Moving the G Major Form Arpeggio

Posted on November 17, 2014 by

Moving the G Form Arpeggio to Other Keys

Like all the CAGED form arpeggios, the G Major form arpeggio gets it name because it is taken from the open position G chord shape. Compare the G Form arpeggio to the G chord shape using the 2 pics given below.

Lets try moving the G form arpeggio to the key of C:

Notes in a C major chord = C E G

Choose which root note (the circled #) you are going to use. This form has 3. Lets try the one on the Low E string.
Find a C on the low E string and put your the correct finger on that note as it is in the arpeggio form. Here it would be your 4th finger. You can use the fretboard pic below for reference if needed. You should have found it at the 8th fret.
You are now in position to play the G form arpeggio in the same manner as taught in the previous lesson.

Let’s try another on in A:

Notes in an A major chord= A C# E

Lets try this one using the root note on the high E string that is played with the 4th finger.
Using the the fretboard pic as a reference find and A on the high string. As you’ll see it is on the 5th fret.
Put your pinky on that note an continue playing the G form shape from there. you are now using the G form shape to play in the key of A.

* A true understanding of the guitar fretboard takes years and years. Understanding them is the first step. Years of applying them is the second. The 3rd step is to try other scale forms. CAGED is only one style, there are many others like 3 note per string scales forms and one octave scale forms. Always be open minded and willing to try different methods. You will find that there is something to gain from each one.