Tuning-specific arpeggio diagram

A Major 7 Arpeggio in 8-String Drop E Tuning

A Major 7 Arpeggio in 8-String Drop E Tuning shows the same a major 7 arpeggio chord tones across 8 strings tuned E B E A D G B E. The seventh and eighth strings extend the arpeggio into the lower register for wider-range chord tones and riff shapes.

Chord tones
A, C#, E, G#
Formula
1 3 5 7
Semitones
0 4 7 11
Chord symbols
Amaj7, AM7
Tuning
E B E A D G B E
Strings
8
Open pitch range
E1 to E4
24-fret range
E1 to E6

Open strings and root positions

4 of the 8 open strings belong to A Major 7 Arpeggio: string 8 E (5), string 6 E (5), string 5 A (1), and string 1 E (5). A roots occur on open string 5.

String 8E5
String 6E5
String 5A1
String 1E5

First root on each string

String 8Fret 5
String 7Fret 10
String 6Fret 5
String 5Open
String 4Fret 7
String 3Fret 2
String 2Fret 10
String 1Fret 5

Low-string pattern

On the lowest E string, the first-octave arpeggio pattern falls at frets 0, 4, 5, and 9, with the A root at fret 5. On the highest E string, the first A is at fret 5.

OpenE5
Fret 4G#7
Fret 5A1
Fret 9C#3

Practice this tuning-specific layout

  1. Play A Major 7 Arpeggio on the low E string at frets 0, 4, 5, and 9, saying each note name and degree aloud.
  2. Build a phrase that lets E on open string 8 ring, then connect it to the nearest A root and two other arpeggio tones.
  3. Connect the A root positions on strings 8 through 1 at frets 5, 10, 5, 0, 7, 2, 10, and 5, adding the nearest arpeggio tone between each pair of roots.

Fretboard diagram

A Major 7 Arpeggio in 8-String Drop E Tuning fretboard diagram
A Major 7 Arpeggio in 8-String Drop E Tuning guitar fretboard diagram showing E B E A D G B E.

Open this diagram in the fretboard tool

Start with A Major 7 Arpeggio and 8-string drop e tuningloaded, then adjust labels, colors, fret count, and orientation.

Open in interactive fretboard

Reference pages

Same arpeggio in other tunings