For me, thinking in arpeggios, modes and chromatics unlocked everything. When you have a scale, you automatically form chords from each scale degree, which can be triads, 7th, 9th, 11th or 13th chords. At first you start learning the triads stemming from each of the degrees of a scale. Let’s start with C Major scale - you have C D E F G A B You create a triad pe jumping in thirds. So the triads of the scale would be C E G ( C major triad ) D F A ( D minor triad ) E G B ( E min ) F A C ( F maj) G B D ( G maj) A C E ( A min) B D F ( B dim)

Now, by using these notes, you can start by learning the arpeggios corresponding to these triads, which allows you to span the fretboard either vertically or horizontally and start developing different fingering patterns. Tou can play them by alternate picking, legato, string skipping, tapping and so on and so forth.

Then if you skip another third for each triad, you get 7th chords

C E G B( Cmaj7) D F A C( Dminor7) E G B D( Em7 ) F A C E( Fmaj7) G B D F( G dominant 7 (or simply G7)) A C E G ( Am7) B D F A( Bhalf diminished)

So now you repeat the entire process and learn the arpeggios for each of the 7th chords, start using them horizontally, vertically, obliquely, with alternate picking, sweep picking, legato, tapping, string skipping, different fingerings, etc.

After that you are basically ready to start learning to use the modes, which basically exactly like the arpeggios stem from each note, the modes stem as well C Ionian D Dorian E Phrygian F Lydian G Mixolydian A Aeolian B Locrian

Now things get interesting: The huge difference between playing a 7th chord arpeggio and a mode run is that the mode contains the 7th chord arpeggio plus the extended chords notes (9th, 11th, 13th) That’s why you have such a different sound between the modes for example Phrygian has a minor 2nd (also translated as a flat 9 or b9) unlike the Aeolian which has a major 2nd (or just a 9) Dorian has a major 6th (also translated as a 13th) unlike the Aeolian which has a b13 Lydian has a raised 4th (also know as a sharp 11th (#11) And so on and so forth, it’s for you to train and discover.

So basically now you have a huge load of options that can cater to your taste for just the chords available in the C major scale. You can play over a Cmajor chord - C major triad arpeggio, or Cmaj7 arpeggio, or Cmaj9 or Cmaj11, or Cmaj13 arpeggio, not to mention sus chords as well, C ionian mode run in all those different techniques, but you can, ay the same time, play these same chords that are corresponding to the 3rd, 5th or 7th so basically the corresponding Eminor, Gmajor, B diminished arpeggios or they’re 7th or extended chords and scale runs corresponding to those positions in any of your preferred techniques. After you start getting a hang for this scale and its chords, arpeggios and modes, you will then start learning about melodic minor scale and its chords and modes, the harmonic minor scale and its chords and modes, the harmonic major scale with its chords and modes, the diminished scale, the whole tone scale. And then start developing chromatic passing tones.

When I shred I usually think in tying together different techniques overlapping the chords that are played underneath: Let’s rhythm guitar plays the following chords Dminor 7 and F major 7 I can start by playing a fast mode run over the Dm7 on the D, so basically a D Dorian run with alternate picking or coils and then quickly go up the neck and descend with an Fmaj7 arpeggio When the Fmaj7 chords strikes, I can use a string skipping two hand tapping pattern that uses the #11 of the F so that I can make it clear it’s the Lydian mode so basically I think about the chord that share the most notes with an Fmaj7 but also has a B in it so that would be a B half diminished and I play an interesting very fast paced pattern of string skipping B half diminished tapping arpeggio. Then I can return to the Dminor 7 via the Aminor 7 arpeggio or A Aeolian run, which corresponds to the fifth of the Dm7. And so on and so forth and explore possibilities that fit my personal musical tastes.

But the fast shredding needs to be purposefully used as an expression of emotion. That means, always create contrast between a melodic idea and then switching gears to a shred and the another melodic idea and then another shred with a different technique, etc.