Getting Creative with Arpeggios (Minor Arpeggio Licks)

3 Minor Arpeggio Licks
[Getting Creative With Arpeggios]

When you think arpeggios, a lot of iconic solos/riffs come to mind, most notably the outro section of ''Hotel California'' or any Sabaton solo for that matter.

Arpeggios are everywhere! Ranging from flashy sweep picking all over the guitar fretboard, to the cool and melodic licks of your favorite songs.

Chances are you've learned your arpeggio shapes and realized there is more to it. Just going up and down your arpeggios gets boring after a while, that's why we need to find creative ways of using arpeggio shapes to solo like the greats.

Today's lesson is all about taking those good old boring minor arpeggio shapes and turning them into killer minor arpeggio licks!

I'm going to share with you 3 ways you can spice up your arpeggio licks. Try them out in your next jamming session, your improvisation will thank you for it. 

Let's get started!

Minor Arpeggio Lick #1

Our first lick today is in A minor, and we're using the root position minor arpeggio for this one.

The cool thing here is we're incorporating the A minor scale with the a minor arpeggio.

So we're essentially going to:
-Ascend the A minor scale.
-Descend the A minor arpeggio.
Disclaimer: If you're not too familiar with this minor arpeggio shape, or this A minor scale, no worries, all you have to do is follow the tabs.
Check out min @ for the demonstration.
 
You could also do the reverse:
-Ascend the A minor arpeggio.
-Descend the A minor scale.

Check out min @ for the demonstration.

Minor Arpeggio Lick #2

For this lick we're still in A minor on the root position A minor arpeggio, but this time around it's all about the slide!
We're essentially:
-Ascending the A minor arpeggio.
-Hammering-on to fret 15. (G note)
-Sliding to fret 17. (A note)
-Sliding back to 15. (G note)
-Descending the A minor arpeggio.
Check out min @ for a quick demonstration.

Minor Arpeggio Lick #3

Lick #3 is built around the D minor arpeggio in second inversion, so here's the conventional shape.
We are using the 3 string arpeggio here, but feel free to experiment using the 5 string arpeggio instead if you're familiar with it.
We spice things up here by adding some chromaticism, and repetition to create tension.
Check out min @5:26 for the demonstration.

If you're looking for more creative ways to play arpeggios, check out this other lesson and learn ''4 Unconventional Arpeggio licks for a more creative sound''.
Final words
In conclusion, arpeggios offer endless possibilities for creating captivating guitar solos and riffs. In this lesson, we explored three killer ways to spice up your arpeggio licks.

Remember to practice and experiment with different positions, inversions, and techniques to develop your unique style.

By incorporating these techniques, you'll create captivating and original arpeggio licks that stand out.

Want to sound less boring? And play better and more melodic solos? Do you want to improvise seamlessly over any backing track or maybe with other musicians?

Then you need to check out our premium guitar training program "guitar elevation'', and unlock your full potential as a guitar player!

Author: Jack Haddad
Jack Haddad is an expert Guitar educator and teacher and has been helping guitarists, through his innovative methods, get incredible results on the guitar, whether they want to jam with friends or rock out on the big stage.

You can find out more about Jack Haddad's teaching here: http://www.jhguitarschool.com
Loading...
Elevate Your Guitar Playing
Join thousands of happy guitarists in the Saturday Guitar Elevation Letter. Every Saturday morning, you'll get 1 actionable tip to propel, and elevate your guitar playing.
ALSO receive instant access to 200+ (and growing) FREE Guitar Lessons + PDF, Tabs & audio, that will give you results you'll never see anywhere else for free.

We use cookies to give you the best possible experience on our website. By continuing to browse this site, you give consent for cookies to be used. For more details please read our Cookie Policy