Arpeggios are really just chords being played one note at a time. Sometimes arpeggios are fretted as chords and you just play one note at a time. And other times, like these exercises, it looks more like a lead lick. These are great exercises that build dexterity. They're also extremely valuable to visualize chords differently on the fretboard. You're outlining the chord in a different way then if you were strumming a chord.
I LOVE the way Major 7 arpeggios sound. I think they're so interesting sounding even after playing them all these years. Let's take a look at two different ways to play this, using D Major 7.
The D Major 7 Arpeggio
I’m going to show you two different versions of the Dmaj7 arpeggio. One will start on the 5th string and the other will start on the 6th string. These are moveable, so you can use these shapes and just move them up or down the fretboard to arpeggiate other chords.
5th String Root D Major 7 Arpeggio
This pattern starts on the 5th string 5th fret, which is a D note. You'll play this pattern ascending. The numbers in the dots are the optimal fingerings. The red dots are the root note, D. This is important to keep in mind. From the root note you can easily find the 7th (one fret below) which is the note that gives you that Jazzy sound. This will come in handy later in your guitar journey, but keep in it mind now.
6th String Root D Major 7 Arpeggio
The 6th string root Dmaj7 arpeggio is a little more challenging. You're playing all 6 strings and your pinky is going to get a good workout! It's also a good thing to play this high up on the neck. A lot of beginner guitar players don't use this part of the fretboard for a long time.
Once again the red dots are the root notes. As you're learning this pattern you're subconsciously memorizing the fretboard at the same time. Once more reason why I love to teach these fun exercises.
How To Practice the D Major 7 Arpeggio On Guitar
The best way to practice is to start off slow going all the way up. Once that feels pretty good you can practice it in reverse. Then, when both feel good you can connect them together for one giant exercise. I wouldn't worry about playing to a metronome until you're about 80% there with each section.
As a parting bonus tip, this makes for a great warm up exercise!
Thanks for hanging out with me. Arpeggios are really fun to play and listen to, and they're really valuable to learn. I hope you learned something new and challenging with this lesson. If you did, you’d be a great candidate for my Real Guitar Success program. It’s a fun way to learn guitar in a practical and encouraging way.
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