WARM UP FROM THE CRYPT #8 – Seventh Arpeggios

Padroneggiare gli arpeggi è ormai una prerogativa fondamentale per dare interesse al fraseggio. In questo warm up, ho voluto porre attenzione agli arpeggi di settima con un approccio che ho trovato nei fraseggi di Greg Howe. Si tratta di prevedere l’integrazione sia dell’hybrid-picking che del hammer-on-from-nowhere, tecnica menzionata dallo stesso Howe, dove le dita della mano sinistra intervengono sulla tastiera senza prevedere una plettrata, ma appunto “martellando” direttamente il tasto.

Ho cercato di esporre un po’ tutte le tipologie di arpeggio, mettendo sempre in gioco un percorso “circolare” delle diteggiature lungo la tastiera, a favorire uno sviluppo in loop dell’esercizio.

Le applicazioni degli arpeggi sono molteplici e applicabili in tutti gli stili musicali, ma dove ci si diverte di più con il loro utilizzo è probabilmente nel funk-fusion, dove le loro soluzioni gestuali possono aiutare non solo l’interesse melodico del fraseggio, ma anche quello ritmico.

Per l’occasione, riciterei un maestro indiscusso quale Greg Howe e suggerirei l’ascolto di “Introspection” del 1993, disco che avviò una nuova strada per la chitarra solista rock, dove alle scorribande shred si affiancarono ritmi funk e armonie e melodie jazz-fusion. 

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Mastering arpeggios has become a fundamental prerequisite for adding interest to phrasing. In this warm-up exercise, I aimed to focus on seventh arpeggios with an approach inspired by the phrasing of Greg Howe. This involves incorporating both hybrid picking and hammer-on-from-nowhere techniques, as mentioned by Howe himself, where the left-hand fingers intervene on the fretboard without a pick stroke, but rather “hammering” directly onto the fret.

I’ve tried to cover various types of arpeggios, always incorporating a “circular” fingering pattern along the fretboard to facilitate a looped development of the exercise.

The applications of arpeggios are manifold and applicable in all musical styles, but where one might find the most enjoyment in their usage is likely in funk-fusion, where their gestural solutions can aid not only in the melodic interest of phrasing but also in rhythmic aspects.

For this occasion, I would recommend acknowledging an undisputed master such as Greg Howe and suggest listening to “Introspection” from 1993, an album that paved a new path for rock solo guitar, where shred escapades were accompanied by funk rhythms and jazz-fusion harmonies and melodies.

Mastering arpeggios has become a fundamental prerequisite for adding interest to phrasing. In this warm-up exercise, I aimed to focus on seventh arpeggios with an approach inspired by the phrasing of Greg Howe. This involves incorporating both hybrid picking and hammer-on-from-nowhere techniques, as mentioned by Howe himself, where the left-hand fingers intervene on the fretboard without a pick stroke, but rather “hammering” directly onto the fret.

I’ve tried to cover various types of arpeggios, always incorporating a “circular” fingering pattern along the fretboard to facilitate a looped development of the exercise.

The applications of arpeggios are manifold and applicable in all musical styles, but where one might find the most enjoyment in their usage is likely in funk-fusion, where their gestural solutions can aid not only in the melodic interest of phrasing but also in rhythmic aspects.

For this occasion, I would recommend acknowledging an undisputed master such as Greg Howe and suggest listening to “Introspection” from 1993, an album that paved a new path for rock solo guitar, where shred escapades were accompanied by funk rhythms and jazz-fusion harmonies and melodies.

Mastering arpeggios has become a fundamental prerequisite for adding interest to phrasing. In this warm-up exercise, I aimed to focus on seventh arpeggios with an approach inspired by the phrasing of Greg Howe. This involves incorporating both hybrid picking and hammer-on-from-nowhere techniques, as mentioned by Howe himself, where the left-hand fingers intervene on the fretboard without a pick stroke, but rather “hammering” directly onto the fret.

I’ve tried to cover various types of arpeggios, always incorporating a “circular” fingering pattern along the fretboard to facilitate a looped development of the exercise.

The applications of arpeggios are manifold and applicable in all musical styles, but where one might find the most enjoyment in their usage is likely in funk-fusion, where their gestural solutions can aid not only in the melodic interest of phrasing but also in rhythmic aspects.

For this occasion, I would recommend acknowledging an undisputed master such as Greg Howe and suggest listening to “Introspection” from 1993, an album that paved a new path for rock solo guitar, where shred escapades were accompanied by funk rhythms and jazz-fusion harmonies and melodies.