Simple Arpeggio Playing Over Open Chords

Arpeggios often cause a lot of confusion because I think most people believe they can’t be that simple. In reality, an arpeggio is nothing more than breaking the notes of a chord up and playing them one at a time instead of all together (and as my kids like to tell me, Arpeggio was NOT Pinocchio’s father.)

So in this example taken from a common lesson I do with my private students, you’ll get to practice your right hand picking while your left hand really doesn’t do anything but hold a chord shape.

This is a great way to get a nice sound without a lot of work. It’s common in many different styles of music. Hope you like it.


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    52 replies to "Simple Arpeggio Playing"

    • expotv.com

      I all the time used to read piece of writing in news papers but now as I am a user of
      net therefore from now I am using net for posts, thanks to web.

    • Trudi Sagovac

      This is really nice. I so appreciate the lessons.

    • David Dresser

      Perfect for me. Simple, easy to follow. Slow. I m old and not so quick. I want to learn very basic stuff so that I can start. Then I will understand the more complex things.
      Thanks

    • Larry

      IM SORRY, IT IS VERY FUN, SOUNDS GREAT MORE HYMNAL TYPE, I have heard of repeggios’s played them over and over, but never knew they were called this. great to know. I can sound real musical asking other band members to play certain chords arpeggio style.

    • Larry

      Add an F you may have House of the Rising sun

    • Larry

      sounds l;ike many songs I have heard and played. Can you show slide?

    • David Schubnell

      I Injoy everything it’s fun too learn how to play,wish I didn’t have still work would like to learn from you most of the day. You have a great day thank you

      • Leanne

        Im married to a David Schubnell. We have never seen another person with his same name. Where do you live sir, if you don’t mind my asking?

    • ian

      Griff
      is a very understanding artist and effortlessly exposes the rudiments of the instrument with no inhibitions and anyone would take his advice on board a perfect example of a non egotistical tutor.perfect delivery once again

      thanks

      ian

    • Chris

      Great video, nice easy sound.

    • Gay Snell

      Still don’t get any sound (last time a few minutes I sent you an email I gave you an email address that you do not have for me–sorry about that.
      Anyway……still not any sound!!!! Can’t figure it out.
      Gay Snell

    • Gay Snell

      Boy, I would love to go over this video but I cannot get any sound. Do you know why this is happening (second time) or what I can do to correct it?

    • Gary L.

      Great video lesson! Great for warmup before practice on BGU course!

    • joe mcmahon

      wild! im actually seeing in my brain what your playing, gotta go try this ,thanks griff.

    • Donald Adkins

      Very nice to listen too and fun to play!! Thanks for all your time and hard work that you do to make this possible for us.Take care!

    • tonythebluesman@gmail.com

      very nicely done mystro . its a nice piece and i intend to pass it along to my students . i have two who cant seem to grasp all out strumming yet very well i think this could be a better way to show them how to work up to basic strumming . every rose has it thorn yup fleetwood mac sound . or just about any ballad that could fit mixing it up a bit . three doors down sound it just goes on an on an on an on do you agree . oh yeah dont forget the black crows. i think all here will get to a point where it all starts to come together . keep the lessons coming luv it man

    • Glenn Lego

      I enjoyed this. I would enjoy it more if I didn’t always get “the shakes” whenever I try to do something with my guitar!:(

    • Tom

      Nice little piece to practice for hand string coordination.

    • PAUL DRAGOTTO

      HELLO MR. HAMMIN. YOUR MISSION HAS BEEN COMPLETED. YOUR STUDENT IS VERY HAPPY WITH THE ARPPEGIO LESSON. THIS MESSAGE WILL NOT DESTRUCT .
      ALWAYS LIKED THAT SHOW. JUST LIKE YOUR VIDEO LESONS. IT’S CLOSE TO DINNER TIME , SO INSTEAD OF HOOKING ALL MY GEAR UP I THOUHT I WOULD USE MY ASOUSTIC GUITAR. THEY SOUND SO WARM WHEN PLAYED UN PLUGED. I LIKE TO USE THEM UP THE NECK TO IN BETWEEN A SOLO. THANK YOU MY FRIEND AND TAKE CARE.

    • ghostplayr

      good stuff . been working on this a lot the single string picking is a most to learn . for me has been the some of the hardest . other getting fret board memory down. thanks for video allways good stuff to practice .

    • Bill Buffington

      Sounds Great

    • Bob

      Of all the lessons I’ve listened to this one has to be the very worst in terms of quality of sound and video. The audio was not in time with your playing and your video was out of sinc in both speaking and playing. Otherwise it was worth listening to. Don’t know what caused this mess.

    • ken goslin

      Hi Griff. Really liked the arpeggio lesson keep up the good work. Thanks Griff . Ken

    • Tom

      Going back to simple chords, always a good thing. Thanks Griff..

    • David lackey

      If you like this gary Moore before his passing,played this or similar sound also used this technique.
      Sounds great!

    • manuel hernandez

      I’m so glad you finally got to me , because the other format” html files ” did not get the TO me.

    • kev

      excellent my wife loves it

    • Hans

      Nice definetly worthwhile to know great little building blocks

    • Bob

      I.ve been doing that for awhile now, and now I can tell people “that’s an arpeggio”.

    • Jim - UK

      Griff,
      Love it. That sounds really good.
      It needs some words to it 🙂

      A common one I think is playing G7 bottom four strings, followed by C middle four strings and F top four strings.

      Thanks for all the tips, I can honestly say I’ve never learned so much.

    • Bob

      Griff,
      Enjoyed this very much. All your videos are very informative

    • H

      Hi Griff, nice one fella, I love picking, more eloquent than strumming.

      Heres a little joke for yall. I have a guitar which is gr8, I know nine chords but I can only arpeggi eight. lol lol, you gotta larf.
      thanks for all your time n effort, we all appreciate it. H

    • dave beehner

      My real interest is bluegrass. I stumbled onto your website and go through the different materal.I enjoy your lessons as a change of pace,and the lessons have been helpful.The way you pesent your material is clear and well done.

      Dave Beehner

      a

    • autoresponders

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    • robert.beazley6@bigpond.com

      A really great lesson, would love to have it on my computer as this is the style I really love.

      Thanks a lot
      Bob

    • Ray N Parsons

      Thanks to you Griff , I am finally getting somewhere with my guitar playing, following you is very simple and rewarding,

      Thank you Ray NP

    • Tyrssen@gmail.com

      Nicely done! This simple technique pretty much got me through a lot of coffee-house acoustic gigs back in the day. Does indeed call “Love Hurts” to mind — also “Love In Vain”. Probably many others as well!

    • Jim

      Hi Griff,
      Very nice, I’ll add that to my “picking” repertoire. I bought your Blues Course ages ago but I still have your emails. Many thanks
      Jim

    • Ozzy

      Hey, I love it Griff. Reminds me of “Love Hurts” by Nazereth. Been looking for info on arpeggios and I know I’ll use this one for practice for sure. It is such a beautiful progression. Thanks.

    • shawn

      Great vid and very helpful site.

      You sort of look like Luke Wilson….. Idiocracy

    • john p caines

      Hi Griff. Great video/lesson. All I can say is GREAT………..John.

    • gary alsup

      Great info on playing arpeggios on guitar.

    • Einer Jaramillo

      Hello, would be great to have subtitles in Spanish. I do not speak English but I see the videos. Thank you very much.

    • Ashley

      I really like this video, however the “down down down down, up up up up” of the strings drove me insane. Great video tho.

    • DOUG STANLEY

      This really touched me, I just love it and can sit playing it for hours. Thanks

    • Dan Silverman

      Hey Griff, Thank you! I love the sound of these chords!!Really sounds great on my Martin.
      Dan AKA Skamok

    • cowboy

      neat…later.

      cowboy

    • john

      Absolutely excellent. Great lesson, great exercise, and fun to play.

    • Gilles

      sorry email typo error…if you want to answer me …this one now is correct one

    • Gilles

      As a newby on guitar , I will take that for my warm-up session drill and my cool down relaxation …WOW…love that progression.

      What will be the metronome speed suggest for that 90 ?

    • Marko

      Nice, very nice song,
      marko

    • mack arthurs

      nice little pattern this is something I work at . Will it work as well on the acoustic?

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