"Go With It, Go Against It, Part Two"

This time we're going with it and against it with arpeggios:

Here's a simple form for an A major triad arpeggio (numbers above the tab are left hand fingerings):

It is simply the root, third and fifth of an A major chord, (A, C#, E) in order, one note at a time. Since it is played on just two strings, the same shape can be repeated on other pairs of strings, and it's easy to get a three octave arpeggio out of it:

Note that the left hand fingering stays the same for each three note group.
Since the basic form is three notes, going with it would be playing it with three notes per beat, otherwise known as triplets:

Notice that you repeat the top note to begin the descent, so as to keep the three note shape within the triplet beat at all times.
Try to follow the left hand fingerings and down-up picking alternation as shown above the tab. Whatever you do, accent the first of each triplet.

Now, against the form (you knew this was coming, didn't you?):
Play the three-octave arpeggio exactly as before, except accent the first of every four.

Note that you do not repeat the top note this time.
Now I've got you good and irritated again, right? Just keep at it! Going with it/ against it is one of the most liberating things you can do for your guitar playing.
In addition, arpeggio practice is good for so many other things regarding lead guitar:
- develops string crossing capability,
- encourages use of larger intervals when solo-ing,
- gets you out of scale ruts,
- encourages you to think about the notes of the chords you are solo-ing over.

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