| Perhaps you have heard the word arpeggio | | | | ---------------a----------- |
| being tossed around by other musicians, but | | | | |
| have absolutely no clue what they were | | | | 2 ----------m------m------- |
| talking about. Simply defined, an arpeggio | | | | |
| refers to playing the notes within a chord in | | | | 3 -------i---------------i---- |
| rapid succession. On the guitar, this can be | | | | |
| done by either using a pick or your | | | | 4 --------------------------- |
| fingers.Incorporating arpeggios into your | | | | |
| guitar playing can be a very simple matter, | | | | 5 ----p---------------------- |
| or a very complicated one, depending on your | | | | |
| approach to the subject. Because I am a | | | | 6 ---------------------------Notice that |
| guitar teacher, I generally try to find ways | | | | your thumb (p) is playing an open A on the |
| to introduce my students to new techniques | | | | bass string which is also the name of the |
| that are easy to understand and relatively | | | | chord.The pattern uses eighth notes in 3/4 |
| easy to do. So let's see if I can help you | | | | time and is counted:p i m a m i |
| learn how to play an arpeggio today.If you | | | | |
| want to use a fingerpicking style to play an | | | | 1 & 2 & 3 &One complete sequence of the |
| arpeggio, then you need to know how the right | | | | pattern is equal to one measure of music.Now |
| hand fingers are identified. There are four | | | | try playing the same pattern using a D major |
| letters, p-i-m-a, which stand for the Spanish | | | | chord and then an E major chord. Move your |
| words: pulgar, indicio, medio, and anular. | | | | thumb to play the open bass string which |
| These four letters represent each finger as | | | | identifies the name of the chord you are on. |
| follows:p = thumbi = index fingerm = middle | | | | The other fingers (i-m-a) will play the same |
| fingera = ring fingerWhen you are trying an | | | | strings on all three chords.Once you are |
| arpeggio for the first time, then I suggest | | | | comfortable playing an arpeggio with the |
| you start with a chord, or chord progression, | | | | chords: A major, D major, and E major, try |
| that you can play fairly well. For our | | | | playing the same chord progression as it is |
| purpose today, we will start with the chord A | | | | used in the Christmas song Silent Night. Here |
| major and then progress to a chord | | | | is the link:Silent NightHave fun!FREE Reprint |
| progression in the key of A.While holding an | | | | Rights - You may publish this article in your |
| A major chord, play each string that is | | | | e-zine or on your web site as long as you |
| identified in the pattern below with the | | | | include the following information:Kathy Unruh |
| corresponding fingers of your right hand. | | | | is a singer/songwriter and webmaster of ABC |
| Practice it several times until your fingers | | | | Learn Guitar. She has been writing songs and |
| get accustomed to the movement. Be careful to | | | | providing guitar lessons to students of all |
| maintain a relaxed "cupped" hand in order to | | | | ages for over 20 years. |
| avoid tension and fatigue.1 | | | | |