Jazz Guitar Arpeggio Workout: Connect ii-V-I Arpeggios in All 12 Keys and 5 Positions
Nov 03, 2026Short answer: A jazz arpeggio workout should connect the arpeggios the way a ii-V does, not run each chord on its own. Play the minor 7 arpeggio up over D-7, slide chromatically into G7, come down the dominant arpeggio so you land on its 3rd, then use a pivot arpeggio to move into the next ii-V (G-7 to C7, then C-7 to F7, around the cycle). Do it in all five positions and all 12 keys and you get fretboard fluency with arpeggios that already sound like jazz lines.
This is my absolute favorite arpeggio exercise. It's built on ii-V-Is, so if you're a jazz guitarist it's crucial to know, and it goes through all 12 keys in all five positions on the fretboard. ▶ 0:19
Why not just run arpeggios up and down?
I made this after watching a very popular "full arpeggio workout" video. I liked a lot about it, but it wasn't focused on how a jazz musician uses arpeggios: it went chord by chord and didn't show how one arpeggio connects to the next. So this workout keeps the idea (all keys, all positions) but always connects a minor 7 chord to a dominant chord, the way it happens in a ii-V-I. ▶ 0:55
We're not mindlessly going up two or three octaves of an arpeggio. Every arpeggio is played in a way that connects to the next chord, and that's what makes it musical. ▶ 2:20
Shape 1: the full pattern, note by note
Each position is tied to a chord shape. For the first one, play the ii-V in C (D-7 to G7) and see how the arpeggio sits inside the D minor chord shape. ▶ 1:54
| Chord | Notes | What's happening |
|---|---|---|
| D-7 | D F A C D F A A♭ | Up the D-7 arpeggio, then down chromatically to G instead of continuing to C ▶ 2:40 |
| G7 | G F D C B, then D F A | Down the G7 arpeggio with C added so you land on B, the 3rd; then a pivot arpeggio from that 3rd ▶ 2:59 |
| G-7 | G B♭ D F G B♭ D F | Starts right off with the pivot arpeggio, then the minor 7 ▶ 3:48 |
| C7 | E E♭ D D♭ C B♭ G E | 7th of G-7 (F) to the 3rd of C7 (E), chromatic down, then the dominant 7 arpeggio. Ends ready to go to F ▶ 3:48 |
Over G7 you can also think G13. ▶ 2:40 And if you just want a regular ii-V-I in C, stop on G after the pivot arpeggio: that's the 5th of C major, so it resolves fine. ▶ 3:14
The shapes then repeat around the cycle: C-7 to F7 next, and so on. In this position you'd have to jump up for C-7 because the line gets too low, so the video only shows the first couple of ii-Vs. ▶ 4:21
In the notation, the pivot arpeggio over G7 is the turn after B: instead of continuing down, the line skips down to D and climbs back up through F and A. On G-7 the same move opens the bar: G, down to B♭, then D and F.
Shapes 2 to 5: the same idea in every position
| Shape | Chord shape | What's different |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | D-11 | Two octaves of D-7, a pull-off, then a pivot arpeggio for G7 with a slightly extended position, then down the G7 arpeggio (G F D B). G-7 to C7 uses the exact same pattern ▶ 5:03 |
| 3 | D-11 | D-7 arpeggio into an FMaj.7 arpeggio (a D-9 sound), resolve to the 3rd of G7, chromatic down, G7 arpeggio. G-7 to C7 uses the same shape as D-7 in shape 1, with a different way down ▶ 6:22 |
| 4 | D-7 | Exactly the same as shape 2: two octaves up, pull off into the pivot arpeggio, then again for G-7 without moving ▶ 7:23 |
| 5 | D-7, higher up | Starts on the 3rd (F) with an FMaj.7 arpeggio, which gives you the 9th (E). Over G7, jump from the 3rd up to the root, then descend chromatically ▶ 8:12 |
The extended pivot arpeggio in shape 2 is a really good one to have under your fingers: it works when you want to stay in position but you've run out of room. ▶ 5:37
Depending on the key, these shapes move around the neck. That's why it's so important to recognize each one in the context of the chord shape. ▶ 8:12
A fingering tip for shape 5
There's a pull-off where you have C, D, then move your index finger and pull off to B. For the B and G that follow, I like using two fingers instead of a roll because it's a little cleaner, but you can roll with the first finger if you prefer. ▶ 8:41
Why mix arpeggios with chromatic notes?
Throughout the workout I mix notes from the arpeggio with chromatic notes. That's what I see most guitarists doing when they use arpeggios in a musical way: they're not usually just playing arpeggios. Arpeggio plus chromaticism gives the exercise a more realistic sound, so it's a little more than an exercise. ▶ 9:15
How to practice the arpeggio workout
| Method | How | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| One shape, all keys | Pick one shape and move it through the cycle: after the ii-V ends on C7, play C-7 to F7, and keep going | Getting one shape solid everywhere ▶ 10:21 |
| One key, all positions | Pick one ii-V, for example from a tune you're working on, and play it in all five positions | Learning a specific tune or key ▶ 10:57 |
Once you're comfortable, pick whichever one fits what you need that day. ▶ 11:42
I also use it to warm up in a key we don't play in much. If I need to play in B, I practice the ii-V that resolves to B (C♯-7 to F♯7) in all five positions, so when that key comes up, my fingers just do what they do naturally. ▶ 11:42
Frequently asked questions
What is the best arpeggio exercise for jazz guitar?
One that connects arpeggios through chord changes instead of running each chord alone. This workout links the minor 7 arpeggio of a ii chord to the dominant 7 arpeggio of the V chord, using chromatic notes and pivot arpeggios, in all five positions and all 12 keys.
How do you connect a minor 7 arpeggio to a dominant 7 arpeggio?
In the ii-V from D-7 to G7, go up the D-7 arpeggio to A, then come down chromatically (A, A♭) to G. Then come down the G7 arpeggio with a C added so you land on B, the 3rd of G7.
What is a pivot arpeggio?
A turn in the middle of an arpeggio: the line skips and changes direction instead of running straight up or down. In this workout, after landing on B over G7, the line goes down to D, then up through F and A.
How do I practice arpeggios in all 12 keys?
Either take one shape and move it around the cycle (D-7 to G7, then G-7 to C7, then C-7 to F7, and so on), or take one ii-V and play it in all five positions. Use the second way to get comfortable in a key before you play a tune in it.
Should I play only arpeggio notes when I solo?
No. Most guitarists who use arpeggios musically mix arpeggio notes with chromatic notes. That balance sounds more like real jazz lines than arpeggios alone.
Keep learning
- The first ii-V-I line to learn on jazz guitar: 7th-to-3rd voice leading and enclosures in one ii-V-I line
- How to play like George Benson: more on pivot arpeggios and Benson's other core techniques
- Two shapes for every scale and arpeggio (Corey Christiansen): a simpler way to organize arpeggio fingerings on the neck
Go deeper
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