Scales and modes
Arpeggio
An arpeggio is a chord played one note at a time instead of strummed together: you sound its root, third, fifth (and seventh) individually, ascending or descending.
What is an arpeggio?
An arpeggio is a chord whose notes you play one after another. The A minor arpeggio is A, C, E; the G7 arpeggio is G, B, D, F. You play only the chord tones, none of the passing notes of a scale.
On guitar the word covers two things:
- in accompaniment, holding a chord shape and picking its strings one by one (an open C played thumb, index, middle, ring);
- in lead playing, running the chord's notes on a shape with one or two notes per string, like a scale stripped down to the essentials.
How do you play an arpeggio on the neck?
Here is the A minor arpeggio (A C E) in 5th position, root on the 6th string:
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 5, 8 | A, C |
| 5 | 7 | E |
| 4 | 7 | A |
| 3 | 5 | C |
| 2 | 5 | E |
| 1 | 5, 8 | A, C |
For Am7 (A C E G), add G: 4th string 5th fret and 2nd string 8th fret. One extra note and the colour changes: you move from a triad to a seventh chord. The same thinking works across the five shapes of the CAGED system: every chord shape hides an arpeggio.
Exercise: arpeggios over Am and C
Loop Am then C, one bar each, at 70 BPM, in eighth notes.
- Over Am, climb the shape above from the 5th fret of the 6th string.
- Over C, stay in the same area: C at the 8th fret (6th string), E at the 7th (5th), G at the 5th (4th), C at the 5th (3rd), E at the 5th (2nd), C at the 8th (1st).
- Notice the two chords share C and E: only A turns into G.
That is the core of target notes: when the chord changes, land on the note that moves. To drill three-note arpeggios on every string set, use the guitar triads tool, which shows each inversion.
Arpeggio vs scale: what is the difference when soloing?
A scale gives you seven notes, some of which rub against the current chord. An arpeggio gives you three or four, all of them stable over the chord. Over fast changes (a jazz ii-V-I, a turnaround), arpeggios spell out the harmony even with no band behind you.
In practice, guitarists mix both: arpeggios on the strong beats, scale notes to connect them. In the GuitarHarmony workshop, the solo builder (Premium or one-off module) shows the arpeggio, the target notes and the matching scale for each chord of a progression.
Common mistakes
- Running arpeggios up and down like a drill with no rhythm: change the order (1-5-3, 3-5-1) and the note lengths.
- Letting notes ring in lead lines: mute with the fretting hand, or the arpeggio blurs into a chord.
- Chasing speed (sweep picking) before you know the intervals in each shape.
Key takeaways
- Arpeggio = a chord's notes played one at a time.
- Am = A C E; Am7 adds G; G7 = G B D F.
- Every note is stable over the chord, ideal for fast changes.
- Link arpeggios to chord shapes (CAGED) to find them anywhere.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an arpeggio and a chord?
They use the same notes. In a chord the notes sound together; in an arpeggio they are played in sequence. A C arpeggio and a C chord both contain C, E and G.
Which arpeggios should you learn first on guitar?
Major and minor triad arpeggios, then the four seventh arpeggios: maj7, 7, m7 and m7b5. Start with the root on the 6th string, then on the 5th.
How do you play an arpeggio fingerstyle?
Hold the chord and give each string a finger: thumb on the bass, index on the G string, middle on B, ring on high E. On an open C, play bass, G, B, E, B, G in eighth notes.
Related terms
Practise in the workshop
Take it from theory to the fretboard
Open the workshop tools and see this idea across the whole neck. Free account, no card needed.