Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 10:34 am Post subject: arpeggios
ive learnt all the arpeggio shapes in guthries book but am not sure how to apply them in a musical context where the chords (and thus shapes) are changing. I could only use them right now if i looked at the chords and preplanned the shapes for each chord but that doesnt help me with improvising.
Experimentation is the big thing, but doesn't help you, right now, in a way. So here are some things that might.
Learn more theory. Here is why, there are plenty of places any of those arpeggios could be used. For example do you know the extensions available to you in each chord? Such as a C major chord?
Depending on what tonality you are going for, let's say C lydian. Here are the notes available, by extension.
R,3,5,7: C,E,G,B
9,#11,13: D, F#, A
These are the chord tones and extensions that create that tonality. (I'm getting to the point soon). Basically if you look closer you will see there are many arpeggios available on that chord.
You could play a: Cmajor triad, E minor triad, Gmajor triad, Bminor triad, Dmajor triad, F# diminished triad, A minor triad.
All those triads could work on a Cmajor chord (if you're in a Lydian tonality,or in the key of Gmajor or eminor for example).
Of course, just playing up and down the triad (CEGCEGCGECGEC or something) isn't very interesting. Make sure to break up the notes. Start thinking about every possible way to play any arpeggio. you could play something like G G G E G C G E G E E (note names) this would give you something more interesting than just playing up and down the arpeggio.
Another tidbit is make sure you know the notes of every chord (at least major, minor, diminished, augmented, all the 7th chords, 9th chords, 11th, and 13th) starting from any note. There is no easy about that, otherwise you'll never really know what you're doing.
And finally, transcribe, learn how other people are using them. The ear training you'll get from learning the tune will be invaluable, but the analysis will really be priceless. So learn your theory.
I hope this helps, and doesn't confuse you. I think I wrote a thread earlier about chords and more information on extensions, that could be help, take a look.
Just remember that you don't necessarily have to start on the root and ascend up the arpeggio for whatever chord is being playing underneath. It is a good excercise, but can sound too simple in a real solo. Playing only three of the arpeggio notes for example, and not necessarily in the 'correct' ascending or descending order, can also sound cool, especially when moving straight into a pentatonic lick or whatever you usually do afterwards. (Or do this before an arpeggio)
When the chords change from the root to another chord, that is often a great opportunity to catch the listener with an arpeggio. Say it has moved from A minor to F major, do something with an Fmaj7 or Fmaj9 arpeggio at the start of the new chord. Notice that the chord being played doesn't have to be an Fmaj9 to warrant an Fmaj9 arpeggio, you know what the function of the chord is so your arpeggiated solo will outline that new element to the chord.
Notice that most of the 8-finger tapping part in Govans' 'Sevens' is actually arpeggios, be it a Maj7 or whatever, but none of them are played in a straight ascending or descending order. They usually go down two, up one, etc. It sounds cool because of this and its a cool new idea. I'm sure you could link the tapping part to 'Fives' to an arpeggio as well. Even figuring it out could be a good excercise for your understanding. Man there's arpeggios everywhere in Guthries' playing come to think of it, even take the much feared slippery lick in 'Wonderful Slippery Thing' for example.
The problem with internet forums is that nobody can stop you if you go into too much detail or stray off of what was interesting. gnyhe!
Joined: 11 Feb 2009 Posts: 50 Location: Perth, Western Australia
Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 12:08 pm Post subject:
what helped me get used to using arpeggios is choosing your changes you are going to play them over and just play them up to the seventh and back in 8th notes in time... nice and even (maybe to a backing track if you have one)... first do it starting on the root.... then the 3rd, 5th then 7th... while this isn't musical it helps get your head around what you are actually trying to do... after a while you can throw in other things like the upper extensions (9ths, 11ths and 13ths) and maybe starting from the root for one chord, then the 3rd the next one, then root etc... after a while you will find improvising with them is 10x easier _________________ "Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast"
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