awkward arpeggio (scar symmetry)

anacrucix

aka Shredcaptain Matt
Jan 22, 2007
562
2
18
United Kingdom
e|--9-10-9-------------------------7-9-|--11--------||
B|---------10-------------------10-----|------------||
G|------------7-6-----------6-7--------|------------||
D|-------------------------------------|------------||
A|----------------9-5-4-5-9------------|------------||
E|-------------------------------------|------------||

This is the first arpeggio in the solo from Scar Symmetry's Underneath the Surface, can anyone see any easier fingerings?
 
e|--9-10-9-------------------------------9-|--11--------||
B|---------10-----------------------10-12--|------------||
G|-----------------------------------------|------------||
D|------------12-11------------11-12-------|------------||
A|------------------9--------9-------------|------------||
E|--------------------10-9-10--------------|------------||

I don't know the song, so I don't know the tempo, whether he's alt. or sweep picking (or hammer-ons/pull-offs), but that's one way I might do it just to keep it all in a 4 finger position and make it easier on the left hand. Bearing it mind that it's a four finger position should make it easier to figure out the fingering. I'd use strict alternate picking (starting with a downstroke) for this one.

Or I might do:

e|--9-10-9-------------------------7-9-|--11--------||
B|---------10-------------------10-----|------------||
G|------------7/6-----------6/7--------|------------||
D|-------------------------------------|------------||
A|----------------9-5---5-9------------|------------||
E|--------------------9----------------|------------||

Fingering (it looked messy when I tried to line it up:

3, 4, 3, 4, 1, 1, 4, 1, 4, 1, 4, 1, 1, 4, 1, 2, 4

The picking pattern (assuming you aren't picking C#s on the G string that you slide into) I'd use would be: D, U, D, U, U, (slide), D, U, D, U, D, U, (slide), D, D, U, D. That's how I would do it, though you could rearrange the picking to adhere more strictly to an economy picking approach if you wanted. If I were taking some liberty with it, I'd throw in hammer-ons/pull-offs in places, but play with it and see what you would like

You could also arrange it for two handed tapping

e|--9-10-9--------------------------------------------|------||
B|--------------------------------------------12-(14)/|-16---||
G|--------(14)----------------------------(14)--------|------||
D|-------------12-11-----------------11-12------------|------||
A|----------------------------------------------------|------||
E|-------------------(14)-10-9-10-(14)----------------|------||

The paranthesized notes are the ones you'd tap with your right hand. After you tap the C# at the end of the measure you'd slide up to the D# with your tapping finger. The fingerings shouldn't be too hard to figure out...and as always there are a a few changes you could do to that that might make it easier for your playing style.

And the last one that I'm going to do (I attest this post to me being bored btw :) ) would add some chickin' pickin', which might be cool ( I think it is at least).
____A_______M__D____M_D_______M_A____M____A____D__________
e|--9h10p9--------------------------------9-|--11--------||
B|---------10------------------------10h12--|------------||
G|------------------------------------------|------------||
D|------------12p11-------------11/12-------|------------||
A|------------------9---------9-------------|------------||
E|--------------------10p9h10---------------|------------||

you'll notice it's the same left hand fingering as the first one I gave you(except for the slide from C# to D toward the end), so use that again and check out the right hand. If you aren't familar with the fingerings names used in the world classical guitar

P=thumb
I=index
M=middle finger
A=ring finger


I still used "d" for downstroke and "u" for up stroke and i used lower case "h" for hammer-ons and lower case "p" for pull offs. Sorry the right hand stuff on top of it doesn't look so neat!