Hello all...
 yeap, the sucky alien is in da'house. He will bring you a brief info about what he do to ARPEGIOS. We all know that arpegios are nothing more than CHORDS played note by note through positions(for the acoustics cleans & shreds alike).

 But for the shreders out there that always look for something new for the arsenal i may have some weapons to sell. But first let's get some background info over the arpegio thing. For starters, arpegios come from the root(1st), the third and the fifth notes or "degrees" of a scale; so if we take C mayor scale, C D E F G A B, the c mayor arpegio will be C(1st), E(third) & G(fifth); the C mayor arpegio is CEG.

This work out the same with all diatonic scales(the 1st,3rd & 5th thing); this formula will dictate the arpegio's tonality; for instincts, if you take the A Minor scale(opposite to C mayor) and apply the formula you get: A B C D E F G : 1st, 3rd & 5th = A C E. A minor arpegio is ACE.

 now you can compare both and analize its diferences as physical structure goes, the second note of the minor arpegio is "flatened" in relation with the mayor one; this make the actual tonality minor. So, for an easier view, if you take the C mayor arpegio(CEG) and flaten it's 2nd note(E) will end up like this: C Eb G; this folks is C minor arpegio. To make a mayor from a minor you just raise the 2nd note(duh!!); from A minor(A C E) to A mayor(A C# E). For me this is just a begining on all this; so, as scales have "modes", so the arpegios. Is the exact same picture, start the arpegio from other point than its root. Here's easier 'cause arpegios has only 3 notes: for C mayor, CEG; for E Phrygian, EGC; & for G mixolydian, GCE. For the Minor we have the root, ACE, CEA & EAC (the minor modes names change dramatically and here is where everybody hates this cause is boring and very confusing so i'm moving on). The next example is an ilustration of both C mayor and A minor 3 string run in modes. To effectively learn this try it very slow(metronome) and with ALTARNATE PICKING before trying to sweep the shapes. The actual performance of this by strict alternate will give your picking hand quite a workout, increased dexterity, fluidity, accuracy, speed & stamina will be the only side effects of working out with this.

 Other shapes that i constantly use are more stable, less moving patterns like this, actually are the best for ripping at sweep pick inversion... but i stress you to practice it alternate fashion too 'till those notes come out as clean as posible. This time real note subdivision is present. The first arpegio(G mayor) is in a 16th note count triplets(6 notes per beat) while the second one(C mayor) is in the actual 16th note count(4 notes per beat).

  And, same patterns, same count, minor tonality...

 Arpegios are very effective for almost any situation where you want to clearly define tonal capabilities. I use 3 different techniques to display 'em; sweep picking, alternate picking and a hybrid(circular picking), derived from eficienty of motion pick style. So, by this amend, mayor and minor are too little for such a task... so, meet some other alies of mine: The symetrical ones; Diminished & augmented arpegios. Actually, any of this two can "stink up" any line, they're weird, misunderstood, ugly sounding and barely fits where they actually fits... i love 'em. Put it in good use, can change the actual black & white of minor and mayor to so many "colors".

 The above example were diminished ones, for what is it worth, all the notes are roots(this is why they're called Symetrical) an as you can see, the structure is based on MINOR THIRDS intervals(that's actually the way is call when there is 3 semitones of "space" in a row between 2 notes); think of dimineshed as MINOR FLAT 5th arpegios. Based on this, THERE'S ONLY 3 DIMINISHED ARPEGIO FORMULAS: C D# F# A, C# E G A# and D F G# B. also, see that all shapes have 4 notes.

   The above shape is an example of "a la Yngwie Malmsteen" dimished climb; notice the accents, the progression in 16 note triplets, the slides & pull-offs and the pick inversion pattern(the v= upstroke, the other, downstrokes); must be aproach with a "staccato" feel(short, semi-muted notes). Very classical sounding set of arpegios that can be named either Edim., Gdim, A#dim. or C#dim. Now, check out this other thing:

This one is based in the "whole tone scale" that also might be reffered as the augmented scale. For this guys think MAYOR #5th arpegios; there's only two sets of this, the ones that runs C D E F# G# A# and the C# D# F G A B; again, all tones are roots(no modes). This type of runs are constantly heard in every track of Michael Romeo's guitar work. In the next figure, i posted my chords of choice to use behind these arpegios(I omited the regular augmented shapes), they are easyly inyerpreted as MAYOR CHORDS with some notes left out; my reason for doing this is obviously playability concepts; in any of this chords i can play the before arpegios, the scales of 'em(whole tone) and also the natural & modal mayor types, leaving me quite a space to move.

So we made it trough another blog of mine... i want to say that my work is just for fun and actually trying to light a spark in anyone interested and capable to read this whole. Try to put as much as you can in practice. I like doing this 'cause i'm one of those who keep asking why, and get interesting answers like, it sounds cool... or, you will get there anyway... and i wandered. This is actually a very short, little brief piece of info in the matter; there is too much to talk about... So i wish to have been of any good to you; i'll keep posting around as my other artistic works give me the chance(photography & bonsai entusiast; resercher). Keep the great work and, PEACE.