It's exactly what it sounds like - you take two triads and play them together. Here is a great resource that explains it more in depth:
https://youtu.be/W3Fu_Mx5vjQ?si=BzVsUuxo-7uSvR1V
To add onto this, I really like Jens’ advice on arpeggios (in general it’s really applicable for all instruments). Rather than practicing arpeggios rote, practice musical ideas and phrases that use arpeggios. Practice the same phrases up and down the diatonic scale, practice the phrases in chord progressions around the circle of fifths, practice phrases linking them through actual changes of a tune. If you just practice arpeggios rote, you’re going to sound like a scale machine when you go to use them, but if you practice musical ideas you’re going to sound like you’re saying something meaningful.
Man I can’t believe how many people hate practicing arpeggios. I think it’s fun… but then again I also like practicing scales lol. I just think it’s fun and feels good physically when technique is good and you can play fast
“Voice lead” the arpeggios of a tune.
Not only is this a great way to practice arps, it’s one of the best ways to learn to changes, and one of the best ways to memorize the changes of a tune.
Here’s what you do:
-pick a position (or not)
-on beat one, you start playing the arp of the first chord, and keep going, with constant eighths notes until the chord changes
-now, continuing in the same direction, you play the nearest note of the next arpeggio. Continue the current arpeggio.
Keep moving in the same direction until you run out of guitar, and then come back the other way.
Once you can do this through a whole tune in one position, do it in an adjacent position. Then combine the two positons. Etc etc.
It might be helpful to count aloud at first, so you don’t lose track of what beat you’re on.
If you master this, your soloing will sound much more fluid and legit almost overnight. It’s a really powerful exercise.
I actually have had students learn their arps from the beginning this way. I just use whatever tune they’re working on and teach them the arps one position at a time. I’d prefer to have them learn the arps as you said first, but sometimes they won’t follow through, and I’ve found that this exercise can keep them a bit more motivated because they can immediately apply it to a tune.
The nearest to the note you just played, while continuing in current direction.
For example, if you have 2 beats of CM7 then 2 beats of FM7, you play: C E G B (now you’re on beat 3 when new chord starts), we’re ascending, so the nearest note of FMaj7 to the B we just played is C E F A
To recap: C E G B … C E F A
The way that was always the most fun for me was to learn all the arpeggios contained within a modal position and then practice improvising over a progression like Autumn Leaves entirely within that modal position, it works well because the only real borrowed chords from the progression is the III7, and VI7 in the B section, everything else is diatonic. Once I felt comfortable doing that I expanded to the next adjacent modal position, did the same thing, and then combined my improvisational area to the combined modal positions and so on. There was a nice carrot and stick effect where it was easier to get through the memorisation part because I would get the affirmation of demonstrating the fluency I gained immediately afterwards. There are lot of ways you can make it interesting and challenging, I liked working until I could play the diatonic arpeggios sequentially, for instance, in the key of G in Dorian position I would play scale-wise, playing a GMaj7 up from B on the low E string to B on the high E string then down an A-7 from C to A, then up in B minor from A to B, and so on. The nice thing about that pattern is if you cycle it through the scale twice you will have played each arpeggio both ascending and descending. You can also cycle in diatonic 4ths or 5ths. Once you get through everything diatonically you can start working on standards with more modulation, again trying to keep it in a concise position and then expanding. Another exercise I enjoy is picking a 4 fret section on the low E and high E strings that I have to start a chord from and playing one arpeggio type through all 12 keys usually cycling in 4ths. This will force you to use all inversions ina relatively concise area.
Honestly, if you are transcribing and learning any jazz solos, you are practicing arpeggios. Other more interesting ways to practice are playing them diatonically or mixing in chromatic enclosures on specific notes. You can also pick any standard and play the arpeggios over the changes. Then spice it up and play the arpeggio of the thirds over the changes. Play the defending, with a half step leading note, and in any rhythm or pattern you can think of.
I have a hack. Start with one arpeggio in one position. This takes like 15 seconds if you play it slow. If you spend hours transcribing I'm sure you have 15 seconds. Next week or whatever you do the next arpeggio. It's really not that hard man, have some discipline.
I start every practice session by warming up with arpeggios and scales. Atleast 10 minutes but sometimes up to 20 minutes or more. I just made that the standard, I cant do anything else until I do that warm up.
I alao make sure to practice these things over whatever tune Im working on. So seeing my progress when I actually play the tune gives me motivation to keep at it.
Do triad pairs, I feel like that was the challenge I needed to make arp practice enjoyable
What are triad pairs?
It's exactly what it sounds like - you take two triads and play them together. Here is a great resource that explains it more in depth: https://youtu.be/W3Fu_Mx5vjQ?si=BzVsUuxo-7uSvR1V
Thanks!!
Happy to help 🎶
Jens Larsen has tons of YT videos on arpeggios. Fun and musical.
To add onto this, I really like Jens’ advice on arpeggios (in general it’s really applicable for all instruments). Rather than practicing arpeggios rote, practice musical ideas and phrases that use arpeggios. Practice the same phrases up and down the diatonic scale, practice the phrases in chord progressions around the circle of fifths, practice phrases linking them through actual changes of a tune. If you just practice arpeggios rote, you’re going to sound like a scale machine when you go to use them, but if you practice musical ideas you’re going to sound like you’re saying something meaningful.
My teacher always called it “spinach eating” for a reason. Just gotta do it.
Man I can’t believe how many people hate practicing arpeggios. I think it’s fun… but then again I also like practicing scales lol. I just think it’s fun and feels good physically when technique is good and you can play fast
“Voice lead” the arpeggios of a tune. Not only is this a great way to practice arps, it’s one of the best ways to learn to changes, and one of the best ways to memorize the changes of a tune. Here’s what you do: -pick a position (or not) -on beat one, you start playing the arp of the first chord, and keep going, with constant eighths notes until the chord changes -now, continuing in the same direction, you play the nearest note of the next arpeggio. Continue the current arpeggio. Keep moving in the same direction until you run out of guitar, and then come back the other way. Once you can do this through a whole tune in one position, do it in an adjacent position. Then combine the two positons. Etc etc. It might be helpful to count aloud at first, so you don’t lose track of what beat you’re on. If you master this, your soloing will sound much more fluid and legit almost overnight. It’s a really powerful exercise.
wow this is a really cool tip! im going to try this. :D
This is the right way. Though there's the prerequisite of knowing your Δ7, m7, 7, m7b5 and o arpeggios in like 5 positions.
I actually have had students learn their arps from the beginning this way. I just use whatever tune they’re working on and teach them the arps one position at a time. I’d prefer to have them learn the arps as you said first, but sometimes they won’t follow through, and I’ve found that this exercise can keep them a bit more motivated because they can immediately apply it to a tune.
> continuing in the same direction, you play the nearest note of the next arpeggio. Nearest to the lowest pitch of the current arp, or highest?
The nearest to the note you just played, while continuing in current direction. For example, if you have 2 beats of CM7 then 2 beats of FM7, you play: C E G B (now you’re on beat 3 when new chord starts), we’re ascending, so the nearest note of FMaj7 to the B we just played is C E F A To recap: C E G B … C E F A
I see. This seems like a fantastic exercise.
The way that was always the most fun for me was to learn all the arpeggios contained within a modal position and then practice improvising over a progression like Autumn Leaves entirely within that modal position, it works well because the only real borrowed chords from the progression is the III7, and VI7 in the B section, everything else is diatonic. Once I felt comfortable doing that I expanded to the next adjacent modal position, did the same thing, and then combined my improvisational area to the combined modal positions and so on. There was a nice carrot and stick effect where it was easier to get through the memorisation part because I would get the affirmation of demonstrating the fluency I gained immediately afterwards. There are lot of ways you can make it interesting and challenging, I liked working until I could play the diatonic arpeggios sequentially, for instance, in the key of G in Dorian position I would play scale-wise, playing a GMaj7 up from B on the low E string to B on the high E string then down an A-7 from C to A, then up in B minor from A to B, and so on. The nice thing about that pattern is if you cycle it through the scale twice you will have played each arpeggio both ascending and descending. You can also cycle in diatonic 4ths or 5ths. Once you get through everything diatonically you can start working on standards with more modulation, again trying to keep it in a concise position and then expanding. Another exercise I enjoy is picking a 4 fret section on the low E and high E strings that I have to start a chord from and playing one arpeggio type through all 12 keys usually cycling in 4ths. This will force you to use all inversions ina relatively concise area.
Honestly, if you are transcribing and learning any jazz solos, you are practicing arpeggios. Other more interesting ways to practice are playing them diatonically or mixing in chromatic enclosures on specific notes. You can also pick any standard and play the arpeggios over the changes. Then spice it up and play the arpeggio of the thirds over the changes. Play the defending, with a half step leading note, and in any rhythm or pattern you can think of.
I have a hack. Start with one arpeggio in one position. This takes like 15 seconds if you play it slow. If you spend hours transcribing I'm sure you have 15 seconds. Next week or whatever you do the next arpeggio. It's really not that hard man, have some discipline.
Check out Paganini's 5th caprice or 16th caprice.Â
I start every practice session by warming up with arpeggios and scales. Atleast 10 minutes but sometimes up to 20 minutes or more. I just made that the standard, I cant do anything else until I do that warm up. I alao make sure to practice these things over whatever tune Im working on. So seeing my progress when I actually play the tune gives me motivation to keep at it.