12-Week Shred Guitar Mastery
Shred Routine: Week 5
Introduction
Welcome to Week 5 of the Shred Transformation! Last week, we introduced sweep picking—a powerful technique used by some of the greatest shredders of all time. This week, we’re diving deeper into the world of arpeggios, expanding your vocabulary and fluency with extended shapes, 7th chords, and tonal variations.
Sweep Picking: Arpeggios (40 minutes)
In Week 4, you practiced the basics. Now it’s time to level up with iconic shapes every shredder should know.
Examples 1–10
1- A Major Arpeggio (5 strings)
A great shape to get started with. This 5-string A major arpeggio is fluid and efficient for developing right-hand motion.
2- A Major Arpeggio (6 strings)
One of the essential full-range shapes—great for creating cascading lines across the neck.
3- C Major Arpeggio Variation (6 strings)
This one starts like the previous example but descends in a different position, adding melodic variety.
4- A Minor Arpeggio (6 strings)
A staple shape in minor tonality; clean and perfect for sweep drills.
5- B Minor Arpeggio (6 strings)
Same descent idea as example 3, but in a different tonality. Great for practicing fluid transitions.
6- Yngwie-Style Arpeggio
A signature move in neoclassical shred—fast, flashy, and extremely effective.
7th Arpeggios
Now we’ll go beyond simple triads and explore 7th chord arpeggios for richer harmonic ideas.
7- Cmaj7 Arpeggio
A smooth, elegant arpeggio that adds sophistication to your lines.
8- Minor 7th Arpeggio
Warm and jazzy—this shape is great for fusion players too.
9- Dominant 7th Arpeggio
Perfect for bluesy and tension-building licks.
10- Half-Diminished (m7♭5) Arpeggio
A darker-sounding shape, essential for metal and progressive ideas.
Full Tonality Arpeggio Drill: C Major Key (20 minutes)
To tie everything together, we’ll now play 7th arpeggios across the entire C major key using the shapes above. This helps build fretboard vision and musical context for each arpeggio.
Wrap-Up
Sweep picking is one of the most expressive and flashy techniques in the shred world. The shapes you’ve worked on this week are foundational—practice them slowly, cleanly, and with attention to detail before ramping up the speed.
See you next week with more exciting exercises to continue your transformation!
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