[JesusFreak04]

Hey all....I am a beginner on playing in a band and I am now realizing I can't play lead/melody all the time it just doesn't sound good. I also am not up on current techniques, so if you can help with some terms and techniques as well w/ playing doing certain types of songs.

The main thing I am wondering is I was reading a post and it said something about doing arrpegios w/ a 3rd or 5th or 6th, what does this mean. Is it about chords?? what?? Please be patient with me as I continue learning. also are there any books I can buy to help me?? Thanks

[ugabugabear]

In the simplest terms, when you're talking arpeggios, what you want to do is play the same notes of your chord but instead of playing them all at once as you would a chord, you play them one at a time so that each individual note rings out.

For instance, a major chord consists of the 1-3-5 notes of a given scale, correct? Play 1 then 3 but at the same time release 1. Play 5 but at the same time release 3. Try to have only one note being played at a time otherwise they'll run into each other & it'll sound like you're simply playing a chord. Try to play the notes ascending then descending.

Does that help you out at all?

[brandontmilan]

i agree with ugabuga...

[Nate]

Originally posted by JesusFreak04
The main thing I am wondering is I was reading a post and it said something about doing arrpegios w/ a 3rd or 5th or 6th, what does this mean. Is it about chords??

Yep. It's about chords.

You'll begin to realize sooner or later that just about EVERYTHING is "about chords" in one way or another.

Anyway... as ugabuga said... in the simplest terms, an arpeggio is simply the notes of a chord played seperately instead of blocked together. (Side note: a "block chord" is the exact opposite of an arpeggio)

Also, an arpeggio usually follows some sort of pattern. For instance: A simple C major arpeggio may go something like this (all played seperate, remember) C - E - G - C 8va (up an octave). If you want to get a little more complex, you could do something like: C - E - C - G - C - C 8va - G - E. (that may not sound good, it's just an example off the top of my head )

Anyway.... you can have arpeggios based on major chords, minor chords, 7th chords, or any other chord you can imagine. If you're playing them in your left hand... you'll usually use just the 1st and 5th and 8th notes. For example: C, G, and C 8va in a C arpeggio in the left hand. Of course, it never hurts to add the third or seventh in the left hand.

Hope this helps.