also try maj7#11. Once you get this far there are a lot of chords to try and it's better to know what each interval brings to the chord rather than an encyclopedic knowledge of every combination.

I know that's a long winded answer but hopefully it helps in some way. Phew.

Mark
 
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