Blues in D — arpeggios
Unlike the catalogue's power chords (only 2 notes, root and fifth), D7, G7 and A7 are seventh chords with 4 distinct notes (root, third, fifth, minor seventh): picking these chords note by note as arpeggios therefore reveals a much richer harmonic colour than on a power-chord grid, where the arpeggio would lose much of its point since there are only two notes to pick.
Tips
Listen for each chord's minor seventh (the most characteristic note of the blues sound) by isolating it from the rest of the arpeggio.
First play each chord in full (all 4 notes) before chaining the 12 bars together, to properly memorise each shape.
Compare with an arpeggiated power-chord grid from the catalogue: the difference in harmonic richness is immediately audible.
Chord progression — D
Bar 1
D7
Bar 2
D7
Bar 3
D7
Bar 4
D7
Bar 5
G7
Bar 6
G7
Bar 7
D7
Bar 8
D7
Bar 9
A7
Bar 10
G7
Bar 11
D7
Bar 12
A7
Chords
Related sheets
- Full round trip riff — C minor (Level 4)
- Blues in A (12 bars) — syncopated rhythm (Level 4)
- Three-note rolling lick riff — D minor (Level 4)