Backing chords: D – G – A – D
Listen to the four chords, then try your target notes over them. B is the third of G; C♯ is the third of A.
Fretboard practice · StrumForge
Guitar Arpeggio Trainer
Learn the chord tones.
Put them into your solos.
Practice major, minor, and seventh-chord arpeggios across five CAGED shapes. See the notes, intervals, or suggested fingering, then use playback to work through each pattern at your own pace.
Open Arpeggio Trainer
Free preview. Playback and interactive controls require StrumForge Pro.
Web · iPhone · iPad · Android
What you can practice
Find the chord tones
Choose any of the 12 roots and a major, minor, major 7, minor 7, or dominant 7 chord. Switch between note names, intervals, and suggested fingering.
Connect the fretboard
Explore the C, A, G, E, and D shapes. Start with One Octave, then switch to Full Shape to play the rest of the pattern.
Get the notes under your fingers
With Pro, slow the playback down, add a count-in, and loop the pattern. Practice going up, coming down, or both.
Try a D major arpeggio
Here’s one example to get you started. We’ll use D major, but the trainer lets you choose any of the 12 roots.
An arpeggio is a chord played one note at a time. For D major, those notes are D, F♯, and A: the root, third, and fifth.
This example uses the C shape from the CAGED system. That describes the fingering pattern; the chord you’re playing is still D major.
e|-----------------------| B|-----------3-----------| G|--------2-----2--------| D|-----4-----------4-----| A|--5-----------------5--| E|-----------------------|
In standard tuning, start on the A string at fret 5. Play one note at a time and keep the unused strings quiet. Listen for how the phrase comes home when you return to D.
Once that feels comfortable, switch to Full shape to extend the climb: after the B string at fret 3, play frets 2 and 5 on the high E string, then come back down.
Open Arpeggio Trainer
Free preview. Playback and interactive controls require StrumForge Pro.
Practice with a steady beat
Grab your guitar and try this short routine. Use the trainer’s playback with Pro, or play the TAB above with your own metronome.
- Start slowly. Choose D major, C shape, One Octave, and quarter notes. Try 60 BPM, with one note per beat. Slow down if a string crossing trips you up.
- Loop a clean phrase. Turn on the count-in and metronome. Play up and down until each note sounds clear and you can make the turn without rushing.
- Change one thing. Try eighth notes, another root, or the next CAGED shape. Keep the tempo comfortable while you get used to the change.
More playback options
The tempo range is 40–200 BPM, with quarter notes, eighth notes, triplets, and sixteenth notes. At 60 BPM, eighth notes give you two notes per beat. With Loop and Cycle keys enabled, the root moves up a fourth every four passes.
Start slowly and increase the tempo when every note sounds clean.
Use arpeggios in your solos
Chord tones give your phrases somewhere to land. Play the backing chords below and aim for D over D, B over G, C♯ over A, then D again. Play each target note as its chord begins.
Once you can follow the changes, add one or two notes before each target. Leave a little space between phrases so you can hear the chord change.
The Arpeggio Trainer plays single-note exercises. For a repeating chord backing, open these chords in the progression generator. You can also use scale notes to connect your chord tones.
Major, minor, and seventh-chord arpeggios
Keep D as the root and compare the notes below. Major and minor arpeggios have three chord tones; seventh-chord arpeggios add a fourth.
| Arpeggio | Formula | Notes in D |
|---|---|---|
| Major | 1–3–5 | D–F♯–A |
| Minor | 1–♭3–5 | D–F–A |
| Major 7 | 1–3–5–7 | D–F♯–A–C♯ |
| Minor 7 | 1–♭3–5–♭7 | D–F–A–C |
| Dominant 7 | 1–3–5–♭7 | D–F♯–A–C |
Hear what the seventh adds
With Pro, compare D major and D major 7 in the same CAGED shape. D major 7 adds C♯. Switch to Notes to see where it fits.
Then try D7: its seventh is C natural, one fret below C♯. Listen to how that one note changes the sound.
Common questions
Do I need to know CAGED first?
No. Start with the D major example above and learn one position. CAGED names five shape families based on the open C, A, G, E, and D chords. Each gives you another place to play the same chord tones on the neck.
When one shape feels familiar, find a D in the next shape and connect the two through that note.
What’s the difference between triads and arpeggios?
A triad is a three-note chord. An arpeggio is a way of playing chord tones separately, whether the chord has three notes or more. Use the Triad Trainer for compact chord shapes and inversions, and the Arpeggio Trainer for single-note patterns across CAGED positions.
Is the Arpeggio Trainer free?
You can view the trainer preview for free. Playback and interactive controls require StrumForge Pro. The TAB and lesson on this page are free to use with your guitar.
Can I use it on my phone or tablet?
Yes. The trainer is part of the StrumForge guitar practice app, available on web, iPhone, iPad, and Android. Your trainer settings are saved on the device you’re using.
Pick a shape. Play a few notes.
Start with one arpeggio and a comfortable tempo. Learn how it sounds, then find another place to play it.
Open Arpeggio Trainer
Free preview. Playback and interactive controls require StrumForge Pro.