Master Arpeggios on Guitar with A Major and Minor Shapes

 

📘 For Beginners: What Is an Arpeggio?

An arpeggio is when you play the notes of a chord one at a time, instead of strumming them all together. Think of it like breaking up a chord into single notes, in order. If you’ve ever picked each string of a chord slowly, you’ve already played an arpeggio without realising it. They’re used in solos, riffs, and basslines all the time. Learning arpeggios gives your fingers a map of the neck and teaches you which notes actually matter in a chord. It’s like musical x-ray vision.

📗 For Intermediate Players: Why Arpeggios Are Crucial for Lead Playing

If you already know your scale shapes, learning arpeggios is the next-level move. Scales give you options, but arpeggios give you intentionality. When you outline the notes of a chord (1, 3, 5, 7), you’re hitting the target tones that actually define the harmony underneath. Every great soloist uses arpeggios to “lock in” to chord changes — whether it’s rock, jazz, or blues. The 5-position system in this chart lets you visualize arpeggios across the fretboard with surgical precision

Learn 25 Arpeggio Shapes Across the Neck for A Major, Minor, and 7th Chords

A Major and Minor Arpeggios

Arpeggios are one of the most powerful and underused tools in a guitarist's arsenal. While most players learn scales early on, they often skip the step of learning to target chord tones. This page gives you everything you need to master arpeggios in the key of A — major, minor, dominant 7th, major 7th, and minor 7th — across 5 positions on the fretboard.

🧱 Structure of an Arpeggio

  • Major Arpeggio: Root (1), Major 3rd (3), Perfect 5th (5)

  • Minor Arpeggio: Root (1), Minor 3rd (b3), Perfect 5th (5)

  • Dominant 7 Arpeggio: Root (1), Major 3rd (3), Perfect 5th (5), Minor 7th (b7)

  • Major 7 Arpeggio: Root (1), Major 3rd (3), Perfect 5th (5), Major 7th (7)

  • Minor 7 Arpeggio: Root (1), Minor 3rd (b3), Perfect 5th (5), Minor 7th (b7)

🔍 Arpeggio Breakdown by Section

🎯 A Major Arpeggios (5 Shapes)

These are your bread-and-butter triads. Each of the 5 diagrams represents a different section of the fretboard (e.g., 4th, 7th, 9th fret, etc.). You’ll use these when playing solos over major chords or outlining chord progressions like A–D–E.

  • Tips: Emphasise the root on strong beats. Use alternate picking. Try hammer-ons for fluid motion.

  • Use it over: A major, A5, Amaj7 backing tracks.

🎯 A Minor Arpeggios (5 Shapes)

These contain a minor third instead of a major third, giving a sadder, darker sound. Essential for rock, metal, and blues lead work.

  • Tips: Slide into the minor 3rd to emphasise the “blue” feel. Use it over Am, Am7, or minor key grooves.

  • Use it over: Am–G–F or Am–Em–Dm type progressions.

🎯 A Dominant 7 Arpeggios

These are great for blues, funk, and anything that needs that tension-and-release sound. You’re adding a b7 to the standard major triad.

  • Tips: Target the b7 at the end of a phrase. It begs for resolution.

  • Use it over: A7, 12-bar blues progressions, funky rhythm sections.

🎯 A Major 7 Arpeggios

Smooth and jazzy. The major 7 chord has a dreamy, modern sound that’s great for neo-soul, jazz fusion, or sophisticated pop.

  • Tips: Keep it smooth. Avoid heavy attack. Use sweep picking for elegance.

  • Use it over: Amaj7, lush progressions like Amaj7–Dmaj7–E7.

🎯 A Minor 7 Arpeggios

Perfect for minor blues and soul. The minor 7 chord has both the sad minor third and the jazzy b7 — very expressive.

  • Tips: Mix it with the Dorian scale for jazzy solos. Hybrid pick when you can.

  • Use it over: Am7, jazz ii–V–I’s in minor, or lo-fi hip-hop jams.

🔁 Practice Tips

  1. Loop One Chord, Play One Arpeggio
    Loop an A major or Am chord and practice playing the matching arpeggio slowly, in time.

  2. Up and Down Drill
    Start on the low E string, play the arpeggio up and back down — slowly — with a metronome.

  3. Link the Shapes Together
    Once you’ve learned each of the 5 positions, start connecting them. Go from shape 1 to 2, 2 to 3, and so on — up the neck and back.

  4. Create Arpeggio Licks
    Don’t just play them as exercises. Turn each shape into a lick you’d actually use in a solo.

🧠 Final Thoughts

Most players skip arpeggios and wonder why their solos all sound the same. These shapes give you laser focus in your lead playing. They teach you where the soul of the chord is and how to hit it. The more you integrate these arpeggios into your playing, the more expressive and musical you'll sound — no more guessing, just playing with purpose.