Play your first E major arpeggio
Hold an E major chord and pluck one string at a time. This arpeggio rises from low E to G sharp, then comes back down on the D and A strings.
Place your fingers
Leave the low E string open. Put your middle finger on fret 2 of the A string, your ring finger on fret 2 of the D string and your index finger on fret 1 of the G string. Keep those fingers in place as you pluck the strings.
Read the tab and hear the six notes
The number tells you which fret to play. A 0 means the string is played open. Read the columns from left to right.
| String | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High E | ||||||
| B | ||||||
| G | 1 | |||||
| D | 2 | 2 | ||||
| A | 2 | 2 | ||||
| Low E | 0 |
Practise with a metronome
Start at 50 BPM and play one note per click. Keep the volume even and let the strings ring as you move to the next one. If a note buzzes, move your finger closer to the fret and start again from low E.
After three steady passes, go to 55 BPM, then 60 BPM. If you lose the beat on the way down, repeat just G sharp, E and B before returning to the full arpeggio.
Try the interactive arpeggio with fretboard cues and adjustable speed