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Rodrigo y Gabriela make frequent use of Latin arpeggios in their music

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In this video lesson, Rodrigo Sanchez from guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela shows you his take on arpeggios. The examples Rodrigo demonstrates here are based on Latin American dance rhythms such as the samba and tango.

The descending bass notes in the arpeggio line are fairly typical of these styles, and the rhythms are quite syncopated (played off the main beat of the song). Due to the speed of this piece, you need to try to 'feel' the rhythm rather than strictly count it out.

With that in mind, singing the rhythm and/or melody and committing it to memory can be a great help. The down-down-up picking technique used here might not feel natural, but it's the most efficient way of picking it since the pick is generally travelling in the direction of the next note.

As you become more comfortable with this, introduce some of the rhythm variations Rodrigo suggests in Example 2.

Check our our free tab that accompanies this video lesson here. For more information on Rodrigo Sanchez, visit the official Rodrigo y Gabriela website.