Arpeggio tutorial

This is a short tutorial on how you can create delicious arpeggio covers for your favorite songs. I originally wrote this for my brother and he likes anime music, so I'm using one as the recurring song.

Here's the end result:

Level 1. 1-5-1

Let's start with a foundational pattern: the 1-5-1. In this pattern, you play the first and fifth notes of the scale for each chord. For example, if you're playing a C chord, use the C major scale, where the first note is C, and the fifth is G.

Sheet

Take a listen here. Notice how the left hand only plays 3 quarter notes then pauses for each chord. Can you hear the 1-5-1 pattern in the left hand?

Styx helix – arpeggio 151

Piano roll

Here's the equivalent piano roll version

Let’s practice!

Each lesson builds on the previous one, so take time to master each step. Maybe spend each day on each section. Here are some practice goals:

1. [Left] Start with just the left hand. Make sure you know the 1's and 5's of each chord.

2. [Left and right] Add the right hand. Pay attention to which left and right hand notes have to be played at the same time.

3. [In tempo] Play along with the musescore (the sheet music app) recording, and make sure you can follow the same tempo without any mistakes. In the "Sheet" section, the musescore widget allows looping. Set "end measure" to 4.

4. [Another song] Repeat the above exercises on another song. Pick one song that you know the chords of. If you don't, you can use ultimate guitar.

Level 2. Continuous 151

We can make our playing be more continuous by descending after we reach the highest note. The pattern is now 1515.

Sheet

Take a listen here. Notice how we additionally play the fifth note of each scale instead of resting, and so there is no more left hand rest.

Styx helix – arpeggio 1515

Piano roll

Here's the equivalent piano roll version

Let’s practice!

1. [Left] Practice just the left hand in isolation. Make sure you can play the notes continuously.

2. [Left and right] Add the right hand. Pay attention to which left and right hand notes have to be played at the same time.

3. [In tempo] Practice against the musescore recording, and make sure you can follow the same tempo without any mistakes.

4. [Another song] Repeat the above to another song.

Level 3. Twice as fast

Let's play twice as many notes! If we just use 1 and 5, we will have to span a lot of octaves, so let's also use the third note of each scale. We'll use the pattern 15135131. Note how there are 8 notes to fill each bar.

Sheet

Listen to this example. Doesn't that sound much cooler?

Styx helix – arpeggio twice as fast

Piano roll

Here's the equivalent piano roll version

Watch this video so you know how to move your fingers (but skip the first octave's third note).

Let’s practice!

WARNING: There is a huge jump in difficulty. If this is your first time, I recommend starting with a slow tempo (e.g. 30 BPM, so you play 1 note per second), and each day you increase the tempo by 10 BPM.

1. [Left] Practice just the left hand in isolation. Make sure you can play the notes continuously.

2. [Left and right] Add the right hand. Pay attention to which left and right hand notes have to be played at the same time.

3. [In tempo] Practice against the musescore recording, and make sure you can follow the same tempo without any mistakes.

4. [Another song] Repeat the above to another song.

Level 4. Beyond 135

We can use more notes beyond the 135 of each scale. Some common ones are the 2, 6 and 7. Here's an example where we also use the 2.

Sheet

The pattern used here is 15123532. Doesn't the 123 walking movement sound good here?

Styx helix – arpeggio 15123532

Piano roll

Here's the equivalent piano roll version

Let’s practice!

1. [Left] Practice just the left hand in isolation. Make sure you can play the notes continuously.

2. [Left and right] Add the right hand. Pay attention to which left and right hand notes have to be played at the same time.

3. [In tempo] Practice against the musescore recording, and make sure you can follow the same tempo without any mistakes.

4. [Another pattern] Try other patterns! Here is another one: 15123575, or you can create your own too.

5. [Another song] Repeat the above to another song.

Level 5. Rhythm gaps

You can leave out some notes in your left hand if your right hand is playing a melody, and your playing will still sound continuous. You can even play different patterns for each chord!

Sheet

Notice how leaving some space on the arpeggio when the right hand is playing can make the piece sound more interesting. You will still want to play the bass note regardless of the right hand to establish the chord though.

Styx helix – arpeggio rhythm gaps

Piano roll

Here's the equivalent piano roll version

Let’s practice!

1. [Left and right] Practice with both hands. Pay close attention to which notes on both hands are played at the same or different time.

2. [New pattern] Sketch up a new pattern while keeping the same rhtyhmic gaps. Practice that.

3. [Improvise] Keep looping this chorus, and see if you can pick gaps and notes for the left hand on the fly. To be able to improvise, you must instinctively be able to identify the notes of the chords. A great way to get better at this is to practice chord inversions. Look for YouTube tutorials on "chord inversions" and practice them first if you haven't done this before.

4. [Another song] Repeat the above to another song.

Level 6. Soft and sad

The arpeggio can also be played in the higher register for a softer and sadder sound. I used this trick for the transition here.

Sheet

Since I'm playing at a higher register and my fingers are more scrunched up, I use patterns that are closer together like 1356 or 1357.

Styx helix – arpeggio soft

Piano roll

Here's the equivalent piano roll version

Let’s practice!

1. [Left and right] Practice with both hands. Pay close attention to which notes on both hands are played at the same time.

2. [New pattern] Repeat the chorus twice, but for the first iteration, use the previous section where you start in a lower register and do a 151. For the second iteration, do the soft, higher register version as per this section. Tada! You just made an arrangement!

3. [Connect] Sketch up a new pattern while keeping the same rhtyhmic gaps. Practice that.

4. [Improvise] Improvise the notes on the fly. Switch between lower and higher register at each chorus.

5. [Another song] Repeat the above to another song.

Conclusion

That's it for this tutorial! I highly recommend that you create an arrangement and publish it on youtube or instagram. If you do, feel free to ping me on github so I can link it, or even reply to the youtube video below as a comment.

Have fun practicing! -- Arigato / sayonara / whatever - I wouldn't know, but my brother would.