let me know if this is helpful (7th chord arpeggio trick).

**acosmicfriend** · 06-27-2007, 03:06 PM

Hey guys... i'm a lurker on these forums and i just wanted your opinion on something. this may very well be common knowledge, but i came across this while practicing, and was surprised about how easy it was. The basic idea is that you take ANY 7th chord (maj, dom, minor, dim, half dim, etc.) and play exactly two notes per string. The result is a VERY simple repeating pattern, and seems that it would be very handy to use to change positions on the fretboard.

Code:

Amaj7 (A Major 7):
TAB:
----------------------------9-12-----------------
----------------------9-10-----------------------
-----------------6-9-----------------------------
------------6-7----------------------------------
-------4-7---------------------------------------
--4-5--------------------------------------------

Fretboard view with the fingerings i use:
 1   3   5   7   9    12
|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|1|-|-|4|-|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|1|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|-|1|-|-|4|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|-|1|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|1|-|-|4|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|1|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|

as you can see, it is VERY simple (index, middle, index, pinky, 
index, middle, index, pinky, etc), which is what is so cool.  
Even better is when you apply it to a seven-string (how i 
originally came across this), you can over 3 whole octaves.

as if it could get any better, it is just as easy with any other 
kind of seventh chord:

A7 (A dominant 7):
-------------------------------9-12------
-------------------------8-10------------
--------------------6-9------------------
---------------5-7-----------------------
----------4-7----------------------------
-----3-5---------------------------------

 1   3   5   7   9    12
|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|1|-|-|4|-|-|-
|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|1|-|3|-|-|-|-|-
|-|-|-|-|-|1|-|-|4|-|-|-|-|-|-
|-|-|-|-|1|-|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
|-|-|-|1|-|-|4|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
|-|-|1|-|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

=======================================

a7 (A minor 7):
-------------------------------8-12------
-------------------------8-10------------
--------------------5-9------------------
---------------5-7-----------------------
----------3-7----------------------------
-----3-5---------------------------------

 1   3   5   7   9    12
|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|1|-|-|-|4|-|-|-
|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|1|-|3|-|-|-|-|-
|-|-|-|-|1|-|-|-|4|-|-|-|-|-|-
|-|-|-|-|1|-|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
|-|-|1|-|-|-|4|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
|-|-|1|-|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

====================================

a half dim 7:
-------------------------------8-11------
-------------------------8-10------------
--------------------5-8------------------
---------------5-7-----------------------
----------3-6----------------------------
-----3-5---------------------------------

 1   3   5   7   9    12
|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|1|-|-|4|-|-|-|-
|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|1|-|3|-|-|-|-|-
|-|-|-|-|1|-|-|4|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
|-|-|-|-|1|-|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
|-|-|1|-|-|4|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
|-|-|1|-|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

===================================

a dim (A fully diminished 7)
-------------------------------8-11------
-------------------------7-10------------
--------------------5-8------------------
---------------4-7-----------------------
----------3-6----------------------------
-----2-5---------------------------------

 1   3   5   7   9    12
|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|1|-|-|4|-|-|-|-
|-|-|-|-|-|-|1|-|-|4|-|-|-|-|-
|-|-|-|-|1|-|-|4|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
|-|-|-|1|-|-|4|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
|-|-|1|-|-|4|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
|-|1|-|-|4|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

the other thing about it is that it applies to the WHOLE 
fretboard, no matter where you are.  if you find your 
index finger on the seventh of a chord (or any other 
finger on any of the corresponding chord tones), you 
can easily bust into any of these arpeggios... going up 
or down. hell, don't go anywhere if you don't want to.

anyways, i hope this isn't completely redundant to the more experienced players out there. I found it very cool and helpful, and i think players of all levels can benefit from it.

Thanks for checking this out!

**robelinda2** · 06-27-2007, 03:16 PM

Does this apply to mastering Africa? kidding.

Ive seen this plenty of times on the internet and in some jazz books, but never heard it put to good musical use. more a moving around the neck tool. Not the worst one ive seen by any means though, but there are so many of these tricks, people should learn more melodies. now im ranting. i'm tired. Baby Tom kept me up all night!

I think Steve Morse may have written an article on that at some stage........

**acosmicfriend** · 06-27-2007, 03:20 PM

yeah that's what i was getting at towards the end. The idea is not to rattle these off from beginning to end, but incorporate them into your vocabulary so you can use them however you see fit.

anyways, i figured if i came up with this it had been done before. oh well.