Arpeggio

[Maestro]

QUOTE (Ancient Ways @ Feb 27 2008, 07:53 PM)

I would appreciate the experts comments on this post. I have always understood two definitions of the term arpeggio. The first is what has been covered already which is essentially: (on a guitar) finger a chord on the guitar and play each note seperately instead of strumming the strings in one motion. The second is created by taking the common elements of the chord and playing those notes through several octaves: for example, take an Amajor chord barred at the fifth fret. The notes in the chord are a,e,a,c,e,a. The Amajor arpeggio is then created by playing these notes successively through the fretboard. Although these are the same notes as the "ringing" chord variety it seems to be played typically as a scale form and the "chord" itself is never actually fingered...

I'm not an 'expert' by any means; but, having said that, I can assure you that one may certainly arppegiate through several octaves if so desired...

 

"The notes in the chord are a,e,a,c#,e,a. The Amajor arpeggio is then created by playing these notes successively through the fretboard..."

 

It's only a matter of finding these notes in this sequence in the lowest register of the guitar and continuing up the neck in the same sequence until you've reached the highest register, or until you've reached the point where you would choose to turn around, reverse the order, and proceed back to the lowest register...

 

That would be one type of arppegio...

As previously mentioned, arpeggios are not limited to this ascending/decending sequence... ...Arrpegios are constructed from the notes of the chord... ...The order of execution, the chords choosen, the harmony of the chord (arpeggio) progression.... ...These are the creative elements.

 

Pattern, pattern, pattern!

 

Now lets stop 'harping' on the subject and get out there and practice our arppegiatation

 

 

III.

 

[psionic11]

QUOTE (Ya_Big_Tree @ Feb 25 2008, 01:48 PM)

QUOTE (sullysue @ Feb 23 2008, 01:06 AM) I've always wondered what this meant and looked it up. All of these years of being an Alex Lifeson fan and not really knowing what it meant. I googled it and this is the best explanation, but I'm still not sure where it is that it occurs with Alex's playing. Work with me, because I'm no better than a novice. Here is the link to the Wikipedia thing: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arpeggio But, someone please point out to me where exactly it happens with Alex's playing in particular. Thank you for your patience.  Also, what effect is that that he uses starting at 1:50 in Jacob's Ladder? I have an idea, but again I'm a novice. I don't want to sound like a nudge. Alex is the King when it comes to Arpeggios! Bingo. This is what makes a lot of Alex's stuff different from most other rock guitar music.   metal: chug-chug chugga chug   rock: strum str-strum str-strum   Alex: bling bling ba kling kling (verses for Red Barchetta, Spirit of Radio, Freewill, Show Don't Tell)   Some really catchy guitar licks you remember are arpeggios:   the main catchy lick of Xanadu the main lick of G'n'R Sweet Child of Mine the intro of Dreamline

Edited February 28, 2008 by psionic11

[1-0-0-1-0-0-1]

QUOTE (psionic11 @ Feb 28 2008, 01:56 PM)

Some really catchy guitar licks you remember are arpeggios: the main catchy lick of Xanadu the main lick of G'n'R Sweet Child of Mine the intro of Dreamline

I don't think those are arpeggios. Those aren't chords, those are single-note riffs.

[CygnusX-1Bk2]

QUOTE (1-0-0-1-0-0-1 @ Feb 28 2008, 11:35 AM)

QUOTE (psionic11 @ Feb 28 2008, 01:56 PM) Some really catchy guitar licks you remember are arpeggios: the main catchy lick of Xanadu the main lick of G'n'R Sweet Child of Mine the intro of Dreamline I don't think those are arpeggios. Those aren't chords, those are single-note riffs. Technically these are arpeggios. They aren't exactly a scale or mode. They are repeated arpeggiated patterns. If you played these notes as a chord (if you can physically) they would create a "spell-able" chord, granted the result could be dissonant, but it would still be a chord none the less.   If you have a synthesizer and engage the arpeggiator function and press keys that are minor seconds they will be arpeggiated by the synth.

[Ancient Ways]

QUOTE (Maestro @ Feb 28 2008, 04:12 AM)

"The notes in the chord are a,e,a,c#,e,a.

I was typing major and thinking minor. thanks for the correction and your thoughts.

[psionic11]

QUOTE (CygnusX-1Bk2 @ Feb 28 2008, 05:59 PM)

QUOTE (1-0-0-1-0-0-1 @ Feb 28 2008, 11:35 AM) QUOTE (psionic11 @ Feb 28 2008, 01:56 PM) Some really catchy guitar licks you remember are arpeggios: the main catchy lick of Xanadu the main lick of G'n'R Sweet Child of Mine the intro of Dreamline I don't think those are arpeggios. Those aren't chords, those are single-note riffs. Technically these are arpeggios. They aren't exactly a scale or mode. They are repeated arpeggiated patterns. If you played these notes as a chord (if you can physically) they would create a "spell-able" chord, granted the result could be dissonant, but it would still be a chord none the less.   If you have a synthesizer and engage the arpeggiator function and press keys that are minor seconds they will be arpeggiated by the synth. Aye, with the synth arpeggiator so common nowadays, it's like the technical definition of an arpeggio has changed a bit. Similar to what a serious jazz cat like Thelonius Monk would call a really far-out chord, and Classical purist would call garbage.   The main difference is chords are usually strummed or played with all the notes at the same time... when you "break up" that chord by playing it instead as a ladder-like sequence, then you are "arpeggiating" that chord, even if the chord is somewhat dissonant by including passing notes...   Alex: Hey Ged, check this out. I came up with this great chord for that new concept song Neil's still hashing the lyrics out for. (plays an F# chord with the high B and E strings open)   Geddy: Yeah, I like the way those upper notes kinda sound open, but grate against each other in a cool way too.   Alex: Yeah, and look -- I can leave the B and E strings open while I change chords below (plays an A + BE, C + BE, D + BE, B + BE).   Geddy: Oooh yeah, that B with the open strings has that same quality with the F#. Good stuff. You're onto something like jazz, but not like jazz.   Alex: Problem though. Neil said this whole mythology Aphrodite Cygnus thingy is going to take a long time to deliver... we're looking at maybe a 20 minute song... cool as they are, I need some way to get some mileage out of these new chords. I wanna fill up the space like I was 2 guitarists. Hmm, what to do...?   Geddy: I know, why don't you try hitting the bottom chord, but ar-peg-gi-a-ting the upper part, to really bring out that eerie quality?   Alex: (tries the new way) Brilliant! You're a genius! I'm a genius! Neil's a genius! This band is like 100% genius! I bet in the long run only people who like geniuses will truly recognize our genius.   Geddy: Ahh jeebus, here we go again. (shouts to Neil) Hey Neil, can you bring some of that milk in here... Alex is going hyper again, we need to sedate him if we're going to get anything done this year...   Neil: (offstage grumble) Get your own milk. I'm in the zone here...

Edited February 29, 2008 by psionic11

[sullysue]

QUOTE (1-0-0-1-0-0-1 @ Feb 23 2008, 12:33 AM)

As for the effect at 1:50 on "Jacob's Ladder" (I assume you mean the studio version, which would be the solo), that's really not an effect. It's just heavy distortion from the amp, and he's using the rhythm pickup on his guitar to give it a really thick, even sound. The first half of the solo in "The Camera Eye" is another example of that sound. Do you need to know what distortion and a rhythm pickup are?

I know about distortion. Rhythm pickup?

 

I was able to recognize the same thing in The Camera Eye. Actually, I think I can hear that in other places as well. It's almost the same sound as the beginning of the solo in Freewill. Not as heavily distorted, but "thick" in the same way.

[1-0-0-1-0-0-1]

QUOTE (sullysue @ Mar 1 2008, 12:46 AM)

QUOTE (1-0-0-1-0-0-1 @ Feb 23 2008, 12:33 AM) As for the effect at 1:50 on "Jacob's Ladder" (I assume you mean the studio version, which would be the solo), that's really not an effect. It's just heavy distortion from the amp, and he's using the rhythm pickup on his guitar to give it a really thick, even sound. The first half of the solo in "The Camera Eye" is another example of that sound. Do you need to know what distortion and a rhythm pickup are?  I know about distortion. Rhythm pickup?   I was able to recognize the same thing in The Camera Eye. Actually, I think I can hear that in other places as well. It's almost the same sound as the beginning of the solo in Freewill. Not as heavily distorted, but "thick" in the same way. Pickups are to an electric guitar what a microphone is to a singer. They are what "pick up" the vibrations of the strings and turn them into electrical signals which can then be amplified.   Most of Alex's guitars have two pickups. In fact, he's been using all Gibson guitars lately in his live shows, and all his Gibsons have two (except for the doubleneck, which of course has four).   http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/1001001/Guitars/rush-colour102pickups.jpg   Ironically, in a hard rock setting, the rhythm pickup is hardly ever used for rhythm at all. When rock players are playing with a distorted tone, they almost always use the lead pickup for rhythm parts. Most of Alex's solos with distortion are also played with the lead pickup for that bright, biting tone...unless he's going for that extra-thick sound like on "Jacob's Ladder" and "Camera Eye" -- then he'll change to the rhythm pickup.   With a cleaner sound, the rhythm pickup is used much more often. The verses and solo on "Bravest face" are clean and Alex is using either the rhythm pickup or both pickups together. Many of the clean arpeggio sections in Rush's songs are played the same way. The middle section of "The Trees," for example. The "Wheels within wheels" arpeggios in "Natural Science" are also played with a clean sound and using the rhythm pickup (or both pickups together).

[sullysue]

QUOTE (1-0-0-1-0-0-1 @ Mar 1 2008, 01:05 AM)

QUOTE (sullysue @ Mar 1 2008, 12:46 AM) QUOTE (1-0-0-1-0-0-1 @ Feb 23 2008, 12:33 AM) As for the effect at 1:50 on "Jacob's Ladder" (I assume you mean the studio version, which would be the solo), that's really not an effect. It's just heavy distortion from the amp, and he's using the rhythm pickup on his guitar to give it a really thick, even sound. The first half of the solo in "The Camera Eye" is another example of that sound. Do you need to know what distortion and a rhythm pickup are?  I know about distortion. Rhythm pickup?   I was able to recognize the same thing in The Camera Eye. Actually, I think I can hear that in other places as well. It's almost the same sound as the beginning of the solo in Freewill. Not as heavily distorted, but "thick" in the same way. Pickups are to an electric guitar what a microphone is to a singer. They are what "pick up" the vibrations of the strings and turn them into electrical signals which can then be amplified.   Most of Alex's guitars have two pickups. In fact, he's been using all Gibson guitars lately in his live shows, and all his Gibsons have two (except for the doubleneck, which of course has four).   http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/1001001/Guitars/rush-colour102pickups.jpg   Ironically, in a hard rock setting, the rhythm pickup is hardly ever used for rhythm at all. When rock players are playing with a distorted tone, they almost always use the lead pickup for rhythm parts. Most of Alex's solos with distortion are also played with the lead pickup for that bright, biting tone...unless he's going for that extra-thick sound like on "Jacob's Ladder" and "Camera Eye" -- then he'll change to the rhythm pickup.   With a cleaner sound, the rhythm pickup is used much more often. The verses and solo on "Bravest face" are clean and Alex is using either the rhythm pickup or both pickups together. Many of the clean arpeggio sections in Rush's songs are played the same way. The middle section of "The Trees," for example. The "Wheels within wheels" arpeggios in "Natural Science" are also played with a clean sound and using the rhythm pickup (or both pickups together). Thank you!   It's a miracle I made it through your post. That picture distracted me a little.   I appreciate all of this info and your patience. I suppose I can be expecting a bill in the mail, huh?