by Matt Mills.

Matt Mills

Typically most Neoclassical shred guitarists will play major, minor and diminished arpeggios. But, I try to expand on arpeggios in the way of using major 7th, major 9th minor and 7th minor 11.

The first sequence (shown below - click on image for a larger popup version) is an idea based around a major 9th and an end sequence of a major 13th arpeggio. Hopefully, the ideas I have presented will help break you away from the typical major minor ideas. The overall idea of the sequence is Fmaj9, Dm9, Bbmaj9, Gm9 and Fmaj13.

The arpeggios are broken down into small triplets, before completing each arpeggio moving up three strings at a time E-A-D then A-D-G then D-G-B. This builds impact, instead of just
playing completely through each shape.

When approaching each sequence, use a metronome, remembering that the clarity is much more important than the speed. I've set the speed of the metronome for this first session at 135 beats per minute, but set yours up at a pace that you find challenging, yet not frustrating. The speed will come in time!