Practicing arpeggios and scales

[Theza101]

Hi,
Does anyone have any tips or exercises for efficiently practicing scales and arppegios. I really want to learn them all over the neck, but I do not an efficient way to do so.
Thanks

[gingerjazz]

I like to burn scales and arps into my fingers and brain using two methods.After first learning a pattern up and down i use incrementalism in that i first play the first two notes of the scale for a while then add the third note and play this up and down for a while then the fourth and so on.The other is to play them in intervals(diatonic)starting with thirds then fourths and so on.I find this really prints them on your brain much better than just running up and down them.Hope this helps.Peace.

[Al_F]

I started working on this as well not too long ago. Focusing on organizing the fret board with CAGED has been really helpful, as has knowing what each note is at each fret note wise ( like an F#) and interval wise, say the 7th of G for example.

Second thing is practicing finding the notes of say an am7 appreggion quickly from each position moving vertically down the strings and then horizontally across each string.

[whatswisdom]

Every time you play a note, say its name out loud.
All Keys: 1-3-5-7-9-11-13. Up+Down.
Try a ii-7 > V7 > IM7 prog fully extended. If you place emphasis on the 1st 6 frets you're benefiting from the physical exercise that you get in stretching and extending. The higher fret ranges are child's play after you get a grip on the low positions.
You can even do the note-naming without the guitar. Visualize their location on the fretboard and you're really moving.

[cosmic gumbo]

A common approach to learning anything is running them through the circle of fifths until you've covered all keys. This method has it's own rewards by giving things a common relationship that help to organize things.

[fep]

A common approach to learning anything is running them through the circle of fifths until you've covered all keys. This method has it's own rewards by giving things a common relationship that help to organize things.

+ 1

Yes, I brought that up in a post last week, with an example. What I wrote up was, go through the cycle but stay in the same position until you've played all 5 caged forms.

[phdmerrill]

To have a real command of arpeggios, you have to be able to make chord changes smoothly with some variety in starting notes, note groupings, and shapes. To really know a F7 arpeggio, you ought to be able to play all kinds of arpeggios that would lead into an F7 arpeggio. You have to know how to play, for instance, a bar of Gb7, Cm7, C7, or Bb7 leading into a bar of F7. And those are just a few possibilities, of course there are tons and tons of different cadences that you'll encounter.

Practice arpeggios by playing chord progressions, making every note a chord tone. Don't worry too much about knowing every possible shape and fingering for an arpeggio; there are more of those than anyone would ever want or need to know. But you should know the name of every note on the fretboard and you should get to know the chord tones of every chord you play, so you'll be able to pick out the 7th of a Bb7 (for example) everywhere it appears on the neck.

It's a lot of work, but you got to enjoy it.

[Theza101]

Thanks every one these are all really good ideas.

[Al_F]

I like the circle of fifths idea, never thought of that, good stuff.

[aniss1001]

+1 on the circle of 5th!

Try to do it while keeping your hand in one area of the fretboard thereby covering all the different possitions as you go thru the cycle.

Another really good one is using 2-5-1s. For instance:

Em7-A7-DM7-Dm7-G7-CM7-Cm7-etc..

Or to make it more interesting you can eventually start altering the dominants and/or play lydian (when doing scales) over the M7 chords for instance.

Or simply go thru tunes in a similar fashion (which of course can be even harder still).

[P_Jay]

I tried lots of ways of learning arpeggios and found all of them lacking. The best advice I got recently through watching a youtube video of Hal Galper teaching. I ended up learning and taking apart a Charlie Parker tune. I chose 'Donna Lee' because I love Parker's opening salvo. (A bird told me years ago to buy the Omnibook) Only this time I stopped every time I found a phrase I liked, took it and played it roundedly all over the neck including slowing down, swapping note order, random keys, chromatic, cycle of 4ths. Playing with it in other words. This proved problematic: There is so much material I may never leave Parkerville.

[harpwood_gr]

Jamey Aebersold has a very good method of studying scales and arpegios while you are learning tunes. Check the bottom of page 5 in his booklet

Also Mimi Fox's book "Guitar Arpeggio Studies on Jazz Standards" is highly recomended...

Check also Jamey Aebersold 's VOLUME 21 - GETTIN' IT TOGETHER

[RyanM]

I organize it around key centers in each of the 5 positions.

e.g.

G major at the 3rd fret "E shape" position.

You have the I chord (Gmaj7) in the E shape arpeggio
the ii chord (Amin7) in the "G shape" arpeggio
the iii chord (Bmin7) and IV chord (Cmaj7) in the A shape arpeggio
the V chord (D7) in the C shape
the vi chord (Emin7) in the D shape
the vii chord (F#-7b5) in the E shape

I work on running each arp up and down, picking two and changing between them each bar.

[Rich Cochrane]

My advice is definitely to learn the major and minor triad arpeggios in CAGED form first. The CAGED diagrams join up, enabling you to move freely all over the fingerboard once you know them. This becomes a general-purpose framework for learning scales or other arpeggios.

I take this approach with students whenever they're patient enough to do it, regardless of style, but it seems to me that in most forms of jazz you really, really want to nail the arpeggios before you start worrying about scales. Playing the triads on standards is a pretty decent way to practice.

[bobby d]

There are a few ways to play any arp on the guitar as most of you already know. One note per string, two notes per string, three notes per string in some cases.

There are advantages to each. One note per string allows sweeping across the strings, but can be difficult when two strings each use the same finger.

Two or more notes per string should increase speed when alternate picking or hammering. But you'll have to go up and down the neck more, which can get confusing.

[westcoastblues]

I've been trying to learn arpeggios effectively for a long time and have found a method that works for me. I pick a song that I play with my jazz quartet, preferably a simple one where chords frequently last for one or more bars e.g. Blue Bossa. Then I learn the arpeggios for that song, in one place on the guitar neck, within a boundary of about 5 frets. Start playing the arpeggios slowly, with rhythm, to a metronome and gradually build the speed up over a period of weeks. Be sure to play the arpeggios down starting from the highest note too (which may not be the root note) as this facilitates better application of the arpeggio shape. When I can comfortably solo with these arpeggios in a rehearsal, I start learning the same arpeggios in a different position on the neck, using the same method.
This method works because the new arpeggio patterns are incorporated into my playing, so I remember them.
This process can't be rushed, but it will help you to master the guitar neck and play more fluently.

[BirdSong]

A common approach to learning anything is running them through the circle of fifths until you've covered all keys. This method has it's own rewards by giving things a common relationship that help to organize things.

+1 on the Circle of Fifths.


Also, play them diatonically in "like groups." In other words, follow the diatonic chord scale with arpeggios in one position - M7, m7, m7, M7, V7, m7, m7b5, M7.

For example, I take a scale position of C Major and build diatonic arpeggios from each note in that particular scale position - extending them beyond the root (if necessary) in each position (in other words, I extend each diatonic arpeggio to all 6 strings, no matter where the next note in the scale begins). A lot less tedious that way - and it opens your eyes to various things in the process (not to mention, you can play groups of 7 different arpeggios in one position without having to move your left hand).

[docbop]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned it, but combine scale and arp's in your practice.

Basically going to play the arp's of a harmonized scale such as: CMa7, Dmi7, Emi7, FMa7....... You play the arp up and down scale to next starting note.

So play the CMa7 arp then come down the scale to starting note of Dmi7 arp and do the Dmi7 arp and then down the scale to next starting note. Coming down reverse it come down the arp, and scale up to next starting note.

To clarify on the reverse, the starting note is the 7th of the arp. So your going down the arpeggio 7,5,3,1 and scale up to next starting note.

Do this with any type of scale to get the sound of the chords and notes into your ear.

[cosmic gumbo]

It's worth noting that instead of the circle of fifths, some jazz educators advise working exercises/scales/arps, etc., through the circle of fourths, because it is such a strong cadence. I to IV = II to V = V to I. You can't argue with that much, seems like sound advice.

[targuit]

Though the course you embark on likely depends on your level of development, I would suggest incorporating playing arpeggios naturally into learning songs. Scale work is more effective in my view as part of a warm-up.

Scales : major and minor diatonic, using classical fingering as suggested by Segovia. This practice helps develop independence and strength in the fretting and plucking hands as well as solidifying your knowledge of the fret board in all positions.

Once you are comfortable with the scale patterns, the next step is to harmonize adjacent strings, creating chord fragments.

Arpeggios are simply chords articulated one note at a time, so incorporate them into your study of chords. The best way to learn voice leading and chords with extensions is to play actual songs where they are expertly used. Imo it's best to start with melodic, classic standards - Stardust, The Shadow of Your Smile, The Way You Look Tonight, for example. A Real Book in some form with your chord book by your side, CDs, and YouTube vids - these are the tools. And sing aloud the melodies as you arpeggiate the chords.

I believe that the best way to learn chord voicings and voice leading is play these chords in the context of actual songs which also helps you build your repertoire.

[Torito]

Check these if you can:

Arpeggios for Guitar, Don Latarski - reference book, following the CAGED system

Patterns, Scales and Modes for Jazz Guitar, Ernie Berle - in fact, a better resource that I used to think

Melodic Arpeggios for Lead Guitar, Mark Galbo - just got this one, so I can't tell just yet

Surely this is only a pick, there are tons of resources out there. The general idea is not to reinvent the wheel.

[pierre richard]

rhythmic variety and dynamics are the two things that will make them come alive....

time on the instrument...