Creative Intervals

Once I got over the initial learning phase of implementing
arpeggios into my playing, I began to experiment with other
ways of using them in my compositions besides with just sweep
picking.

I wanted a new riff so I began thinking about arpeggios and
their structure. What I finally ended up with was a pretty
cool riff that I wrote an entire song around called
"Fullness Of Time".

When I finally got the notes in the order I wanted, I must
admit, I had to practice this a lot in order to get it smooth
and clean...but it was well worth it.

Although "Fullness" is the seventh track on the CD, it's one
of my favorite tunes. I've tabbed out the riff for you so you
can start seeing other ways to think about arpeggios besides
just sweep picking them.

Also, you'll notice that this riff sounds nothing like a
sweeping arpeggio. That was one of the things I wanted. I
wanted the sound to be different from sweeping arpeggios
so I approached it from a different angle.

I started fooling around with single string arpeggios and
ultimately combined single string arpeggios on multiple strings.
(Huh? You'll see what I mean in the tablature)

Lastly, to move away from the usual 1, 3, 5 arpeggio notes,
I replaced them with other notes of the scale (E Aeolian) to
give the riff a little more flavor as you'll see in the chord
names.

Oh yeah...If you're interested in learning to sweep pick
arpeggios using video software, you can get more information here.

This riff has some very large interval jumping musically as
well as physically on the fretboard. Also, when I introduced
this riff to a bass player he had the same problem I had at
first which you may have also; and that is, you may have a
tendency to accent the second note of the beat instead of the
first. This piece is in 4/4 so the accent is always on the
first beat.

If anything, you should practice this riff for timing and
accuracy. I guarantee that if you practice this riff enough
to be able to play along with me up to speed on the CD,
you'll see improvement in other areas of your playing as well.

If you would like to have the CD so you can follow along
with what I'm teaching, just click here.

Happy Honing!

Need help reading tablature?

"Fullness Of Time" Main Riff
 
 Em          Amaj6       Dmaj7  Dmaj6 Gmaj7  Gmaj6
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------0--11--9--0-----------
-------------------------0--10--0--9------------------------
-------------0--9--0--7-------------------------------------
-0--7--0--3-------------------------------------------------
 
 C    B   Em7          D       E
-8----7---7---7---------------------------------------------
-8----7---8---8---------------------------------------------
-9----8---7---7--------7---7---9---9------------------------
-10---9---9---9--------7---7---9---9------------------------
-10---9---7---7--------5---5---7---7------------------------
-8----7-----------------------------------------------------
 
Repeat