Familiarizing yourself with the notes of a new scale can be a challenge, whether you’re learning violin for beginners or are a seasoned veteran. Luckily, ArtistWorks fiddle master Darol Anger is here to share a technique that is sure to help build correct note assurance: arpeggios.

Darol offers this lesson in the form of 3 note diatonic arpeggios, which he credits for improving his overall performance. “It’s really helped me to make my improvisations more secure,” says Darol. “I feel more comfortable about not hitting wrong notes and it’s given me a new, very comprehensive vocabulary for all kinds of playing.”

Arpeggios are one of the most important tools for improvising over the harmony. Harmony is the chord, and the arpeggio is the chord played note-for-note, the melodic form of the chord. 3 note diatonic arpeggios are the arpeggios that occur on every step up the basic major scale. The C Major scale, for instance, every tone has an arpeggio as triads. In Western music, a scale is called diatonic if it has seven whole steps of perfect fifths: C - G - D - A - E - B - F

Check out the video below for Darol’s lesson on 3 note diatonic arpeggios.

Interested in taking fiddle lessons? ArtistWorks is home to some of the best online music lessons around, including Darol Anger’s fiddle school! You’ll learn everything from how to perform with proper violin vibrato to masterful solos and everything in between.

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