Arpeggios

Arpeggios

"It is here that we begin to train our fingers to move independently of each other. Arpeggios finger patterns are limitless and should be a part of every guitarists' arsenal of techniques."

Fingerpicking and arpeggio tips

• Remember to keep your right hand in correct position when fingerpicking.
• Don't reach to do an arpeggio, move your arm to move up and down the strings.
• Remember to fingerpick from the large joint of your finger as much as possible.

As always:

thumb = t, index = i, middle = m, ring = a

Fingerpicking and arpeggio patterns

Rolls: p - i - m - (a) = thumb - index - middle - (ring)

Rolls are pretty simple arpeggios to fingerpick. I call them rolls because, basically, your fingers roll across the strings in a downward motion. Generally, the thumb (p) picks the top three strings (E, A, D). The index (i) picks the G string, the middle finger (m) picks the B string and the ring finger (a) picks the high E. This is not always the case but it's best to use this as a reference point. Also remember to move your arm and not contort your wrist to reach those high strings.

• Click for fingerpicking example 1 music
• Click for fingerpicking example 2 music
• Click for fingerpicking example 3 music

Arpeggio rolls: Exercise 1

|--------------------------|--------------------------|
|--------------------------|--------------------------|
|-----0-----0-----0-----7--|------0-----0-----0-----0-|
|---7-----7-----7-----7----|--------------------------|
|-5-----5-----5-----5------|----8-----8-----8-----8---|
|--------------------------|--7-----7-----7-----7-----|


|------------------------------|------------------------3-|
|--------------------0---------|------------------0-----0-|
|-------------0-------------0--|------------0-----------0-|
|------0-----------------------|------0---------0---------|
|---10-----10-----10-----10----|----2-----2---2-------2---|
|-8------8------8------8-------|--3-----3-----------3-----|

Arpeggio rolls: Exercise 2

|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------9------0-----7---|
|-----9-----7-----5-----4-----2-----4-----5-----7---9-----11-----8-----|
|---9-----8-----6-----4-----2-----4-----6-----8------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------0-----0------0-------|
|-0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--------------------------|


|-------------------------0-|
|-----9-----9-----7-----0-0-|
|---9-----9-----8-----8---1-|
|-------------------------2-|
|-0-----0-----0-----0-----2-|
|-------------------------0-|

Arpeggio rolls: Exercise 3

|-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0---|
|---0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----8-----7-----5-----|
|-9-----7-----5-----4-----2-----4-----5-----7-----0-----0-----0-------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|


|-----0-----0-----0------|
|---3-----1-----0--------|
|-0-----0-----4-----4----|
|------------------------|
|------------------------|
|------------------------|

Arpeggios: Alternating Rolls

• Click for fingerpicking example 1 music
• Click for fingerpicking example 2 music
• Click for fingerpicking example 3 music

As always:

thumb = p, index = i, middle = m, ring = a

Alternating Rolls: p - i - m, p - i - a, p - m - a (mixing fingerpicking patterns up more)

These are the same as the arpeggio rolls but in these exercises we'll alternate the bass as well as the fingers when fingerpicking.

Arpeggio alternating rolls: Exercise 1

|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------5-----------5-----------5-----------5-----------3---------|
|-----6-----------6-----------4-----------4-----------2-----------2---|
|---7-----7-----7-----7-----6-----6-----6-----6-----4-----4-----4-----|
|-0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|


|---------0-0-0----|
|-----3---3p2-2----|
|---------2-2-2----|
|---4-----4p2-2----|
|-0-----0-0-0-0----|
|------------------|

Arpeggio alternating rolls: Exercise 2

|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----9-----7-----5-----4-----2-----------2-----------2-----3-----5---|
|---9-----8-----6-----4-----2-------1---2-------1-----2-----2-----4---|
|---------------------------------2-----------2-----2-----4-----6-----|
|-0-----------0-----------0-----------0-----------0-----------0-------|
|-------0-----------0-----------0-----------0-----------0-------------|


|---------5----|
|---------5----|
|-------6------|
|-----7--------|
|---0----------|
|-0------------|

Arpeggio alternating rolls: Exercise 3

|-----------0-----------0------------0-----------0------------0-----------0--|
|-------0-----------0------------0-----------0------------0-----------0------|
|---2-----2-----2-----2------2-----2-----2-----2------2-----2-----2-----2----|
|-----2-----------2------------2-----------2------------0-----------0--------|
|-0-----------0------------3-----------3------------2-----------2------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|


|-----------------------0------------------------0----|
|-----------0------------------------0----------------|
|-------1-----------1------------1-----------1--------|
|---0-----0-----0-----0------0-----0-----0-----0------|
|-----2-----------2------------2-----------2----------|
|-0-----------0------------0-----------0--------------|

Next check out the reverse roll fingerpicking arpeggio patterns. Also check out Learn and Master Guitar.