The Guitar Technique That Sounds Harder Than It Is
There’s this word that makes a lot of guitarists immediately think “Nope, that’s way too advanced for me.”
Arpeggios.
It sounds fancy. Like something only classical players or shredders mess with.
But…
You’ve actually been playing arpeggios this whole time without even knowing it.
Every time you pick through a chord instead of strumming it… that’s an arpeggio. It’s literally just playing the notes of a chord one at a time instead of all together.
That’s it. Nothing fancy about it.
Why Most Players Avoid Arpeggios
Most intermediate players avoid arpeggios because they think they need to master some crazy sweep-picking technique first.
Wrong.
The power of arpeggios has nothing to do with speed or flashy technique.
It’s about knowing exactly which notes to play over any chord.
Think about it… When you’re soloing over a chord progression, which notes are guaranteed to sound good? The notes that are IN those chords.
That’s what arpeggios give you. A direct path to the notes that matter most.
The Thing That Clicked For Me
When I first started playing, I used to get lost all the time when soloing. I’d be running through scale patterns, hitting some good notes, some bad notes, just hoping something would stick.
Then I learned this simple concept:
Every chord is built from specific scale notes. Play those same notes individually, and you’ve got an arpeggio.
Take a C major chord:
- C (root)
- E (3rd)
- G (5th)
Play those notes one at a time: C-E-G-C-E.
Boom. C major arpeggio.
Grab Your Guitar Right Now & Try This…
Play a simple C major chord.
Now, instead of strumming it, try picking out these notes one by one:
- 8th fret, low E string (C)
- 7th fret, A string (E)
- 5th fret, D string (G)
- 5th fret, G string (C)
- 5th fret, B string (E)
Play them slowly, one after another.
Notice how every single note sounds perfect over that C chord? That’s because they ARE the C chord, just broken apart.
Now do this:
Take that exact same fingering pattern and move it up two frets. Same shape, same comfort… but now you’re playing a D major arpeggio.
Move it up another two frets: E major arpeggio.
One shape. Every key. That’s your roadmap right there.
Why This Beats Box Patterns Every Time
Most guitarists get stuck running up and down the same minor pentatonic patterns over and over.
It works… sort of. But it sounds like practice, not music.
When you use arpeggios, you’re targeting the strongest notes first. The chord tones. Your solos instantly sound more intentional and more musical.
For minor arpeggios? Just flat the 3rd. In that C major shape, change the E to an Eb. Same fingering, totally different mood.
The Bottom Line
When you understand arpeggios, you’re not just learning a technique. You’re learning how to navigate the fretboard with purpose.
You’ll know exactly which notes to hit over any chord. You’ll never get lost in a solo again. And your playing will start sounding like you actually know what you’re doing.
Because you will!
If you want to see this in action with more examples, I’ve got a video that breaks down exactly how to use arpeggios as a roadmap for better solos.
Next, come share what you discover in our Facebook group: Intermediate Guitar – Leveling Up.
Our Facebook group is completely free, and full of players figuring out arpeggios, chord theory, and all kinds of other concepts. Plus, I’ll be going live in there tonight with another lesson.
Rock on,
Ben
Intermediate Guitar
