Neoclassical Virtuoso Arpeggios
Course Content Overview
Sam Bell—a highly respected modern shredder, Licklibrary educator, and neoclassical fusion expert—will guide you through these complex arpeggio frameworks with clarity, efficiency, and real-world musical application. You will learn the secrets behind executing clean sweep picking, developing fluid legato phrasing, and mastering the intricate string-skipping techniques essential for this genre. Each lesson is a step-by-step journey into fretboard mastery, focusing on the core techniques that drive fast, articulate, and harmonically rich improvisation.
Course contents:
Classic 2-String Triads — Master the foundational building blocks of melodic shred harmony. You will work through compact, two-string triad inversions, developing a clean harmonic footprint that allows you to outline chords with minimal hand movement and maximum picking accuracy.
String-Crossing 3-String Triads — Expand your arpeggio vocabulary across three strings while maintaining speed and precision. This section focuses on right-hand control and motion efficiency, eliminating hesitation during direction changes and balancing dynamics across the neck.
String-Skipping Triads & Scale Fragments — Combine wide interval jumps with short scale fragments to create dramatic, classical-style phrasing. You will learn how to execute fluid cross-string motion and throw scale fragments between arpeggio tones for more exciting, unpredictable melodic lines.
Combination Study 1: E Harmonic Minor — Dive deep into the signature scale of neoclassical metal. This comprehensive study synthesises your triad and skipping skills into musical arpeggio runs, utilising sweep picking, alternate picking, and trills to master authentic neoclassical tonality.
Combination Study 2: Diminished Arpeggios — Unlock the symmetrical tension and dark drama of classical sequencing. You will learn how to integrate diminished shapes into fluid runs, developing effortless three-note inversion cycling and total confidence in using diminished harmony melodically.
Technical skills you will develop:
- Mastery of compact two-string and three-string triad inversions
- Proficiency in sweep picking for fluid, classical arpeggio flow
- Execution of precise alternate picking and fluid legato phrasing
- Enhanced string-crossing confidence and flawless outside picking mechanics
- Improved string-skipping accuracy for wide-interval leaps
- A deep understanding of how to apply the E harmonic minor scale and diminished arpeggios musically
- Development of dramatic ornamentation techniques, including trills and rakes
This Course is Ideal for Players Who...
Our Neoclassical Virtuoso Arpeggios guitar course is essential for any guitarist who wants to deepen their understanding of classical harmony and master the art of high-speed, articulate improvisation. Whether you are an intermediate player looking to sharpen your alternate picking chops, or a dedicated shredder who wants to expand your fretboard vocabulary with sophisticated arpeggio sequences, this course is built for you.
This course is perfect for guitarists who are looking to break out of standard pentatonic boxes and explore the elegant mathematical clarity of classical harmony; who want to master essential techniques like sweep picking and string skipping; who are looking to develop a powerful, articulate sound with consistent timing; who admire the technical excellence and musical storytelling of Sam Bell; and who believe that a structured approach to arpeggio studies is the key to unlocking true neoclassical virtuosity on the electric guitar.
What will I achieve from completing this course?
This course goes beyond simply memorising fast licks—it is an education in the mechanics of confident, harmonically rich guitar playing. It is about understanding how systematic triad work and scale-aligned fragments can transform your technique and open up the entire fretboard. You will gain unparalleled insight into the teaching methods of Sam Bell and learn how his efficient, practical approach to the guitar creates a foundation for limitless neoclassical improvisation. By focusing on accuracy, right-hand control, and the specific techniques that define modern shred playing—from sweep picking to expressive legato—this course ensures that you do not just learn the arpeggios, but truly integrate them into your musical vocabulary. For those ready to take their lead playing to the virtuoso level, your neoclassical journey starts here.
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Neoclassical Virtuoso Arpeggios
Neoclassical Virtuoso Arpeggios is a complete, high-level guitar lesson course by Sam Bell built for players who want authentic, note-for-note mastery of neoclassical arpeggio vocabulary. This course is laser-focused on the techniques, phrasing concepts, and fretboard structures that define the neoclassical guitar sound—fast, articulate, harmonically rich, and fiercely melodic. Across live demonstrations and fully tabbed studies, players are guided through triads, scale-aligned fragments, dramatic classical extensions, and symmetrical arpeggio forms that echo the spirit of Paganini on six strings.
Sam Bell is one of the most exciting young voices in modern shred and neoclassical fusion. His playing blends the elegant mathematical clarity of classical harmony with modern, high-gain precision. Sam channels the influence of players like Yngwie Malmsteen and Jason Becker—guitarists who translated violin techniques, symmetric sequencing, and baroque-era arpeggios into electric guitar vocabulary. While this course is not a biography or tribute to those players, their influence lives in every phrase—long vibrato tails, intense picking staccato, tight legato phrasing, and arpeggio lines that outline harmony like a composer’s quill. Sam presents the lessons with clarity, controlled speed, and a deep understanding of how technique serves musical storytelling, making even the most challenging lines feel achievable.
Classic 2 String Triads
Classic 2 String Triads form the core skeleton of melodic shred harmony. In this section, Sam teaches how to break standard 3-note triads across two adjacent strings using compact inversions. Benefits of learning 2-string triads include:
- Economy of movement: Less shifting means faster execution
- Clean harmonic clarity: No overlapping notes improves articulation at speed
- Melodic control: Perfect for outlining chord progressions within solos
- Pick friendly shapes: Reduced surface area improves accuracy for alternate and tremolo picking
String Crossing 3 String Triads
String Crossing 3 String Triads expands arpeggios over three strings while maintaining speed and accuracy. Sam focuses on:
- Right-hand control
- Motion efficiency
- Timing of pick transients
- Maintaining even velocity across strings
This lesson delivers huge benefits:
- Improves string crossing confidence
- Eliminates hesitation on direction change
- Develops flawless ‘outside’ picking mechanics
- Balances dynamics across the neck
String Skipping Triads & Scale Fragments
String Skipping Triads & Scale Fragments combine wide interval jumps with short scale fragments that visually fragment arpeggios into dramatic melodic sequences. Sam teaches:
- Expanding triads
- Scale adjacency logic
- Melodic sequencing
- Throwing scale fragments between arpeggio tones
Benefits include:
- Enhanced fretboard fluency
- Improved phrasing creativity
- Wide-stretch accuracy
- More exciting melodic lines
- Cleaner picking jumps
Combination Study 1: E Harmonic Minor
This section is a deep dive into one of neoclassical music’s most signature scales. E Harmonic Minor becomes the foundation for arpeggios, 2-string and 3-string triads, and scale-linked fragments. Techniques include:
- Sweep Picking for classical arpeggio flow
- Alternate Picking for articulation
- Legato runs for symmetry
- Trills for dramatic ornamentation
Benefits to the viewer:
- Master authentic neoclassical tonality
- Improve scale and arpeggio integration
- Compose solos that sound arranged, not improvised
- Understand harmonic minor interval relationships fast
Combination Study 2: Diminished Arpeggios
Diminished Arpeggios bring symmetrical tension, dark drama, and the harmonic complexity of classical sequencing. Sam highlights:
- Symmetrical arpeggio logic
- Repeating inversion cycles
- Noise control when crossing string groups
- Timing on position rotation
Benefits include:
- Unlock classical tension and release
- Improve fast symmetric sequencing
- Gain total confidence using diminished harmony melodically
- Develop effortless 3-note inversion cycling
Combination Arpeggio Concepts
Each of these topics is scaffolded to teach not just raw finger mechanics, but musical intent. Sam ensures players understand:
- How a triad implies an entire chord
- How arpeggio fragments can replace scale runs
- How classical phrasing techniques elevate shred guitar beyond physics into composition
Guitar Techniques Used in the Lessons
About The Tutor
Tutor Profile
Sam Bell
Sam Bell has been playing guitar from the age of 4, since then he has played many styles from Funky Blues to screaming Metal/Fusion on 8 string guitar. A member of UK tech metal band ‘Mask of Judas’, he is also currently writing his own solo instrumental album. He also...